Willingway Applauds State Efforts for Addiction Treatment

STATESBORO, Ga., Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Four board members from Willingway Hospital were recently introduced to the Georgia General Assembly and recognized for the facility's 40 years of work in addiction recovery. In speaking to the Assembly after the introduction, Willingway Board Chairman Jimmy Mooney applauded the General Assembly's efforts to address the impact addiction has on citizens of Georgia through changes in criminal justice which provide better access to treatment for those in need.

State Representative Jan Tankersley (R – Brooklet) initiated the invite resolution for the four board members – all members of the Mooney family – before the Georgia General Assembly this week.  Attending were Willingway Chairman of the Board Jimmy Mooney; Willingway's Addiction Psychiatrist and Board Member Robert Mooney, MD; Willingway Board Member and Willingway Foundation President Al Mooney, MD; and Willingway Board Member Carol Lind Mooney.  

In introducing the Mooney family to the Assembly, Rep. Tankersley said she was going to tell a true short story.  It went like this:  "The father went to jail on drug charges.  The mother drank and took Demerol.  Later two of the three sons became addicts.  The daughter was taught to drink by the brothers she idolized.  Meet the Mooney family."  And, Rep. Tankersley went on to add, "These awful circumstances lead Dr. John and Dot Mooney into treatment and onto an incredible path of recovery for themselves, and later for their children."

Before opening the hospital, Dr. John and Dot Mooney opened their home in Statesboro to others seeking treatment.  "And, after helping 583 alcoholics out of our home – at times there were 20 people living in our house – they decided to open a hospital," Jimmy Mooney adds.

Now Willingway Hospital, founded by Dr. John and Dot Mooney, celebrates its 40th anniversary and has helped more than 20,000 patients recover from alcohol and drug dependency.

Willingway opened in 1971 as the first free-standing addiction hospital in Georgia and one of the first in the country.  Today, Willingway is a comprehensive treatment system with a full range of services, including detox, inpatient and outpatient care, extended treatment and a family program.  

"The problem of addiction is that it is truly an equal opportunity illness," he said.

About Willingway Hospital

Willingway Hospital is a privately owned, 40-bed hospital specializing in the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction. Founded in 1971 by the late John Mooney, Jr., M.D. and his wife, the late Dot Mooney, the hospital is recognized as one of the first treatment facilities in the United States. It is located in Statesboro, Ga., on a serene and wooded 11-acre campus. Willingway offers a full range of services including assessments, medical detoxification, inpatient/residential, intensive outpatient, family counseling, extended treatment for men and women and continuing care. For more information, visit www.willingway.com.

SOURCE Willingway Hospital