photo by: Bremen Keasey

Avalon Wellness and Recovery Center, at 801 Iowa St. in Lawrence, was a former hotel converted into a 60-bed in-patient center — Lawrence's first.

Staff and former patients at an alcohol and drug treatment center in Lawrence celebrated the one-year anniversary of its opening, and its leaders say the center is close to being able to accept Medicaid for treatment.

The Avalon Wellness and Recovery Center, 801 Iowa St., which provides medical assisted detox to patients as well as residential treatment for substance use disorder, first opened its doors to patients last April.

Since that opening, the center has had 171 clients with a success rate of “over 60%,” according to Ken Vick, the executive director for Avalon.

As staff, other community members and former patients gathered for the celebration with punch and cake, the center’s founder David Hawley said that the first year was about focusing on three main things: getting proper licensing, the right staffing in place and getting in-network agreements with insurance companies.

Avalon received accreditation from the The Joint Commission in August 2025, and Hawley said that the center currently has in-network agreements with every major insurance provider except Optum, but he said that agreement may be complete in the next few weeks. In addition, Vick said that the center is almost approved to accept Medicaid, which would greatly reduce barriers to access treatment.

Looking into next year, the center’s leaders hope to build better partnerships with other treatment places in town, like DCCCA and the Treatment and Recovery Center. In the first year, Hawley said Avalon was starting to find “where it fit in the web” of recovery services in the community. With a year under their belt, Vick said the center now knows more about the treatment landscape, and it can find its niche to serve others.

“Lawrence has needs, and we are learning how to fit in and help,” Vick said.

Hawley said the center can focus more now on long-term expansion goals, like building recovery housing, but he also is happy with the little wins. Hawley said that three of the center’s first patients were visiting, and they have now been sober for almost a year. Seeing that progress is what the one-year celebration is all about.

“That is what fills us up,” Hawley said.

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Balloon art standing at the entrance to Lawrence’s Avalon Treatment Center, 801 Iowa St. The rehab center celebrated Thursday afternoon its one year anniversary of accepting patients.

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Cakes served during the open house for Avalon Treatment Center, 801 Iowa St., in Lawrence that celebrated the center’s one year anniversary since it opened.