REHAB FACILITY CLOSES

Allen Street Program Operated For Two Years

Jennifer House, a transitional housing and rehabilitation program for women
with alcohol and substance abuse problems, has closed after operating for two
years at 1125 Allen St.

"This was a good program. ... I feel terrible about its closing," said Sandra
M. Brandt, vice president. "We were one of seven facilities like this in
Kentucky."

The board likely will meet this weekend to develop a final closing plan that
includes how to dispense of the property, furniture and other items, Brandt
said.

Jennifer House was founded by Jeanne Owers who served as the board president
and house manager. She assembled a board of directors for the private,
nonprofit group home about five years ago, but it took some time to find a
house because of resistance from neighbors.

Owers could not be reached for this article.

There was no visible activity at the house Thursday, and no one returned a
message left on the phone's answering machine.

When the program closed last weekend, Owers was the only staff member, Brandt
said.

"We just couldn't continue to operate without staff," Brandt said.

Financial questions were referred to board treasurer Jennifer Allen, who
declined comment until after the board meeting.

Jennifer House and the Lexington Fair Housing Council, a private, nonprofit
corporation that focuses on cases involving discrimination, sued the city and
the Owensboro Metropolitan Board of Adjustment in October 2000 claiming
discrimination after the board of adjustment denied Jennifer House a
conditional use permit to operate at the Allen Street location.

That suit was settled in June 2001 in an out-of-court agreement in which
Jennifer House received $125,000 and the permit to operate.

"The women who went through Jennifer House had a good program," said Brandt,
who is a registered nurse with experience in the field of mental health
chemical dependency. She volunteered at the home as a counselor/manager.

"You usually lose three out of four in this field, but we had some success
stories," Brandt said. "I learned a lot. For me, the experience underscored
that early onset sexual abuse and peer pressure are the two big issues that
contribute to addiction."