On April 10, 2026, at Lincoln South Rotary Club, we heard from Tammy Stevenson Executive Director of Houses of Hope.
Tammy started out by saying that few people know who they are - that they have been operating quietly in the community since 1962. They are a small nonprofit organization. But, like many in the health system they are struggling and they are needing more community support.
Their primary client base are people on Medicaid or those with no insurance. Medicaid patients are rarely treated at primary medical facilities due to low reimbursement rates. Many of those facilities will take only a few Medicaid patients. Currently 90 to 95% of the clients are Medicaid patients. They are trying to increase their fundraising efforts.
Houses for Hope is accredited which means they are evaluated and rated on multiple levels. As of today they have three distinct services - Outpatient Services, Residential Treatment and Transitional Living.
They lost their lease and had to pause the Residential Treatment program. They are in a temporary office on South 70th and there is no room for Residential Treatment there. But, they are currently renovating a new location at 48th & A. They will be able to house 24 clients in the new facility which they hope to open in the Fall of 2026.
Their Residential Treatment program is a structured residential treatment program from 30-45 days. They provide individual and group therapy sessions.
Tammy detailed the Outpatient services. She stated that serve men and women and are a preferred provider for Lancaster County’s Problem-Solving Courts. They offer their services in Spanish. The Outpatient services include:
- - Substance use evaluations
- - Co-occurring mental health evaluations
- - Outpatient treatment (up to 9 hours per week)
- - Intensive Outpatient treatment (over 9 hours per week)
- - Certified peer support - people who have gone through the system and now want to serve others with the same struggles
They are also part of a collaboration with Blue Valley Behavioral Health, The Bridge, and Lutheran Family Services that serves southeast Nebraska. It is called TASC (Targeted Adult Service Coordination). It is available 24/7 and provides community support and recovery support.
Tammy shared information about the Transitional Living houses on North Cotner. These are set up for adult males who have just completed residential treatment. They work full time and the program provides life skills training. There are three house side-by-side with 12 men per home. There is a Houses of Hope home next door that houses administrative personnel. There are techs in the homes 24-7 to assist the clients.
The residents cook all meals for the house, and are required to follow a template - select a protein, vegetable, etc. Russ's Market helps out by providing "personal shoppers" to pull the groceries which saves the Houses of Hope staff time.
BIO
Tammy Stevenson serves as the Executive Director of Houses of Hope, leading compassionate, evidence-based programs that support individuals and families navigating substance use and mental health disorders. She brings extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, fundraising, and organizational management. Throughout her career, Tammy has been recognized for building effective teams, strengthening financial sustainability, and fostering collaborative partnerships. She is deeply committed to advocacy, equity, and creating systems that help people build better lives in recovery.