The Next Door is dedicated to helping women in crisis, equipping them to develop lives of wholeness and hope.
To view photos of TND Knoxville's Grand Opening Click Here
Find News and Internet Coverage here:
Read ONDCP Director Kerlikowske's blog about his experience at the Grand Opening
Fox News Sunday Broadcast: ONDCP Director Kerlikowske Highlights The Next Door
WBIR, Channel 10 in Knoxville
The U. S. Department of Justice Blog
Knoxville News Sentinel
CEO Leathers Appointed to Governor's Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
Governor Phil Bredesen has announced 13 appointments, including The Next Door CEO Linda Leathers, to the Governor's Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.
"Protecting the lives and property of the citizens of Tennessee is one of the highest priorities of state government," said Bredesen. "I appreciate the willingness of these 13 men and women to serve the stae on this important Council, which is charge with coordinating the efforts of multiple state and local agencies that share responsibilities for criminal justice system and non-government organizations like victim advocacy groups and faith-based service providers that also play critical roles."
The Council is composed of 19 members representing state and municipal officials, the judicial system, law enforcement, and other stakeholders. Thirteen members are appointed by the Governor. The other six members include the Commissioners of Children's Services and Correction, the Chairman of the Board of Probation and Parole, one member of the Tennessee Senate to be selected by the Speaker of the Senate, one member of the Tennessee House of Representatives to be selected by the Speaker of the House, and the Executive Director of the Tennessee General Assembly's Select Oversight Committee on Correction.
Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton will chair the Council. "I'm very pleased at the level of expertise represented by the members of this Council," said Wharton. "We appreciate the confidence Governor Bredesen has shown in us and look forward to serving the citizens of the state of Tennessee in this role."
For a complete list of Council members, visit TN.gov Newsroom.
TND Knoxville Celebrates Grand Opening
When a woman leaves incarceration, she is helpless, homeless, and sometimes hopeless. Where can she go? Who will help her with the resources she needs to build a new, whole and productive life, different than the way she was living before incarceration? What is "the next door" for her to enter that new way of living after she leaves the prison doors behind?
The Next Door celebrated the Grand Opening of the Knoxville Residential Transitional Program on February 17. Attending the celebration were Director Gil Kerlikowske of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Pam Hyde, Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Gayle Ray, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Correction, and Virginia Betts, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, as well as many other state and local officials.
The Next Door Knoxville will serve women coming from incarceration in Knoxville and the contiguous counties, to help them find hope and help to re-enter society and rebuild their lives. At The Next Door Knoxville, women coming by referral and application will find transitional housing, recovery support services, individual and group counseling, workforce development support, and case management services.
The Knoxville program has capacity to serve up to 16 women at a time and has begun receiving women for the residential program. Staff for the Knoxville program are: Program Director, Cathie Ragsdale; Admissions and Case Manager, Brittany Roberts; Sue Schuerenberg, Counselor; and Elizabeth Day, HPRP Housing Case Manager.
The Next Door Chattanooga will have capacity to serve up to 24 women coming from incarceration and anticipates accepting women into the residential program soon. The Program will offer housing, individual and group counseling, workforce development support, and case management. Staff for the Chattanooga program are: Monica Lester, Counselor, and Holly Oliver, Admissions and Case Manager.
Sheila DeBerry, pictured above, is a graduate of The Next Door Nashville and a former resident of Chattanooga. To read more of Sheila's story and to learn more about the opening of The Next Door Chattanooga, click here.
The Next Door, Inc.'s expansion plans in Chattanooga continue to move forward with hiring program staff, securing the location for the transitional residential facility, and offering services to women still incarcerated in the local area. 
Opening the Next Door
