03/30/2026
Acacia Network and our upstate affiliate, Hispanos Unidos de Buffalo (HUB), celebrate women in recovery! 💜
Roseanne Lockard’s path to recovery began nearly a decade ago following a long struggle with opioid addiction that started with a skiing accident. Her journey of managing chronic pain is a challenge shared by approximately 20.7 million women and girls in the U.S. who met criteria for a substance use disorder in 2023 (SAMHSA).
For Roseanne, the road to healing was paved with loss and housing instability. Ten years ago, grieving her mother and living in a motel with her service dog, Colton, Roseanne sought help at Promesa Alba de Vida, the outpatient behavioral health and substance use services located at HUB. There, she found a comprehensive methadone treatment program that addressed both her substance use disorder and the chronic physical pain from her injuries.
“I was just lost,” Roseanne recalls. “But once I met Ann [a Peer Advocate], she connected me with the SPOA program, and I was placed in an apartment with my dog.”
Roseanne credits her clinical team for her success: “Every counselor has helped me figure out what I can do instead of thinking about those cravings.” She also attributes her stability to Colton. “He is trained to deal with my emotions. I tell anyone in recovery: if you have the opportunity to work with an animal, do it. It gives you another life to care for besides your own.”
Now a decade into her journey, Roseanne is preparing to become a Peer Advocate herself. “One day Ann said, ‘I think you would be a great Peer Advocate,’ and it made me realize I am stronger than I thought. I’ve finished my trainings and am completing my volunteer hours. Hopefully, by this time next year, I’ll be working part-time as a Peer.”
For other women exploring treatment, Roseanne’s advice is simple: “You have to do it for yourself, not for anybody else. Women are stronger than we are usually given credit for. I don’t hide the fact that I am in recovery—I am proud of it!”
Today, Roseanne looks forward to a healthy life and simply "being happy.”
🔗 Visit acacianetwork.org to learn more.
