SECOND SHIFT · FROM THE FIELD
Stephens County, Oklahoma · Recovery services · Reentry
Original reporting: Tarra Jones, KSWO 7News · September 25, 2026
Michelle Monroe says addiction and a prison sentence cost her everything, including her children. Almost seven years after her release, she has founded the Cedar House Bridgeway to Hope Foundation, which KSWO reports is Stephens County’s first sober living home for women.
Monroe told KSWO she has since earned three college degrees, most recently a master’s degree, and described herself as a licensed drug and alcohol therapist. The station did not independently confirm the license.
The renovated two-story house has eight bedrooms and four bathrooms and is designed for 14 to 16 women. Stephens County District Attorney Jason Hicks, who prosecuted Monroe, now supports the project, KSWO reports. At the time of the report, the home’s first resident was expected the following week.
Location Decision takeaway
Recovery housing is part of the workforce system: stable housing is often what lets someone in recovery keep a job. In rural counties with few such beds, a founder with lived experience can fill a gap that agencies have not.
Second Shift tells the stories of people building what’s next through new skills, new careers and second chances. From the Field items are curated from credited reporting, with Location Decision’s perspective. Location Decision Originals are independently reported by our team.
Curated by Location Decision. Originally reported by Tarra Jones, KSWO 7News, September 25, 2026.
This item was sourced and drafted with AI assistance and reviewed under Location Decision’s editorial standards. Second Shift tracks workforce outcomes to inform our broader editorial analysis. All reporting belongs to the credited journalists; read the original story for the full account.