plans designed to help them maintain their recovery. While each plan is individual, all patients are encouraged to immerse themselves in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous or another twelve-step program in which they obtain a sponsor, go to meetings, and begin to work the twelve steps. Patients are evaluated and placed in the level of care most appropriate for their needs. Each patient's program is completely individualized. Facts and figures Willingway is licensed as a specialized hospital by the Georgia Department of Human Resources and is accredited by JCAHO. The average length of stay is 25.62 days. The number of annual admits totals at 512. Approximately 33% of all patients are female, and 12% are under the age of 25. History Although Willingway was not established until 1971, its story began in 1959 when Dr. John Mooney and his wife Dot, recovering from alcoholism themselves, began taking alcoholics into their home in hopes of showing them a new way of life. Their hopes were realized, and seemingly hopeless men and women found themselves free from alcoholic bondage as a result of the care given to them by the doctor and his wife. As word spread about the Mooneys, it became evident that the house on Lee Street simply didn't have enough room for all those seeking treatment. As a result, they began building Willingway, a 40-bed facility. Willingway became a licensed hospital on August 11, 1971. John Mooney stepped down as Director of Willingway in 1982. However, the couple's four children, Al, Jimmy, Bobby, and Carol Lind still make up the hospital's board of directors. The oldest son, Al, is co-author of The Recovery Book, known by many as the Bible of addiction medicine. In May, 2016, it was announced that Willingway was being purchased by Summit BHC, a privately owned network of addiction treatment centers. Community Many patients that go to Willingway Hospital stay in Statesboro and become active members of their community. Georgia Southern University, also located in Statesboro, GA, and the Willingway Foundation (Willingway's nonprofit organization) teamed up in an effort to create the Center for Addiction Recovery on Georgia Southern University's campus. The center provides all recovering alcoholics and drug addicts with the opportunity to maximize their college experience while minimizing their risk of relapse. The Center for Addiction Recovery is modeled after a federally funded program currently in place at Texas Tech University in Lubbock,