Our Story
Rooted in Pooler, committed to recovery across Chatham County and Southeast Georgia.
LWR Helpline was founded in 2013 with a singular, deeply personal mission: to provide medically supervised, evidence-based addiction treatment to the communities of Pooler, Savannah, and the broader Chatham County region. Our founders, a dedicated group of physicians, licensed therapists, and community health advocates, witnessed firsthand the devastating toll that substance use disorders were taking on families across Southeast Georgia. Too many individuals were being forced to travel long distances for quality care, losing precious time and momentum in their recovery journey. They resolved to build a treatment center right here on Osprey Point Circle where clinical excellence and genuine human compassion would meet patients at their most vulnerable moment.
What began as a 20-bed residential program has grown into one of the most trusted addiction treatment facilities in the Savannah metropolitan area. Over the past thirteen years, our campus has expanded to include a medically supervised detoxification unit, a comprehensive residential treatment wing, intensive outpatient programming, a fully integrated dual diagnosis track, and a robust aftercare and alumni network. Every phase of our growth has been guided by the same founding principle: treat each person who walks through our doors as a whole human being, not a diagnosis, and walk alongside them for as long as it takes to build a foundation for lasting recovery.
Today, LWR Helpline serves individuals and families from across Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. Our treatment center remains deeply embedded in the Pooler and greater Savannah community, partnering with local hospitals, Chatham County courts, area churches, employers, and social service agencies to ensure that no one in our region who needs help faces the journey alone.
Mission & Vision
Why we do what we do at our Pooler treatment center.
Our Mission
To provide individualized, evidence-based addiction treatment at our Pooler, Georgia facility that addresses the physical, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of recovery, empowering every patient who enters our treatment center to reclaim a life of purpose, connection, and lasting health. We are committed to delivering clinical care of the highest standard in a warm, welcoming environment where dignity and respect are never compromised.
Our Vision
To be the most trusted addiction treatment center in Southeast Georgia, recognized throughout the region for clinical excellence, measurable patient outcomes, and an unwavering commitment to treating every individual who walks through our doors with compassion and respect. We envision a Chatham County and broader Georgia community where stigma no longer prevents people from seeking the help they deserve, and where recovery is celebrated as the courageous act that it is.
Our Core Values
The principles that guide every decision we make at LWR Helpline.
By the Numbers
Our impact in Pooler and the greater Savannah community.
Our Approach
Evidence-based, whole-person care designed to produce lasting recovery at our Pooler treatment center.
Treatment Philosophy
Our treatment philosophy at LWR Helpline is grounded in three core pillars: individualization, integration, and empowerment. We recognize that no two patients who enter our facility share the same history, the same triggers, or the same path to recovery, and no two treatment plans should ever be identical. From the moment you walk through the doors of our Pooler treatment center, our multidisciplinary team conducts a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment to build a care plan tailored precisely to your unique clinical needs, personal goals, and life circumstances.
We integrate evidence-based clinical therapies with holistic modalities because decades of research consistently demonstrate that addressing the mind, body, and spirit together produces stronger, more durable outcomes than any single approach used in isolation. At our facility, patients are never passive recipients of care. They are active partners in their own recovery. We equip every individual with the knowledge, coping skills, and self-awareness they need to not only achieve sobriety but to sustain it long after they leave our campus.
We also understand that addiction rarely exists in a vacuum. Co-occurring mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder frequently accompany substance use disorders, and treating one without the other is a recipe for relapse. That is why our treatment center offers fully integrated dual diagnosis care, with licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors working side by side with our addiction medicine specialists to deliver the comprehensive clinical attention that lasting recovery demands.
Our Therapeutic Modalities
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Identify and restructure the harmful thought patterns that fuel addictive behaviors. Our therapists use structured CBT protocols in both individual and group settings at our treatment center to help patients recognize triggers, challenge distorted beliefs, and develop practical strategies for managing cravings and high-risk situations in everyday life.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Develop emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness skills critical for managing triggers and preventing relapse. DBT is especially effective for patients at our facility who struggle with intense emotions or co-occurring personality disorders alongside their substance use.
Group Therapy
Build connection and accountability through facilitated group sessions at our campus where patients share experiences, gain perspective from peers, and support one another through the challenges of early recovery. Our groups cover relapse prevention, communication skills, grief and loss, and healthy relationship building.
Individual Counseling
One-on-one sessions with a licensed therapist at our treatment center to explore personal history, trauma, co-occurring conditions, and individualized recovery goals. These confidential sessions provide a safe space for patients to process difficult emotions and build a personalized roadmap for sustained sobriety.
Family Therapy
Rebuild trust and communication within family systems through structured sessions at our center that address codependency, boundaries, enabling behaviors, and collective healing. Our family therapy program ensures loved ones are equipped with the understanding and tools they need to support recovery.
12-Step Facilitation
Guided integration into 12-step fellowship, helping patients at our facility build a sober support network that extends well beyond their time in treatment. Our counselors facilitate step work, sponsor connections, and meeting attendance to ensure patients leave with a recovery community already in place.
Holistic Therapies
Yoga, meditation, art therapy, mindfulness training, and fitness programming offered on our campus and designed to heal the body and calm the mind alongside clinical care. These modalities give patients additional tools for managing stress, processing emotions, and building a sustainable wellness routine.
Continuum of Care
Recovery is not a single event but a carefully guided journey. Our treatment center provides a seamless continuum of care that meets patients at the appropriate clinical level.
Assessment & Intake
Comprehensive clinical evaluation at our facility to determine the right level of care for your unique situation, including medical history, substance use patterns, and mental health screening.
Medical Detox
Medically supervised withdrawal management at our treatment center ensuring safety, comfort, and clinical stability under the care of our on-site physicians and nursing staff.
Residential Treatment
Immersive inpatient programming at our campus with 24/7 clinical support, structured daily schedules, individual and group therapy, and holistic wellness activities.
Outpatient Programs
Flexible IOP and OP tracks at our Pooler center that allow continued clinical treatment while patients gradually return to daily responsibilities, work, and family life.
Aftercare & Alumni
Ongoing support, relapse prevention planning, alumni events, and continued access to our clinical team to sustain lifelong recovery and connection to the LWR Helpline community.
Our Team
Experienced, compassionate leadership at our Pooler, Georgia treatment center.
Margaret Caldwell
Dr. Samuel Okafor, MD
Elaine Prescott, LCSW, LCDC
Executive Director
Margaret Caldwell brings over 22 years of experience in behavioral health administration to her role as Executive Director of LWR Helpline. She oversees all clinical and operational functions at our treatment center, ensuring that every department upholds the highest standards of patient care, ethical practice, and regulatory compliance. Before joining LWR Helpline, Margaret spent more than a decade managing addiction treatment programs across Georgia and South Carolina, developing a deep understanding of what it takes to build a facility that truly transforms lives. Her leadership philosophy centers on empowering every staff member to bring their full expertise and compassion to each patient interaction at our Pooler facility.
Medical Director
Dr. Samuel Okafor leads our on-site medical team, directing detox protocols, medication-assisted treatment, and ongoing medical oversight for all patients at our facility. He completed his residency at Emory University School of Medicine and fellowship training in addiction psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina, bringing a rare dual expertise that ensures every patient receives clinically sophisticated care for both substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions. With 19 years of clinical practice, Dr. Okafor's warm, patient-centered bedside manner puts even the most anxious patients at ease from their first day at our treatment center.
Clinical Director
Elaine Prescott designs and supervises all therapeutic programming at our treatment center, trains clinical staff, and ensures evidence-based fidelity across every program track. A Savannah-area native, Elaine brings a deep connection to the local community and an unwavering belief in the power of individualized, trauma-informed care. With 17 years of clinical therapy experience, she oversees our CBT, DBT, and family therapy programs and personally mentors our team of counselors and therapists to maintain the compassionate, high-quality clinical environment that defines LWR Helpline.
Our Staff at a Glance
Our multidisciplinary team at LWR Helpline includes board-certified physicians specializing in addiction medicine, licensed psychiatrists, registered nurses providing round-the-clock care, licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors, certified addiction counselors, family therapists, wellness coaches, nutritionists, and dedicated support staff. Every team member undergoes rigorous continuing education to stay current with best practices in addiction treatment and behavioral health, and our facility maintains a staff-to-patient ratio that ensures personalized attention for every individual in our care.
We are proud that many members of our clinical staff are themselves in long-term recovery, bringing a level of personal understanding and empathy that cannot be learned from textbooks alone. This lived experience, combined with advanced clinical training and licensure, creates a therapeutic environment at our treatment center where patients feel truly seen, heard, and supported at every step of their recovery journey.
Amenities & Facilities
A healing environment designed for recovery at our Pooler, Georgia campus.
Our Accommodations
Our Pooler treatment facility was designed from the ground up to feel like a place of refuge, not an institution. The campus features warm, modern interiors with natural wood finishes, abundant natural light, and calming color palettes throughout. Patient rooms offer hotel-quality comfort with plush bedding, ample storage, and private or shared bathroom facilities. Common areas are spacious and inviting, encouraging patients to build community while maintaining the personal space they need to focus on their recovery. Every amenity at LWR Helpline exists for a clinical purpose: to reduce stress, promote physical health, foster social connection, and create the kind of safe, nurturing environment where genuine transformation becomes possible.
Stories of Recovery
The voices of those who have walked the path of recovery at our Pooler, Georgia treatment center.
When I arrived at LWR Helpline, I had been battling a prescription opioid addiction for almost five years. I had tried quitting on my own three times, and each attempt ended in failure within weeks. The residential treatment program at this facility in Pooler changed everything for me. From the very first morning, the staff treated me with a level of respect I had not experienced anywhere else. My individual therapist helped me unpack years of unresolved grief that I had been numbing with pills, and the CBT sessions gave me concrete tools for handling cravings that actually work. The campus itself felt peaceful and safe, which made it easier to let my guard down and do the hard work. I am now 18 months sober, back at work full time, and rebuilding my relationship with my teenage daughter. LWR Helpline gave me my second chance.
I was terrified of detox. I had been drinking a fifth of vodka every day for over two years, and I knew withdrawal could be dangerous. When I called LWR Helpline, the admissions team walked me through exactly what to expect and even helped me get my insurance verified within an hour. Dr. Okafor personally met with me during intake and explained the medical detox protocol step by step. The nursing staff monitored me around the clock, adjusted my medications when I was struggling, and never once made me feel ashamed. After detox, I transitioned into the residential program and started the real therapeutic work with Elaine's team. The combination of DBT skills groups and one-on-one counseling helped me finally address the anxiety disorder that had been fueling my drinking for years. I have been sober for fourteen months and I credit the entire team at this Pooler treatment center with saving my life.
As a single mother working two jobs in Savannah, I could not afford to leave my children for weeks of inpatient treatment. The intensive outpatient program at LWR Helpline was exactly what I needed. I attended evening sessions three times a week at their Pooler facility, and the flexibility allowed me to keep working and caring for my kids while getting the help I desperately needed. The group therapy sessions became the most important part of my week. Hearing other people share their struggles and victories made me feel less alone for the first time in years. The 12-step facilitation connected me with a local AA community that has become my lifeline. I am now nine months clean from cocaine, my children have a present and sober mother, and I finally feel like I am living instead of just surviving.
For over a decade I was trapped in a cycle of methamphetamine addiction and untreated bipolar disorder. I had been to two other treatment centers in Georgia, and each time they addressed the drug use but barely touched my mental health. I would leave feeling physically better but emotionally just as unstable, and within months I was using again. LWR Helpline was the first facility that got it right. Their dual diagnosis program treated my bipolar disorder and my addiction at the same time, with the psychiatrist and my addiction counselor coordinating every aspect of my care plan. The holistic therapies, especially yoga and art therapy, gave me healthy outlets for the manic energy that used to send me straight to my dealer. It has been over two years since I completed the program in Pooler, and I am still sober, still on my medication, and still using the coping tools they taught me every single day.
Our son struggled with heroin addiction for nearly seven years before he entered LWR Helpline. As his parents, we had watched helplessly as he dropped out of college, lost job after job, and slowly disappeared into someone we did not recognize. What made LWR Helpline different from the other programs he had tried was the family therapy component. For the first time, we were genuinely included in the recovery process. The clinical team helped us understand how our own patterns of enabling and anger were affecting his healing and our own well-being. The family sessions at the Pooler campus were difficult and honest, but that honesty repaired something in all of us. Our son just celebrated three years of sobriety. He is back in school studying nursing and volunteers at a local recovery center on weekends. Our family is whole again, and we are profoundly grateful to every staff member at this treatment center for never giving up on him or on us.