History of Middle Way House

Karen C. Blicher describes her involvement with the Middle Way House in Bloomington, Indiana. She talks about its financial crisis in the late 1970s and growth in the years following. She discusses the changes in services offered by the Middle Way House, volunteers, and community support.

David Foster, one of the former financial directors of Middle Way House, describes his involvement with and the growth of the house. He discusses funding, community relations, and services offered. Foster talks about the differences and repercussions of treating someone for substance abuse versus substance use prevention. He also discusses the end of his career in social work and why he left the profession to work in the outdoor recreation industry.

Walter Keller describes his involvement with the Middle Way House in Bloomington, Indiana. He describes funding, changes in the services of the center, and the volunteer opposition to changing the services offered by Middle Way House. He explains the other shelter options for abused women in Bloomington. One of these options was the Community Shelter for Abused Women (C-SAW). Keller also tells of his decision to have a career in social work as an advocate for women's safety, and the counseling of abusive men. He describes the feminist separatists opinions of men working for women's causes and the volatile climate of the 1970s and 1980s.