New Hope Leader Recognized by the North Carolina State Ethics Commission
Rock Hill, S.C., December 5, 2024 – One of New Hope Treatment Center’s longest tenured leadership employee was recently honored by the North Carolina State Ethics Commission.
New Hope’s Director of Recreation Therapy, Dolly Williams, LCMHC/NCC, LRT, CTRS, has been appointed to the North Carolina Recreational Therapy Licensure Board (NCRTLB).
“Having worked for 30 years in the profession, the appointment to the North Carolina Recreational Therapy Licensure Board (NCRTLB) as the practicing Licensed Recreational Therapist (LRT) is a significant because it allows me the unique opportunity to contribute directly to the standards and policies that govern the profession of recreational therapy in North Carolina”, said Williams. “As a board member, I will have the chance to advocate for my profession and shape policies. Overall, this appointment is both an honor and a responsibility, allowing me to make a meaningful impact on the profession and contribute to its advancement in North Carolina.”
The North Carolina Recreational Therapy Licensure Board (“Board”) is responsible for the licensing of recreational therapists and recreational therapy assistants. The Board has authority to administer examinations, issue, renew and revoke, licenses, and otherwise regulate the practice of recreational therapy. Dolly will fill the role of a practicing therapeutic recreation specialist on the Board.
Dolly has worked at New Hope as the Director of Recreation Therapy for 25 years. She holds both her CTRS and LRT. Ms. Williams is a proud graduate of Winston-Salem State University’s Therapeutic Recreation program and holds a master’s in counseling from Webster University, and a post-education degree in school counseling from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In addition, she has spent the last five years helping shape future recreation majors as an adjunct professor at her beloved alma mater (WSSU).
Ms. Williams has always felt a strong commitment to serving others by giving back and staying connected to her community. This is what led her to WSSU, where the motto is “Enter to Learn and Depart to Serve.” While enrolled, she was drawn to the sisterhood and service of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and joined the Finer Women in the spring of 1993. She is currently an active and financial member of Charlotte’s dynamic Delta Zeta chapter. To spread her message of “Healing Thru Fun”, Ms. Williams has presented at several national conferences, speaking on the clinical benefits of recreation in helping youth overcome mental health obstacles. She believes in the value of leisure interventions in helping youth heal, meditate, and rehabilitate to their highest level of functioning.
“At New Hope, we expect our leaders to truly lead so that they have the time and bandwidth to do more beyond our four walls”, said COO Matt Simon, MA, LMFT. “We want them to be active change makers and system influencers in their communities. Dolly embodies that kind of leader and I absolutely love it!”
About New Hope
Since our opening in 1987, New Hope Treatment Centers has been a welcoming place for young people in moments of crisis. Our programs have played a role in countless success stories, thanks to our relational approach to behavioral care. We get to know our kids on an individual level, and work with them and their families toward a brighter next chapter. We believe that positive, empowering, and healthy relationships are the key to changing young lives that have been impacted by childhood trauma. At New Hope, the drive is simple: change the world, one kid at a time, through the healing power of relationships. Our people show up every day, passionate about changing young people’s lives. It’s our name and our promise: new hope for every kid who comes through our doors.
