Our leadership team.
Care is shaped by the people delivering it. Hickory Grove Recovery's leadership brings together clinical expertise and operational experience, guiding a team focused on meeting people where they are.
Grounded in real experience.
Our leadership team brings years of experience in behavioral health, clinical operations, and program development. Decisions are informed by experience, collaboration, and a clear focus on what supports effective care and sustainable outcomes.
Chief Executive Officer
Turner James, LCSW, LISW-CP, MBA, MS
Turner James, LCSW, LISW-CP, MBA, MS, is the Chief Executive Officer of Hickory Grove Recovery in Morrilton, AR, where he leads operations for the facility's 75-bed substance use treatment program. He brings more than 20 years of leadership in behavioral health, along with an unusual pairing of credentials — a clinical foundation as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Independent Social Worker–Clinical Practice, alongside an MBA and an earlier career in financial services. That combination shapes how he runs Hickory Grove. Turner has done the clinical work himself, and he understands what it takes to keep a facility staffed, accredited, and stable enough to do that work well. His focus as CEO is on building strong multidisciplinary teams, meeting regulatory standards, and growing the services Hickory Grove can offer the communities around Morrilton.
Director of Clinical Services
Melanie Fleming, LCSW
Melanie Fleming, LCSW, is the Director of Clinical Services at Hickory Grove Recovery in Morrilton, AR. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 18 years in addiction and behavioral health treatment, she graduated magna cum laude from Southern University of New Orleans. Melanie oversees clinical programming at Hickory Grove, supporting the therapists who work directly with patients and helping the team hold a consistent standard of care. Her focus is on helping people work through substance use challenges, rebuild stability, and find their own path toward lasting wellness. Outside of work she is a mother and grandmother to a large family, and says she embraces both the joy and the chaos that come with it.
Director of Nursing
Krystal White, RN, BSN
Krystal White, RN, BSN, is the Director of Nursing at Hickory Grove Recovery in Morrilton, AR, where she leads nursing care for patients in treatment for substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions. She brings nine years in mental health and substance use rehabilitation, five of them as a registered nurse, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Krystal is focused on patient-centered care delivered in an environment that is safe, supportive, and respectful — grounded in the belief that every person deserves dignity and empathy, particularly those who are often misunderstood or stigmatized. Through her leadership she advocates for her patients and supports the nursing team in building a culture of hope and healing at Hickory Grove.
Compliance, Quality & Risk Manager
Charlotte Allmon, MA, ADC
Charlotte Allmon, MA, ADC, is the Compliance, Quality & Risk Manager at Hickory Grove Recovery in Morrilton, AR, where she oversees regulatory compliance, quality assurance, risk mitigation, investigations, policy development, staff education, and audit preparation. She brings more than 15 years of experience spanning healthcare, behavioral health, law enforcement, government, and emergency management. Charlotte has worked as a therapist in behavioral health, and has held investigative and leadership roles including Facility Investigator and Law Enforcement Officer with the Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center, Chief Probation Officer with Pulaski County, and FEMA Public Assistance Program Delivery Manager. That range gives her an unusually practical view of how policy holds up under pressure. She holds a Master of Arts in Management from Webster University and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice with a minor in psychology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and is an Arkansas Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor. Her focus at Hickory Grove is patient safety, organizational accountability, and continuous quality improvement.
Human Resources Business Partner
Kitty Hamilton
Kitty Hamilton is the Human Resources Business Partner at Hickory Grove Recovery in Morrilton, AR, where she aligns HR strategy with the facility's operational goals across employee relations, talent management, recruitment, compliance, and organizational development. Much of her work is attracting and keeping good staff and holding the facility to employment law and best practice. Her stated reason for it is the link between the two sides: she believes a well-supported workforce shows up directly in the care patients receive, and she advocates for employees and patients alike on that basis. Kitty is a trusted advisor to both management and staff, known for a collaborative style and for building the kind of working relationships that let problems get solved early rather than late.
The team behind every treatment plan.
Recovery isn't one role's job. Nursing, therapy, and admissions work alongside each patient from that first conversation through aftercare planning.
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Medical
Nursing & medical staff
Twenty-four-hour nursing coverage for medical detox, medication management, and MAT — under physician oversight.
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Therapy
Clinical therapists
Individual, group, and family therapy across CBT, DBT, trauma-informed care, and motivational interviewing.
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Coordination
Admissions & case management
Insurance verification, intake coordination, and discharge planning — the connective tissue from that first conversation to aftercare.
Have a clinical question for our team?
Our admissions team will route clinical questions to the right person. Call 24/7.