For Alcohol and Substance Abusers:
A Special Program "AND THIS IS HOW LIVES ARE CHANGED

St. Martin de Porres House of Hope's alcohol and substance abuse program is in its twelft year of operation. Our program offers seven group recovery (NA) meetings, two hours of individual counseling, and an hour-and-a-half parenting meeting each week. A holistic approach that develops the whole person is employed. Personal awareness through education of physical and psychosocial consequences of substance abuse are a cornerstone of our program. Upon acceptance into the program each resident enters a rigorous twelve week course. This course aims to educate the residents about the physiological, psychological, emotional, and behavioral effects of narcotic substances. The resident's acquisition of self-knowledge, including an understanding of feelings and related underlying issues, personal accountability and personal responsibility is crucial in helping residents take control of her addiction.

After completion of the twelve week course residents are then entered into a second phase. This phase builds upon the information acquired in the initial phase by incorporating it with popular 12-Step information such as provided by Narcotics Anonymous groups. This second phase is approximately three months. Another phase has been added to the program to assist residents three months prior to entering the CARA program. The Cara Program

The final phase of our program is designed to integrate the information gained from the first two phases into daily living. It is the phase where the accountability and responsibility necessary to become a productive member of society is put into daily practice. This final stage continues until the resident departs the House of Hope

Our program is insistent upon abstinence at the onset of treatment and maintenance of abstinence is a prerequisite for staying in the program. Random urinalysis is conducted on site and results are available within an hour of testing.

Upon intake and in addition to the universal treatment offered an individualized plan that enables the resident to stay off drugs and alcohol is formulated. The therapist guides the resident through each phase of recovery flexibly according to the resident's needs and strengths.

In order to allow the resident to practice her skills in "real" life situations a pass system is employed. This allows the resident up to three-and-a-half hours off the grounds each day to attend outside NA meetings, conduct personal business, or visit their family.