Monday, April 22, 2019
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Why IOP and OP Combined With Sober Living Increases the Probability of Long-term Success.
Alcoholism and addiction are complicated illnesses that have many causes leading to their onset. These illnesses are often aggravated by social, biological, environmental, and mental factors and given the differing in how someone may develop an addiction, the approaches needed in order to combat these illnesses need to differ as well.
Researchers have identified combinations of treatments that have been demonstrated to have high success rates. These include intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and outpatient programs (OP), which are shown to be particularly effective when paired with a sober living home.
What Is Sober Living?
Sober living is a residential environment or home where individual reside with others who are similarly committed to recovery from alcohol and/or drugs. A well-run sober living program offers an individual a living environment where they are shielded from the potential triggers and high-risk situations common in early recovery. The structure and support provide them with the time to develop relapse prevention skills and safely adapt to increasing levels of independence.
Sober living facilities have rules and guidelines, which can include:
- No using drugs or alcohol
- Participating chores and upkeep of the home
- Taking part in group meetings, such as 12-step, SMART Recovery, Refuge Recovery programs
- Submitting to regular drug and alcohol tests to confirm abstinence
Intensive Outpatient Programs and Outpatient Programs
One of the most effective treatment plans for an individual involves stepping-down from immersive, full-time therapy to lower levels of care. An inpatient treatment program can be followed by a partial hospitalization program, an intensive outpatient program, and an outpatient program. Transitions occur as the individual progresses in their recovery.
A sober living program is an excellent complement to intensive outpatient and outpatient programs. These type of programs usually consist of daily group sessions at a local outpatient treatment center. Treatment services available at an outpatient program may include individual counseling, group meetings, medication management, medication-assisted treatment and education on relapse prevention and successful strategies for maintaining sobriety. The average length of stay in a sober living home can vary from 90 days to six months or more.
Some individuals choose to participate in outpatient programs while residing at home. This approach however may not provide the highest probability of success due to the lack of a safe living environment, others in the home may still be abusing alcohol and drugs or the home may be a trigger for them. Each of these factors can lead to frequent cravings and increase the likelihood of relapse. Living in a sober living program, a person can remove themselves from these triggers and live in a supportive environment where peers are also committed to long-term recovery.
The Research on Sober Living Homes and Outpatient Programs
A study published in the March 2011 edition of the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs looked at 300 people entering two types of sober living homes over the course of 18 months. At the end of the research study, researchers found that individuals who resided at a sober living home and participated in an outpatient program and as a 12-step program had the highest probability of remaining sober at six and 18 months.
Once the individual completes outpatient treatment, he or she may continue to live in a sober living facility, return to their home, or find a new home. Treatment centers will typically recommend staying at a sober living facility for at least 90 days in order to develop and ingrain the behaviors necessary for long-term sobriety.
The post Why IOP and OP Combined With Sober Living Increases the Probability of Long-term Success. appeared first on Westport House.
Why IOP and OP Combined With Sober Living Increases the Probability of Long-term Success. was first posted on October 25, 2018 at 9:29 am.
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Sunday, October 7, 2018
Thanks for attending our Open House
Thanks to you, our Open House celebration on Thursday October 4th was a huge success! Over 50 therapists, outreach professionals, and supporters attended the event – it was so nice to catch up with old friends and to see some new faces! In addition to touring the Extended Care residence, attendees toured the sober living home and the EXCEL recovery residence, and met with residential and clinical staff members. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone again soon.
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Thanks for attending our Open House was first posted on October 7, 2018 at 12:18 pm.
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Friday, June 8, 2018
Westport House Introduces EXCEL Recovery Residences for Men
WESTPORT, Conn – June 4, 2018 – Westport House today announced that they have opened an innovative new sober living residence for men called EXCEL Recovery Residences. Based on the Oxford House model of democratically run, self-supporting, substance-free homes, EXCEL Recovery Residences are staffed by a professional, live-in house manager for support and emergency services.
EXCEL is open to men of any age and tailored for individuals ready and able to assume personal responsibility for their recoveries and motivated to make a positive difference in their lives and the lives of others. While participation is not a requirement for residency, clients will have access to Westport House outpatient clinical and support services on an as-needed basis.
The cost for EXCEL is $2,950 per month and includes amenities such Wi-Fi, cable television, drug testing, group meetings, literature, and meeting transportation.
ABOUT WESTPORT HOUSE
Westport House is a provider of three graduated levels of sober living for men: extended care, sober living, and now, recovery residences.
Extended Care is designed to support the recovery process for young males as they transition from a higher level of care to sober living. We blend the transformational power of experiential activities, physical fitness & recreation, and 12-step immersion with traditional clinical services to establish a supportive environment in which clients can practice independent life-skill management and other recovery skills after they complete primary treatment.
Sober living at Westport House is for clients who do not need the initial structure and support of extended care but still require outpatient clinical services, employment and academic support, health and recreational activities, and case management.
For more information on cost, services, etc., please visit our website or call us at 888.302.6790 and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you.
The post Westport House Introduces EXCEL Recovery Residences for Men appeared first on Westport House.
Westport House Introduces EXCEL Recovery Residences for Men was first posted on June 8, 2018 at 10:18 am.
©2017 "Westport House". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at lesley@littlebig-shop.com
Introducing EXCEL Recovery Residences for Men
WESTPORT, Conn – June 4, 2018 – Westport House today announced that they have opened an innovative new sober living residence for men called EXCEL Recovery Residences. Based on the Oxford House model of democratically run, self-supporting, substance-free homes, EXCEL Recovery Residences are staffed by a professional, live-in house manager for support and emergency services.
EXCEL is open to men of any age and tailored for individuals ready and able to assume personal responsibility for their recoveries and motivated to make a positive difference in their lives and the lives of others. While participation is not a requirement for residency, clients will have access to Westport House outpatient clinical and support services on an as-needed basis.
The cost for EXCEL is $2,950 per month and includes amenities such Wi-Fi, cable television, drug testing, group meetings, literature, and meeting transportation.
ABOUT WESTPORT HOUSE
Westport House is a provider of three graduated levels of sober living for men: extended care, sober living, and now, recovery residences.
Extended Care is designed to support the recovery process for young males as they transition from a higher level of care to sober living. We blend the transformational power of experiential activities, physical fitness & recreation, and 12-step immersion with traditional clinical services to establish a supportive environment in which clients can practice independent life-skill management and other recovery skills after they complete primary treatment.
Sober living at Westport House is for clients who do not need the initial structure and support of extended care but still require outpatient clinical services, employment and academic support, health and recreational activities, and case management.
For more information on cost, services, etc., please visit our website or call us at 888.302.6790 and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you.
The post Introducing EXCEL Recovery Residences for Men appeared first on Westport House.
Introducing EXCEL Recovery Residences for Men was first posted on June 8, 2018 at 9:41 am.
©2017 "Westport House". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at lesley@littlebig-shop.com
Monday, May 14, 2018
Westport House Announces Ms. Danielle Meldon as Program Director to Lead Extended Care & Sober Living Programming
WESTPORT, Conn – May 14, 2018 – Westport House, Connecticut’s premier extended care and sober living program for young adult and adult men, announced today that Danielle Meldon has joined their team as Program Director. Meldon joins Westport House after five years in various management and direct care roles at Turnbridge in New Haven, CT. She most recently served as a Program Director for Turnbridge and was instrumental in creating and developing a long-term treatment program for young adult females.
“It is with great pleasure that Westport House announces Ms. Danielle Meldon as its new Program Director. In her new position, Ms. Meldon will oversee all extended care and sober living programming and operations, according to Al Samaras, Executive Director & Founder of Westport House. In addition, she will evaluate our entire program, looking for opportunities to further develop and coordinate programming, operations, and clinical to ensure all clients are receiving the highest quality care and services.”
“Her experience, combined with her compassion, trauma-informed approach, and leadership qualities, will ultimately make Westport House a more effective program than it is today,” continued Samaras.
“I am very excited to have this opportunity to work with Mr. Samaras, his staff, our clients and their families.” says Meldon. “Westport House is a first-class organization and it offers a valuable and much-needed service for young men in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. I am looking forward to capitalizing on our successes and to improving our programs where I can.”
About Westport House
Located 45 miles north of New York City in Fairfield County Connecticut, Westport House is a premier provider of two distinct levels of aftercare for men: extended care and sober living.
Westport House Extended Care is designed to support the recovery process for young males as they transition from a higher level of care to sober living. Westport House blends the transformational power of experiential activities and physical fitness & recreation with work, school and traditional clinical services to establish a supportive environment in which clients can practice independent life-skill management and other recovery skills after they complete primary treatment.
Westport House Sober Living is for male clients of any age who do not require the initial structure and support of extended care while having access to sophisticated clinical services, employment and academic support, health and recreational activities, and much more. The cost of sober living is approximately half that of extended care.
The post Westport House Announces Ms. Danielle Meldon as Program Director to Lead Extended Care & Sober Living Programming appeared first on Westport House.
Westport House Announces Ms. Danielle Meldon as Program Director to Lead Extended Care & Sober Living Programming was first posted on May 14, 2018 at 3:32 pm.
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Monday, April 9, 2018
Find a Sober Living Halfway Home
In 2016, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), over 28 million people over the age of 11 used an illegal drug in the last 30 days, which represents approximately 1 in 10 Americans but is as high as 1 in 4 young adults between the ages of 18 and 25. Despite age, the estimate for illegal drug use in 2016 is primarily driven by marijuana use and prescription pain reliever misuse. Among individuals over the age of 11, 24 million currently use marijuana, and over 3 million were misusing prescription pain relievers. Smaller numbers of people were regular users of hallucinogens, methamphetamine, heroin cocaine, or inhalants. Addiction is considered a chronic brain disease with rates of relapse between 40-60%, per the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Relapse is returning to alcohol or drug use after a period of sobriety or abstinence. Relapse is often considered an inherent component of addiction recovery and treatment, as relapse rates have been demonstrated to be in-line with those of other chronic diseases like hypertension, asthma, and diabetes states the NIDA. Aftercare services post-inpatient addiction treatment can be vital to assist in preventing, or at least minimizing, relapse episodes.
What Are Sober Living Homes?
A referral to a sober living home can originate from family and friends, from an inpatient or residential treatment program, or from the criminal justice system. In a report published by the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 25% of people in sober living homes were referred by the criminal justice system, 23% by friends or family, 20% were self-referrals, and 13% were referred by an inpatient residential substance abuse treatment center.
People in sober living homes are required to refrain from using alcohol and drugs and are typically required to attend support group meetings, therapy and counseling sessions, and taker advantage of other support services. Sober living homes house a variety of people, but all are in recovery and are motivated to stay abstinent. The community within a home or homes provides a built-in peer support network of people with similar experiences and goals.
Sober living homes may not require individuals to take part in treatment, but they may actively recommend participation in 12-Step support groups or similar programs. An Oxford House is a self-governed form of sober living home, and a report in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs indicates that more than 3/4 of residents in this kind of transitional home attend 12-Step groups at least once a week. Even if it is not a requirement, this style of support is often recommended during recovery and while residing in a sober living home. Residents of sober living homes may also attend individual and group therapy and counseling sessions in addition to receiving treatment for co-occurring disorders while residing in the home.
How to Choose a Sober Living Home
Individuals who struggle with alcohol and drug abuse might benefit from living in a sober living home. Although those who are diagnosed with co-occurring mental health disorders, have been through multiple treatment programs, lack a supportive home environment, or are resistant to treatment and recovery may get the most benefit from long-term addiction treatment that includes sober living homes as part of their treatment planning, indicates Psych Central. Sober living homes can be an effective component of a treatment plan when a person transitions between levels of care. In many cases, it is the last step before returning home and back to life. People often return to the workforce, go back to school, and begin the process of reintegrating back into their lives while residing in a sober living home. Most sober living homes will require residents to spend at least five nights a week in the house while allowing them to gradually spend time at their homes. This is a good way to ease the transition back into living at home and taking on the inherent obligations, and potential triggers, of home life.
- Many of the best resources for finding a sober living home are substance abuse treatment programs, 12-Step meeting, or addiction and mental health experts. A few tips on how to choose a sober living home for you include:
- Find a home that is located near 12-step meetings, outpatient treatment services, and transportation (if you do not have a vehicle).
- Be sure to review the rules and requirements of the home. Make sure you understand them and that they seem reasonable.
- Find a sober house that has a variety of individuals in recovery. For instance, those who have been clean for more than 30 days.
- Speak with people who have lived, or who are living, at the sober living home. They can provide the best insight. Any quality home should be able to provide a list of references.
Find a Sober Living Home
Sober living homes may or may not be accredited or licensed. It can depend on the state that they are located in. The National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) sets national standards to certify sober living homes and that people can utilize to find a sober living home with a reputation for quality care.
The post Find a Sober Living Halfway Home appeared first on Westport House.
Find a Sober Living Halfway Home was first posted on April 9, 2018 at 6:03 pm.
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