Prospective Salvation Army ARC Beneficiary

Transcription

1 SHAW CLIFTON GENERAL JAMES KNAGGS TERRITORIAL COMMANDER MAN-HEE CHANG ARC COMMANDER JACK L. PHILLIPS BAY AREA COORDINATOR Founded in 1865 by William Booth ADULT REHABILITATION CENTER 601 WEBSTER STREET OAKLAND, CA TEL: (510) FAX: (510) BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR: RENAY PANONCIALMAN Attn: RE: Prospective Salvation Army ARC Beneficiary The Salvation Army ARC Oakland, CA Thank you for your interest in The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center. Below you will find useful information about our program - its philosophy and description, as well as services and admission criteria for participants of the program - to help you make an informed decision regarding your decision to enter The Salvation Army ARC. We have a long history of success and welcome the opportunity to discuss the program with you further and answer any questions you have. My contact information is located at the bottom of the page. If you will be court-mandated to a rehabilitation program, it is IMPERATIVE that I get an approval from either the judge, public defender, District Attorney, or your personal attorney and I MUST hear from them prior to your entering the program. We do NOT appear in court on your behalf. Please keep this program description with you to give to them so they can make an informed decision as to whether this program criteria fits with what they are looking for. Additionally, I will need to have 3-5 days notice prior to your entry so we can make necessary preparations for your arrival and to ensure that we have a bed available for you. PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY Participants in the program are exposed, to opportunities for regeneration based on a personal relationship with God. Within this setting of spiritual awakening, a program has been built that meets the spiritual and social needs of individuals who have treatable problems. An important part of the program is work therapy. This fosters personal satisfaction and an increased sense of worth by encouraging productivity and self-sufficiency. When the individual returns to the community as a productive, responsible citizen, he is equipped with the tools to enhance the quality of his life as well as that of his community. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

2 The Salvation Army Oakland ARC facilitates the rehabilitation of individuals suffering from alcoholism and/or drug addiction through a social model, work therapy-based program. The six to twelve-month residential, 132-bed program prepares its beneficiaries to re-enter society and return to gainful employment. Frequently, those rehabilitated are reunited with their families, resolve outstanding legal issues, improve their physical and mental health and resume a normal lifestyle. The work therapy portion of the Center includes the collection and repair of donated goods and the operation of the Salvation Army thrift stores. The Center is supported by the proceeds from the thrift stores; therefore, there is no charge to beneficiaries for the rehabilitation services offered by the program. All residents are required to participate in a comprehensive program of work therapy, individual and group counseling, chemical dependency education, relapse prevention, nicotine cessation, Twelve Step meetings, Bible study, and chapel services. Throughout the program, regular drug testing and breathalyzer testing is done to ensure a drug-free environment. For the first thirty days, residents are restricted to the facility and may not receive unofficial outside visits or phone calls. This is to allow the beneficiary time to adapt to the rules and structure of the program. In the second month, participants begin to attend outside AA/NA meetings, find a sponsor, and begin to earn passes to visit family and friends to strengthen their outside support network. By the third month in the program, all residents undergo a ninety- day review process during which progress made in all program areas is assessed by the treatment team. The beneficiary receives recommendations for his continuing recovery plan and begins to decide whether he will commit to a six, nine or twelve month program if he has not already done so. By this time, beneficiaries should be firmly rooted in a home group, actively working with a sponsor and a counselor, and should have completed four recovery journals used in the program. The first six months in the program are known as Phase I. Beneficiaries may receive a graduation certificate at this point or continue on into Phase II, months six through twelve, during which residents receive in-depth relapse prevention and independent living skills training. Phase II residents also have the opportunity to pursue vocational planning and job search services along with alumni support groups. Graduates are honored each week in Chapel services and are given the opportunity to inspire the newcomers, to acknowledge those who supported them throughout their experience in the program, and to share any spiritual gains they made during their stay at the ARC. PROGRAM SERVICES This program provides an atmosphere where residents find support, understanding and guidance. It is expected that residents will take full advantage of the services offered to them. Failure to do so could result in discharge from the program.

3 Following is a more detailed look at the major areas in which the beneficiaries are expected to participate: 1. Spiritual Development The Salvation Army believes in ministering to the whole person. Its purpose, therefore, is to reacquaint residents with their spiritual needs and invite them to strengthen ties that they may have once had with a formal church. The spiritual component of the program includes daily devotions, weekly Bible study, Chapel services twice a week, and individual spiritual counseling as requested. Attendance at these services is mandatory. Please refer to the weekly activity schedule included in this manual for meeting days and times. We welcome any interns interested in attending weekly Chapel services. During the year, some beneficiaries will be offered the opportunity to attend a spiritual retreat. This is held during a weekend in the spring. Retreats are designed to provide an opportunity for meditation, spiritual renewal, physical activity and fellowship. 2. Work Therapy Program All residents are required to participate in the work therapy program, which consists of a forty-hour workweek in an assigned position. Work therapy includes such assignments as truck helpers, mechanics, kitchen workers, janitors, appliance repair workers and numerous others. The time schedule varies according to work assignment. This part of the overall rehabilitation program is considered to be of major importance as it provides the opportunity to learn or reacquire disciplined work habits, gain job skills, and to develop a sense of self-worth and value that are crucial to re-entry into the working world. 3. Individual Counseling An important objective of the counseling program is to help residents to effectively deal with attitudes and behaviors that present an obstacle to achieving a healthy and chemical-free lifestyle. After a beneficiary has been in the program several weeks, he is assigned a counselor for weekly individual counseling sessions. With the help of his counselor, he is develops an individual rehabilitation plan which is then updated every thirty days. Counselors also follow the progress that the beneficiary is making in completing his recovery journals and utilize them as counseling tools. Staff and interns are an important resource in helping residents deal with clients special needs, such as accessing social services, replacing lost documents, coordinating medical or psychiatric evaluations, or arranging for legal assistance. 4. Group Counseling

4 Group counseling is mandatory for all program participants once a week. In addition to process groups where residents can explore feelings and behaviors that will contribute to the development of healthy coping skills, residents also participate in a variety of psycho educational groups such as anger management, chemical dependency, relapse prevention, healthy relationships and independent living skills. These topic groups are led by professional staff and provide education as well as the opportunity to apply this knowledge in a new and personal way. Interns, depending on ability and experience, may observe, co-facilitate, or facilitate their own group. 5. Twelve Step Meetings Each beneficiary is required to attend 7 AA or NA meetings each week during Phase I and 5 meetings weekly in Phase II. These are usually a combination of in-house and outside meetings in the community. Residents are encouraged to actively work with a sponsor, make meeting commitments, and to develop a clean and sober network. 6. Leisure and Recreational Activities Exploring positive social alternatives to using drugs and alcohol is an important part of the program. A variety of activities are available on-site to provide residents with opportunities for positive socialization such as pool, card, and bowling tournaments. Beneficiaries are also given the chance to attend activities outside of the Center, including sports activities, drama, and musical theater. Holidays throughout the year are celebrated in a festive and special way. On the last Wednesday of the month, a birthday party is held for those residents whose birthdays occur in that month. A special dinner is served and each birthday celebrant receives a birthday card and small gift. 7. Educational/Vocational Services Educational enrichment classes to assist with GED preparation or with literacy skills are available on-site once a week to all residents with over thirty days in the program. Outside educational referrals for literacy skills, academic remediation, and GED preparation are also available. During Phase II of the program, beneficiaries begin the Re-entry phase. They attend a reentry group once a week in order to enhance skills necessary to re-enter the job market and to return to independent living. At this point in the program, they are also linked to outside resources to assist them with housing and job search. Phase II beneficiaries are given the privilege to use the computers in the GED room for job and housing searches, to attend inhouse computer classes, and to attend college courses at the University of Phoenix. ADMISSION/DISCHARGE CRITERIA 1. Admission Criteria

5 Applicants must be male, alcohol and/or drug abusers who are at least 18 years of age. Must be physically able to participate in a work-therapy based program Applicants with serious psychiatric disorders, who are actively suicidal or who have made a serious recent attempt will be referred to a more appropriate setting. Applicants with pervasive histories of violence will also be screened and referred to another setting. The Director of Rehabilitation Services prior to admission must clear applicants presenting for admission who are currently taking psychotropic medications. Applicants may self-refer or be referred by the criminal justice system, CPS, detox centers or other outside agencies. 2. Discharge Criteria Beneficiaries will be terminated from the program for the following rule violations: Theft Act of violence or threat of violence Repeated failure to engage in program activities Bringing drugs or alcohol onto the premises Using drugs or alcohol while in the program If a client relapses, he may reapply for admission thirty days after the date of discharge, in most cases. A beneficiary may have a maximum of three admissions into the Oakland ARC. The program staff, on a case-by-case basis, will decide other conditions for re-admission. Again, thank you for your interest in our program. I have attached an Application for Intake for you to fill out if you are still interested in our program. This application is required to enter into our program. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Ralph E. Hahn Intake Coordinator (510) x-113 [email protected]