Alpha House’s
inpatient program structure incorporates a variety of elements and
activities and all are important to recovery because each provides an
opportunity to learn and grow. Residents
have jobs in the house, attend group and individual
meetings, take part in the big
brothers/big sisters program and recreational activities, complete
individual learning experiences as
assigned, and have personal and social time.
These program elements are incorporated into the daily
schedule at all treatment levels. The inpatient program stay is
approximately six months. It
may be followed by a lesser level of treatment if necessary.
In all aspects of the program and throughout all treatment levels, residents are expected to:
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Initiate and assume responsibility for their behaviors; |
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Treat staff members and residents with respect; |
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Develop and maintain relationships that are beneficial and healthy for oneself and others; |
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Actively and verbally participate in all meetings; |
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Become familiar with the names of staff and residents; and |
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Become progressively more responsible, eventually taking leadership job roles and initiating “teaching and learning” with newer residents. |
There are four
treatment levels. All
residents coming into the program begin at Level 1. Treatment
includes individual and group
therapy.
During
this period, residents become familiar with the rules and regulations of
the program. They evaluate
the program to make sure they want to commit to treatment at Alpha
House. At the same time,
staff and fellow residents determine if Level 1 residents are suitable
to the program. Successful
completion of this level is determined by, but not limited to:
(1)
Maintaining sobriety (passing random urinalysis);
(2)
Accepting and following directions, rules, and regulations; showing
respect for authority figures, both residential peers and staff; and
keeping up on all appropriate logs, homework assignments, etc.;
(3)
Following up on all medical and dental appointments;
(4)
Writing and addressing chemical history in group with peers and staff,
and receiving staff verification;
(5)
Requesting and verifying with group that all above projects were
completed within one month.
Once
residents demonstrate their willingness and ability to engage in the
therapeutic community, and commit to changing their behaviors, they
request to be promoted to Level II.
Level
II residents work towards changing or extinguishing negative behaviors.
This is accomplished by working in groups, working and
interacting on job crews, and learning to handle confrontation
constructively.
When
residents have successfully changed their major negative behaviors, they
request to be promoted to Level III.
Level
III residents are responsible for keeping the “tone” of the house,
assigning job crews, conducting meetings, teaching newer residents, and
acting as liaisons between residents and staff.
During Level III, residents thoroughly examine their past in
order to understand the motivating factors for drug use and
self-destructive behavior.
After
successfully changing their negative behaviors and thoroughly examining
the motivating factors for their life-style, residents are free to
“re-enter” society while still living at Alpha House.
Their next step is respite care.
To secure a
respite care promotion, a resident must submit for review by the staff
and other residents a detailed plan discussing how he/she intends to
cope with daily living activities. Once done, the resident is called up
for staffing, at which time staff questions the resident and makes
suggestions and recommendations for his/her continued sobriety.
Respite care
Once
a resident is promoted, he/she signs an agreement contract, which
details respite care requirements that must be adhered to while on
respite care. During
respite care residents seek and secure employment, attend school, etc.,
but still enjoy the help and support of the residents and staff.
At this stage the resident is “testing the water” while still
calling Alpha House home. He/she
can reflect and discuss any and all issues that surface with his/her
newly found freedom.
Completion of the respite care phase marks the end of the inpatient program. Residents may elect to use Alpha House’s Outpatient Program since they are familiar with the services and have established a bond with Alpha House.
Individual therapy
consists of a one on one session with a residential counselor.
The resident is
afforded an opportunity to disclose information that he or she may not
be able or ready to disclose in a group process.
The treatment plan is mutually agreed upon during this time with
specific goals and target dates for achievement.
Individual therapy is encouraged minimally twice a month;
however, depending upon the urgency of the situation more individual time
may be allotted. Residents are encouraged to seek out individual therapy
sessions by all available counselors.
Each counselor is professionally trained via educational
background and/or experience working with substance abusers.
The individual counseling sessions last about one hour.
Group therapy
includes confronting oneself as well as others about the negative
behaviors they possess. The group members may contribute to the
individual’s treatment process by assisting the person to see a
behavior, by identifying a behavior in themselves, and by sharing how
the peer(s) worked to overcome a negative behavior. If the individual
working within the group continues to resist changing a behavior, he or
she may be given “extra help” in various forms such as a
writing assignment to further assist with identifying and
realizing the need to change. Groups
are conducted three times a week and Wednesday group is “gender
specific.”
An
important part of each resident’s treatment is the everyday work
activities that he/she is assigned.
Many of these are household chores such as cleaning the bathrooms
or kitchen, or serving as house manager.
Alpha House serves as a temporary home and residents need to take
pride in maintaining it. This is a crucial part of reconnecting to the activities of
daily living. Each resident
is required to participate in these activities.
Each job assignment is determined by its therapeutic value to the
client, i.e. responsibility required to conduct each job. Residents do
not get paid for this work. It
is part of the client’s treatment plan.
A variety of Learning
Experiences may be employed to address specific issues, such as when as
a resident’s behavior is at an impasse or requires particular
consideration. Learning
Experiences vary but include things like writing essays, giving
presentations, watching specific videos, participating in additional
groups, and receiving a notch or fraction of a notch.
(Three notches may result in being dismissed from the program.)
Big
Brothers/Big Sisters help new residents understand and adjust to the
program. They provide advice,
guidance and additional coaching. Every
new resident is assigned a specific person to act as a big brother or
big sister to the newer resident. The
older resident demonstrates responsible love and concern by helping the
new resident to feel comfortable in his or her new surroundings teaching
him or her the rules & regulations of the house. The big
brother or big sister will also answer any small questions and concerns
the new resident may have.
Click to see the daily schedule.
Inpatient Program
435 Shady Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 363-42200