Detox, rehabilitation, and other inpatient treatment programs offer strong support and guidance at a time when people need it most. What many people don’t realize is that being ready to leave rehab doesn’t necessarily mean that they are ready to fully reintegrate into society immediately afterward. Leaving the structure and support of an addiction treatment center can be jarring. Not everyone has a strong support system to help them stay on track, and it can be difficult to find a new job and establish a routine alone. The stress of trying to resume a normal life, on top of staying sober, can easily lead to relapse without aftercare support.
The Reliant Foundation
At Spectrum, we help guide clients through every stage of their recovery journey, including when they are preparing to leave our facilities and start their new lives. In 2018, Spectrum established a short-term Transitional Housing Support Program with funding provided by the Reliant Foundation. The program provides short-term financial assistance for clients entering a sober home certified by the MA Alliance for Sober Housing (MASH).
In 2018, the Reliant Foundation awarded Spectrum an initial grant of $10,000, followed by an additional $20,000 in 2019. With these monies, we’re able to give qualifying clients funds in which to pay their first month’s rent and security deposit.
Meet Lou Falcon
Ten years ago, Lou was in a serious car accident that left him in chronic pain. Eventually he became addicted to prescription drugs. His addiction took over his life until he found help through Spectrum’s inpatient treatment program.
As he was nearing the end of treatment, Lou applied for Transitional Housing Support to give him a little more time to get back on his feet. Having been in treatment for three months, he didn’t have a job waiting for him when he got out, which meant traditional housing would have been out of reach. “When you’re in treatment, you have no income,” he explained.
Lou was approved for sober housing and moved into Tricord Transitional Housing in Northborough, Mass. Sober homes like Tricord are drug and alcohol-free communities where all residents are committed to focusing on their recovery. Residents agree to abstain from any substance use, consent to random drug testing and are expected to be neighborly and compassionate toward their fellow residents. Tricord helps residents with professional development through job coaching, but they also place a heavy emphasis on spiritual and emotional growth. Residents are able to learn relationship management skills, conflict resolution, and communications skills – all things that help them build strong and supportive relationships once they leave the sober home.
Stability is the cornerstone of any successful recovery, and that begins with safe and affordable housing. Homes like Tricord provide that foundation and then help residents build upon it.
“It took a lot to get here,” Lou acknowledges. But now he has found work at a cleaning business and is looking forward to helping build up their clientele. Lou still lives with the pain from his accident that led to his dependence on painkillers. Even though counseling can’t take away that pain, through his time at Spectrum and Tricord, he has learned different ways of coping and is optimistic about his future.
Addiction recovery doesn’t have an end-date; it is an ongoing process, continuing long after a person leaves inpatient treatment. Having a strong and secure start, however, can make a world of difference, and we’re thrilled to see our clients thrive and become independent with short-term financial housing assistance.
Call us at 1-877-MyRehab to start your recovery today with Spectrum Health Systems. For more information about Spectrum’s continuum of care, visit our website at https://www.spectrumhealthsystems.org/services.
