National Council on Alcoholism Lansing Regional Area (NCA/LRA) Review
National Council on Alcoholism Lansing Regional Area (NCA/LRA) is the longest-serving substance abuse treatment agency in the Greater Lansing area, providing both residential and outpatient services to the residents of Ingham and Eaton counties for over 50 years. Situated in the heart of Michigan’s capital, the organization treats 1,000 adults with drug and alcohol problems a year, regardless of ability to pay.
Accommodations and Food
Residential treatment is gender-specific, with the men’s and women’s houses located just blocks away from the main office in Lansing. Both the Holden House (men) and Glass House (women) are two-story, four-bedroom homes with the capacity to care for 14 clients. There are three to four people per room and a total of four full bathrooms in each house. Furnishings are simple but homey; each client has a twin bed and a nightstand, with shared dressers and closets. Both houses have a kitchen, dining room and TV room with two additional rooms for therapy. Food is provided by the facility and prepared by the clients. Meals are served three times a day and, while special dietary requests cannot be granted, there is a salad bar option at the evening meal.
Clients are responsible for all house chores, including meal preparation and clean up. Washers and dryers are provided by the house and laundry hours are from 3 pm to 5 pm daily. Personal electronics are not allowed in treatment and smoking is allowed only in designated areas.
Treatment and Staff
National Council on Alcoholism Lansing Regional Area does not offer detox services. Individuals entering treatment must be abstinent from drugs and alcohol for at least one week prior to admission. While those with co-occurring disorders are admitted, NCA/LRA does not diagnose anyone. Dual diagnosis clients must already be on medication and staff members facilitate prescription refills. Duration of residential treatment ranges from 30 to 90 days, depending on need. All residents have individual therapy once a week and group therapy Monday through Friday. Clients also attend education groups three times per week, taught by one of the counseling staff. Group topics include CBT, stress reduction, coping skills, relapse prevention and peer talk back. Classes in health, addiction studies and family dynamics are also part of the curriculum. Gender-specific groups for women include trauma therapy, self-esteem, gender communication skills and, if appropriate, parenting classes. Family group sessions are scheduled based on need. Residents attend outside 12-step meetings four nights per week. Saturday is double scrub day, where all clients participate in a house clean up. Visiting is on Sundays from 3 pm to 5 pm and all visitors must be pre-approved by staff.
Both men and women have access to a house manager who resides on the premises, counseling staff and support technicians. The client-to-staff ratio is seven-to-one.
Clients who have graduated from the residential program have the option of joining those people who did not require 24-hour supervision in the outpatient program. Clients who are referred to residential treatment but refuse to enter the program cannot participate in the outpatient program. Intensive outpatient (IOP) clients meet three times per week for a total of nine hours over 12 weeks. There is one 60-minute individual therapy session per week. Regular outpatient clients have group therapy once a week for 12 weeks and see a counselor for individual therapy twice a month. Co-ed and gender-specific groups are available, in addition to specialty groups for co-occurring disorders. Topics include relapse prevention, addiction and health, family dynamics, peer talk back and CBT. Outpatient clients are also encouraged to attend 12-step meetings, to get a sponsor and to work the steps.
Substance abuse counselors facilitate all outpatient groups and size is limited to 14 participants—each participant must agree to random drug and alcohol testing. All of NCA/LRA’s clinical staff either have Master’s-level degrees, licenses from the State of Michigan and/or the Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor credential from the Michigan Certifications Board for Addictions Professionals.
Extras
Residential clients participate in recreational therapy twice a week, including trips to the local gym, yoga and nature walks, weather permitting. For eligible residents, Saturday afternoons and evenings are dedicated to client outings, which include bowling, movies, picnics and hiking.
In Summary
National Council on Alcoholism Lansing Regional Area has a longstanding reputation in Lansing and surrounding counties as a comprehensive and effective substance abuse treatment center. With an emphasis on the 12-steps, gender-based residential facilities and the option of continuing treatment in an outpatient setting, NCA/LRA seems like a good choice for those who do not need any distractions while trying to recover from the disease of addiction.
National Council on Alcoholism Lansing Regional Area Location
3400 S Cedar St, #200
Lansing, MI 48910
National Council on Alcoholism Lansing Regional Area Recovery Cost
$3,500 (30 days). Reach National Council on Alcoholism Lansing Regional Area by phone at (517) 887- 0226 or by email at info@ncalra.com. Find National Council on Alcoholism Lansing Regional Area on Facebook and Twitter
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