The Basics
Samaritan Works, Inc. provides Christian faith-based sober living for adults in recovery from chemical dependency. Located about 60 miles north of Dayton in the picturesque town of Sidney, Ohio, Serenity House provides sober living for men, while their Amelia House accommodates women. The mission of Samaritan Works is to offer hope and a new way of life to clients who have encountered poverty through their addiction. Regular attendance at church, as well as 12-step meetings, is an important part of this program.
Accommodations and Amenities
The recently remodeled family-style Serenity House accommodates six men, not including the house manager who has over seven years of sobriety. The charming white house is located in a residential neighborhood. Residents gather onto the front porch and share coffee and fellowship. The men share fully-furnished rooms that include twin beds that come with decorative comforters and matching pillowcases, nightstands and lamps. The Serenity House includes a TV room and is located in walking distance from a library.
Amelia House is located about a block away and accommodates six women and a house manager. Residents share rooms in the cozy, renovated townhouse. Clients at both homes are responsible for purchasing their own groceries and preparing meals in fully equipped kitchens.
Rules and Regulations
Samaritan utilizes a program model based on the 12-steps and Christian principles that requires a six-month minimum length of stay. Prospective clients complete an in-person intake prior to admission. Clients are not permitted to take drug replacement medications including Suboxone and methadone.
The program model employed at Samaritan Works includes six phases and a client must successfully pass each phase before moving onto the next. The first 30-day phase includes acquiring full-time employment, making sure program dues are paid, attending a minimum of two 12-step meetings a week, finding a sponsor and calling the sponsor on a regular basis. Clients are also required to schedule an appointment with a professional therapist, attend Church on Sunday and be at in-house meetings and Samaritan Works events. On top of all of that, they must also meet for individual sessions with the program director and complete all household chores.
Phase two lightens the load for residents but they must attend a minimum of four 12-step meetings per week—or preferably go to 90 meetings in 90 days. They must also continue with all their requirements that are outlined in phase one, as well as acquire a spiritual advisor and get a home church. By phase three, clients begin their re-entry back into society. While continuing all their previous requirements, they work on acquiring a savings and checking account, driver’s license, a GED and focus on getting a reliable form of transportation. Clients in the last three phases are permitted eight weekly hours of recreational activities, as long as they fulfill all their commitments. As residents progress to the final months of the program, they search for affordable housing and create a discharge plan.
Individuals who don’t actively progress in the program are subject to dismissal, but they are allowed plenty of time to get used to the rigorous requirements. While the ideal clients fulfill all of the requirements plus find a place to live and graduate after six months, residents are allowed a maximum stay of 18 months to complete all of the program’s obligations. Job-hunting residents are expected to be out of the house by 9 am every day, and must return by 4 pm. The curfew is at 10 pm Sundays through Thursdays, and 11:30 pm Fridays and Saturdays.
Extras
Meditation, reading Scripture, as well as the studying the Big Book are encouraged.
Samaritan Works has a 12-month aftercare program for successful graduates. This includes monthly support groups and individual sessions as needed.
In Summary
The Samaritan Works sober living programs require a highly intensive schedule, to a point that almost seems unrealistic, given the demands of having a full-time job and other obligations in early recovery. While those with co-occurring disorders such as depression, or who require medication-assisted treatment won’t find this a good fit, highly motivated individuals who are eager to take on a Christian-based, 12-step approach are likely to thrive here.
Samaritan Works, Inc. Office Location
230 East Poplar Street
Sidney, OH 45365
Amelia Home for Women
221 East North Street
Sidney, OH 45635
Serenity Home for Men
232 East Poplar Street
Sidney, OH 45365
Samaritan Works, Inc. Cost: $400 (not including a $200 program entry fee). Reach Samaritan Works, Inc. by phone at (937) 492-9136 ext. 108 or by email at director@samaritanworks.com
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Sponsored DISCLAIMER: This is a paid advertisement for California Behavioral Health, LLC, a CA licensed substance abuse treatment provider and not a service provided by The Fix. Calls to this number are answered by CBH, free and without obligation to the consumer. No one who answers the call receives a fee based upon the consumer’s choice to enter treatment. For additional info on other treatment providers and options visit www.samhsa.gov.
