The Basics
Based out of Roanoke, Virginia, Rescue Mission Ministries is an expansive organization with long-term recovery programs available for men and women. Founded in 1948, the facility offers a safe sober living environment in several phases designed to help clients stabilize and reintegrate into society.
Accommodations and Amenities
Participants at Rescue Mission Ministries must first go through an intake process which is conducted on the first Sunday of every month. For the first three weeks in the program, clients live at a separate facility called Camp Jubilee Acres, which is 20 minutes away from the main campus and which has 16 beds available in shared rooms with bunk beds. Extra mattresses may also be available.
Once accepted, residents begin living at the mission in apartments. Women live in an adjoining family shelter which holds four apartments while men live in the shelter in one of six rooms. Because clients are constantly coming and going, women’s apartments are designed to host between three and eight clients each while men’s rooms can house five to 10. Although both sets of accommodations are similar, the women’s apartments come with their own kitchenettes and the men’s quarters have a shared living area with a TV, kitchenette and a shared bathroom. In both cases, each bedroom comes with dressers and shared closet space. Though residents may prepare snacks for themselves in their respective kitchenettes, the organization also provides residents with three meals a day.
Rules and Regulations
To remain in the program, residents are required to follow basic behavioral rules and submit to regular and random urinalysis tests throughout their stay. The facility also moves participants through a four-phase program which begins with an initial assessment with case managers to determine their level of addiction. The entire track generally lasts for a year, the first phase of which focuses on an intro to the 12-step philosophy, self esteem building, codependency and healthy boundaries. Phase two is dedicated to anger management, decision-making skills, forgiveness and some Christian-based education while phase three delves into relapse prevention and requires residents to attend 90 meetings in 90 days. Finally, phase four teaches social skills and money management and encourages clients to find a job.
Throughout all the above, residents attend regular 12-step meetings and must remain involved in an off-site church community. Other requirements include basic chores around the facility, GED classes, tutoring sessions and computer classes to help with the job searching process. Finally, clients are tasked with rotating service assignments, which is essentially volunteer work around the ministry. This may include helping sort the food pantry, housekeeping and other household maintenance.
Extras
As an added bonus, clients in the candidacy phase participate in pottery classes as a way to learn patience and to relieve stress. While this is required early on, these classes can also be chosen as an elective later in the program. As the organization is primarily a shelter, the facility also has up to 388 beds available for homeless clients. For those who have been in and out of the program, there’s also the Tabitha Program, which has 32 available spots and teaches participants social and employment skills to help them reintegrate.
Other services include a free clinic which provides basic healthcare services including dental vision, as well as a grocery box distribution program for low-income students and families. Residents who finish addiction treatment can also continue onto the Graduate Peer Support program, where they stay on as mentors to younger clients and have the potential for full-time employment.
In Summary
Overall, Rescue Mission Ministries provides an all-encompassing program for men and women who are down and out. The program offers a blend of sober living and loose residential treatment, with an emphasis on Christian-based learning, job skills and the 12 steps. Though its programs are best suited for a niche population, Rescue Mission Ministries is a very strong resource for those who qualify.
Rescue Mission Ministries
402 4th St SE
Roanoke, VA 24013
Rescue Mission Ministries Cost: Sliding scale. Reach Rescue Mission Ministries at (540) 343-7227 or by email at misson.info@rescuemission.net. Find Rescue Mission Ministries on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram
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