ARCA Review
Addiction Recovery Care Association, or ARCA, is a 12-step based rehab in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a mid-sized city of 200,000 people and home to Wake Forest University. The non-profit treatment center recently celebrated its 45th anniversary.
Accommodations and Food
The facility has multiple buildings in an open space on the outskirts of the college town, and is surrounded by a white picket fence and outlying farmland. ARCA admits approximately 50 clients at a time.
Bedrooms are shared between two people and all have twin-sized beds, pink curtains, windows and a nightstand for the roommates to share. The walls are white and brick with hospital-style tile on the floor. The media room has plants, black coffee tables, leather couches and a 42-inch flat screen TV.
The cafeteria is very “cafeteria-style” with plastic chairs and long white tables. The food leans more towards hearty fare rather than organic fruits and nuts that would be found at more holistic-style rehabs. Breakfast might consist of oatmeal, eggs, bacon, sausage and cereal for breakfast; grilled chicken sandwiches and vegetables for lunch; and steak, mashed potatoes, peas and a roll for dinner.
Treatment and Staff
ARCA’s treatment is 12-step based and lasts a short 14 days. There are seven on-site AA meetings a week (clients do not go off-site for meetings). Their program consists of a series of therapeutic activities, which include psycho-educational groups on personal recovery and group therapy. The clients are encouraged to participate in other 12-step support groups as well. ARCA introduces clients to the 12-step philosophy, holds classes on substance abuse and medication, hosts community guest lectures from local 12-step home groups and even employs bilingual counselors for Spanish-speaking clients.
There is a doctor on staff for detox, which lasts three to five days. Alternative therapy methods that ARCA uses include music therapy and Motivational Interviewing (MI).
The staff at ARCA are all licensed in their field and in 2009 the rehab received the CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehab Facilities) credential which means they met and passed international standards of excellence with a focus on client satisfaction and the desire to enhance the program.
A typical day at ARCA begins with clients waking up at 6:30 am to shower and get dressed for breakfast at 7:30. After breakfast, clients do chores around the facility, receive medical support and attend individual therapy, lectures and gender-specific groups before lunch. Lunch is followed by an afternoon of more lectures and therapy. Dinner is served at 5 pm, and after that is free time for clients to exercise, relax and do step work. The day ends with an on-site AA or NA meeting followed by free time before lights out at 11:30 pm.
Extras
There is no on-site gym and clients don’t participate in many extracurricular activities. The media room has a TV that can be watched during free time but if clients have to make phone calls, they must use the available landlines at the facility during free time as cell phones and computers are not allowed. Visitation is on Sunday from 1 to 3 pm (visitors aren’t allowed during detox).
ARCA offers a strong family program that includes a multi-group family meeting for clients every Tuesday night from 5:45 pm to 8, as well as lectures introducing Al-Anon principles as a part of the education portion of the evening.
In Summary
ARCA’s emphasis on the 12 steps and alternative therapy methods such as music therapy are promising and while a two-week stay may not be ideal for everyone, it is certainly a viable option over no treatment at all.
ARCA Location
1930 Union Cross Rd
Winston-Salem, NC 27107
ARCA Cost
$5,600 (14 days) for treatment and $550 a day for detox. Reach ARCA by phone at (336) 784-9470 or by email at annec@arcanc.org. Find ARCA on Facebook
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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.
