Focus on Recovery

Rehab Reviews

8 years ago

Focus on Recovery Review

Founded in 2001 in Birmingham, Alabama, Focus on Recovery (FR) is a non-profit sober living home for women aged 19 and older with long-term housing and weekly peer-led group sessions. To participate in FR’s program, clients must have already completed an inpatient program or be currently enrolled in an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Given its proximity to FR, most participants fulfill these requirements at the nearby Bradford Health Services.

Accommodations and Amenities

FR’s sober living facilities consists of eight apartments located adjacent to the administrative offices where group sessions are held. The apartments can accommodate 32 women total, with residents typically sharing a room with one other roommate during the initial phase of treatment and given the option to upgrade to a single room as they progress through treatment.

Rooms are tastefully decorated with twin beds and basic furnishings and one shared bathroom between two rooms. Clients have a lot of independence during treatment and are expected to purchase and prepare all of their own meals. Each apartment has a kitchen and dining area, though there is also a shared group pantry on the premises where residents can get snacks throughout the day.

Rules and Regulations

Clients are expected to maintain a clean living space during their stay, typically alternating chores with fellow residents. Clients are also expected to follow curfew regulations which are 11 pm on weeknights and midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. There are two residential assistants who live on the property to supervise and offer help to residents when needed.

Because FR is a halfway house, on-site treatment services are limited. Still, residents have access to two group sessions a week in the evenings. The first is a traditional group therapy meeting led by an LADC while the second is a peer-run group which emphasizes 12-step recovery. These meetings typically feature Big Book studies and guest speakers from the local recovery community.

Twelve-step meetings are a major component of FR’s program, with residents required to attend at least one daily meeting. The facility works with the local 12-step community to make sure clients always have transportation. Those seeking consultations with a psychiatrist can be referred to local practitioners for medication management. Residents typically stay at the FR home for a minimum of six months.

Extras

An aftercare program is provided once clients complete the program. This consists of free and indefinite attendance of Tuesday night group therapy sessions.

In addition to weekly group sessions, clients can expect a variety of additional programs to bolster their recovery including art therapy, a group-based family program which includes workshops and educational seminars, a financial literacy program and the Skills to Succeed program for employment counseling and aid in finding long-term housing. The facility also hosts an annual charity golf tournament, currently in its ninth year.

In Summary

While the Focus on Recovery facility does not offer the intensity of an inpatient program or an IOP, it remains a vital resource for women with a range of recovery support services. Clients can expect a long-term sober living program featuring group therapy and 12-step recovery, as well as aftercare help to reintegrate into society. In all, Focus on Recovery is a strong transitional housing option for women who have completed primary care in Birmingham.