Gandara Addiction Recovery Program Review
The Gandara Center operates a variety of supportive services for adults dealing with substance abuse and addiction through inpatient, outpatient and sober living programs. With gender-specific programs allowing men and women to focus on their sobriety, the inpatient program for Spanish-speaking men is known as the Gandara Addiction Recovery Program. Residents are required to immerse themselves in the 12 steps while also attending group and individual therapy sessions which use the Matrix Model of recovery.
Accommodations and Food
Men at Gandara Addiction Recovery Program stay in a 42-bed home in Springfield, Massachusetts. The two-story mid-century brick rambler is situated in a lively residential neighborhood between a freeway overpass and a small church. Each bedroom sleeps three men in twin-sized beds. Private rooms are available for those who have completed at least 30 days in treatment at no extra cost.
The house has several common areas including a large kitchen with attached formal dining room and a living room with a flat-screen TV. Residents are served three meals a day with snacks in between. Breakfast is served continental-style while lunch and dinner are both hot meals. These are prepared by an on-site chief and include traditional American fare such as pizza, pasta, fried chicken and soup.
Treatment and Staff
Treatment at GARP uses the Matrix Model—a 16 week program which includes group therapy, individual therapy, early recovery groups, relapse prevention, family education and social support. Clients are required to submit to random and regular drug testing. Treatment uses evidence-based modalities like CBT.
Residents receive structured support while living at GARP with a typical stay ranging from six months to a year. Aside from treatment, GARP helps clients develop life skills by requiring that they attend school, get a job or do volunteer work. After 30 days in treatment residents are allowed to start job searching. Once employment is found, daily routines begin to vary based on each client’s schedule. Residents are required to attend a minimum of three weekly AA/NA meetings and must be working the steps with a sponsor. Those with co-occurring disorders are welcome, but medication management is not offered on-site, nor is detox.
Clients in their first 30 days are asked to follow a fairly simple yet structured agenda. Everyone wakes up at 6 am for breakfast before their first group meeting at 8 am, where clients set their daily goals. On Wednesday mornings clients attend a mandatory on-site AA meeting. Next is a short break before group and individual therapy which last until lunch at noon. Therapy resumes in the afternoon and clients also attend educational lectures on the disease of addiction. Dinner is from 4 to 5 pm, after which clients meet with their counselors to do a check-in to review their morning goals. Residents attend a 12-step meeting at 6 pm followed by free time until lights out at 10 pm. Those who demonstrate a strong commitment to recovery during their first 30 days can apply for off-site passes allowing them to leave the facility without an escort.
The Gandara Center also offers an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) that meets Monday through Friday for three and a half hours each session. Clients requiring a less rigid program may opt for basic outpatient services—a 10 week program requiring attendance of one weekly hour-long group session. Individual therapy is scheduled as needed. Group topics include relapse prevention, anger management and coping skills.
Staff members include LPCs, LCSWs and alumni who have returned as counselors.
Extras
The Gandara Center also runs two sober living homes for adult men who have at least six months of sobriety. The homes are governed by rules and regulations established by Gandara Center representatives and follow the National Association of Recovery Residences Guidelines (NARR).
Men are offered accommodation in a six or eight bed home with shared rooms. Those interested in living in one of the two homes must sign a lease which states that they will abstain from alcohol or drugs. Aside from abstinence, men in both homes are required to either be working or receiving higher education as well. Though 12-step meetings are recommended at these facilities, they are not required.
Those in need of support for gambling disorders are offered an outpatient program that lasts six to eight weeks and consists of individual, group and family therapy on a weekly basis. These services are offered at Gandara’s main office in West Springfield.
In Summary
For Spanish-speaking adult men living in Massachusetts, the Gandara Addiction Recovery Program is a comprehensive program that uses evidence-based treatment methods. The program is tailored for those seeking recovery with decreasing levels of intensity in a residential setting, and the facility offers a good blend of therapeutic hours and semi-independent living.
Gandara Addiction Recovery Program Location
29-33 Arch St
Springfield, MA 01107
Gandara Center GARP Cost
Call for cost. Reach Gandara Center GARP by phone at (413) 781-2234. Find Gandara Center GARP on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
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