Hamilton House Review
The Gavin Foundation is a non-profit agency providing community-based substance abuse treatment and education. One of the organization’s many locations includes Hamilton House, located in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Hamilton House is a men’s only residential treatment facility which offers a six month program, all steeped in the traditions of the 12 steps.
Accommodations and Food
Hamilton House offers family style living with a total of 22 beds. Each bedroom has two or three twin beds, a closet, dressers and a dresser. The home also offers shared bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room and a living room. Smoking is permitted outside only. While there is no on-site workout area, men are allowed to find a local gym to attend.
Clients are provided with dinners on Mondays through Fridays, though they are left mostly to their own devices for breakfast, lunch and on weekends. For these other meals, clients have access to a fully-stocked kitchen included in the price of stay. Sugar and caffeine are permitted in moderation.
Treatment and Staff
Hamilton House transitions clients back into the real world, with the end goal being independent living and full-time employment. Prior to the working phase, clients attend house meetings and attend therapy at the outpatient facility. The outpatient option is known as Structured Outpatient Addiction Program or SOAP. This 10 to 12 day process usually includes a mixture of daily group and individual therapy at least once a week. Treatment approaches include CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing (MI) and the 12 steps. On-site detox services are not available and must be handled before enrolling.
Clients are required to attend mandatory in-house 12-step meetings six nights a week, as well obtain a sponsor and work the steps. Off-site meetings are not required though they are an option when the schedule permits. Once residents are ready to begin working, they use afternoons for job hunting. Those who are employed must be home for dinner by 5 pm and then in the house by 11 each night. In order to ensure complete abstinence, clients are expected to submit to frequent and random drug tests. Visitation time is available on the weekends.
Hamilton House’s staff includes LADCs, a nurse practitioner and peer counselors. Two staff members, including the house manager, are available around the clock in the home.
Extras
Once residents have finished their time in the house they are eligible to participate in aftercare. This complimentary program includes includes a Big Book meeting on Sundays, ongoing participation in the 12-step community, relapse prevention groups and peer support.
In additional to providing structure and support, Hamilton House aims to make recovery as enjoyable as possible. In order to keep the spirit of recreation alive, the men occasionally attend outside events such as sports games or other group activities. Additional programs include the Cushing Houses for adolescent residential care, Graduate Centers for alumni and the Walsh Center, which serves as a recreation spot for kids and teens. Meetings, meditations and sober community events can also be found at the Devine Recovery Center.
In Summary
In all, Hamilton House offers men a chance at long-term sobriety. As part of the Gavin Foundation, clients are connected to a wide network of sober facilities throughout Boston. While the program offers no-frills, residents are still provided the tools they need for sobriety through employment, constant 12-step involvement and community support.
Hamilton House Location
25 Mt Ida Rd
Dorchester, MA 02122
Hamilton House Cost
$300 (30 days, $75 per week). Reach Hamilton House by phone at (617) 242-0088. Find The Gavin Foundation on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn
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Photo courtesy of John Phelan (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via WikimediaCommons (resized and cropped)
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.
