The Basics
Founded by former addiction and mental health counselor, Allyson Chambers in 2008, The Lilly Pad offers female-only sober living to clients in West Palm Beach, Florida and Asheville, North Carolina. The Lilly Pad serves women from all over, but gets many clients from Willow Place for Women, an outpatient substance abuse and eating disorder treatment center founded by Chambers and her business partner, Dixie Brown. The women started with the treatment facility in Florida, but Brown—an Asheville native—felt strongly that women in her hometown could benefit from a safe healing place for recovery. Now, just a few years later, both the treatment center and the sober living have locations in both cities.
Accommodations and Amenities
Located in close proximity to the beach, The Lilly Pad in West Palm Beach offers the main campus has three houses and accommodates a total of 19 females and the Lake House that houses four women. Both the Lake House and main campus offer double, as well as single-occupancy rooms. The Lake House caters to executives, and is located in an upscale residential neighborhood. The white-walled modern-style house has amenities that include a swimming pool, a housekeeper, and transportation to meetings five times per week, medical appointments and other necessary outings.
The main campus is relaxed atmosphere, decorated in an eclectic style, with vintage red chairs contrasting against a black dining room table, and zebra printed pillows perched on top of brown armchairs. Residents are transported twice a week to meetings and the grocery store. For an additional $5 gas money contribution, residents are transported to other outings. The main campus is within walking distance of The Triangle Club, an AA meetinghouse.
Shrouded by trees in the small city of Asheville, The Lilly Pad has three quaint cottage-style houses. Bedrooms include twin beds with bright-colored comforters, dressers with mirrors, nightstands and lamps. Windows provide views of the green countryside.
Residents purchase and prepare their own meals in fully equipped kitchens. Amenities at all the The Lilly Pad locations include free laundry facilities, cable TV and Wi-Fi. New clients receive fresh bed linens, towels, a laundry hamper and a safe with a key. Necessities such as toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning supplies are amply provided. Women are responsible for purchasing their own laundry detergent. All houses have live-in resident managers, as well as hourly shift managers.
Rules and Regulations
There is a 90-day minimum commitment for clients at The Lilly Pad. Clients must be out of bed by 8 am, make their beds and take care of personal hygiene. Those who can’t follow those rules are referred to other facilities. There is a zero tolerance policy for alcohol, drugs, diet pills, laxatives, kava kava and hookah bars and the house managers must approve all prescription and over-the-counter medication. Residents are subject to random drug and alcohol testing twice per week.
The Lilly Place advocates a 12-step approach to recovery and clients must attend 90 meeting in 90 days and get sponsors within two weeks of arrival. Those dealing with an eating disorder program are required to attend outpatient treatment. While all clients are not required to go to outpatient treatment (most usually at Willow House for Women), if they don’t, they must gain feasible employment within two weeks of admittance.
There is morning meditation at 8:15 am Mondays through Fridays at all the houses, with the following exception. On Tuesdays, in Florida, there is a housekeeping meeting prior to meditation. There are mandatory in-house 12-step meetings at 5:30 pm Wednesdays (North Carolina) and 7 pm Wednesdays (Florida). The curfew is set for 9 pm for the first week. Residents must hand over their computers and phones to the house manager at that time. For the next 21 days, the curfew is at 10 pm Mondays through Saturdays, and at 9 pm on Sundays, and after 30 days the curfew is at 11 pm Mondays through Saturdays, and 10 pm on Sundays.
Residents violating rules are subject to warnings. After three warnings, a client receives a write-up. Two write-ups are cause for immediate eviction. Other forbidden activities include sleeping or eating in the common area or TV room, smoking inside the house, eating or drinking in bedrooms, coloring hair or tanning on the premises, napping during the day and watching TV at odd hours.
The 30-day cost for the Lake House is between $3,500 for a shared room and $4,000 for a private room. The main campus costs between $1,200 for a shared room, and between $1,500 and $1,700 for a private room. There is a $600 non-refundable move-in fee required for admission, and rent is prorated upon admittance.
Extras
The Lilly Pad has step-down houses in both locations for those who have completed their 90-day minimum time commitment. These houses have more relaxed rules and regulations and are offered at a lower cost that ranges between $800 and $900 a month. Only shared rooms are provided.
Additional services include working with a case manager three times per week. The case manager acts as a go-between for the client. She handles contact between the client’s outpatient program and The Lilly Pad, and performs other hands on services. The 30-day cost is $1,000.
Sober companions are also available at a cost of $600 for 24 hours.
In Summary
The Lilly Pad offers extreme structure in luxurious settings. For those who are seeking independence, this might not work, but for women who need the support of around the clock supervision this might be the perfect place. The Lilly Pad is a safe, nurturing place for women healing from addiction and eating disorders.
Address unlisted to protect client privacy.
The Lilly Pad Cost: $1,200-$3,500 (30 days). Reach The Lilly Pad by phone at (561) 758-1011 or by email.
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Photo courtesy of TheLillyPad
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.
