The Basics
Founded in 1969 in Wilmington, Delaware, Limen House caters to financially challenged clients who seek safe and structured sober living. Limen House was the brainchild of members of St. Andrews Church, who wanted to help recovering alcoholics in the community. The word Limen is Latin and means threshold. The founders felt that the word Limen reflected their mission. By being in recovery, clients could have a fresh starting point in their lives. Besides housing, Limen House provides extended care and supportive services, designed to teach clients life skills that will help them become fruitful members of society.
Accommodations and Amenities
Limen House has three houses, two for men and one for women. The men’s house in Wilmington is an imposing white Victorian building, which accommodates about 16 clients. The other men’s house accommodates between 13 and 16 men and the female-only Victorian house lodges about 10 women. Residents are typically paired in furnished, double-occupancy rooms. Amenities include transportation, house computers with Internet, laundry facilities and cable.
Most clients qualify for food stamp benefits, which assists towards the purchase of provisions. Residents participate in grocery shopping and rotate, in teams of two, and prepare dinner for their entire household inside fully equipped kitchens. At 5:30 pm daily, clients are expected eat supper together. Staff lives on the premises to supervise and provide support.
Rules and Regulations
Potential clients must be 18 years and older and clean and sober for a minimum of seven days. They also need to express a strong willingness to work a 12-step program. Some men and women are referred to Limen House from residential treatment facilities. Limen House requires a 12-month minimum length of stay. Residents receive individualized treatment plans, which focuses on their needs, while they work the basic program.
The schedule includes attending daily 12-step meetings, participating in group and individual therapy, and being part of life skills groups and activities. Group topics include relapse prevention, anger management, stress management, parenting, peer support and the 12 steps. Life skills activities include employment assistance, money management, the development of self-care plans, and the securing of safe and permanent housing.
A typical day includes having breakfast with the household at 8:30 am, followed by group therapy between 9 and 10 am. After that, residents go to scheduled engagements, which include medical and mental health appointments, grocery shopping, picking up food, clothing or furniture donations or going to employment assistance groups. If clients don’t have any previous engagements, they participate in step work or other assigned recovery homework. At noon, clients are transported to an AA meeting off the premises. When they return at Limen House by 1:45 pm, they continue their recovery homework.
The assigned dinner team prepares the evening meal. Others participate in free time from 2 to 5 pm. This includes playing cards and computer games. Some clients opt to continue recovery homework. Dinner is served at 5:30 pm, and all residents must attend. After dinner, residents attend another local 12-step meeting. Upon a nine pm arrival back at Limen House, residents perform household chores, watch TV, take showers and prepare for the next day’s activities. Lights out is at 11 pm. At Limen House, a zero tolerance policy is enforced. Random drug and alcohol screenings are conducted. Residents who relapse must leave the premises immediately to ensure the safety of the entire household.
Extras
Staff hooks up residents with local jobs in the community, such as yard cleaning, house cleaning and light construction. Clients are also assisted in opening savings accounts. As a non-profit organization, Limen House welcomes donations, including clothing, furniture and food from the local community.
Limen House holds a plethora of fundraising events including an annual golf tournament, a 5K run, a Labor Day picnic and the Amethyst ball, which has dinner, dancing, and a silent auction. All proceeds go to offset Limen House’s costs.
In Summary
Limen House provides a vital resource to financially challenged alcoholics and addicts in the community. Not only do they provide a plethora of supportive services and extended care to residents, they also offer a built-in recovery support community. While the men and women at Limen House work their steps, and rebuild their lives staff is on hand, helping them every step of the way.
Limen House (mailing address)
PO Box 1306
Wilmington, DE 19899
Limen House
600 N 10th St
Wilmington, DE 19801
Limen House Cost: Sliding scale (30 days). Reach Limen House by phone at (302) 652-7969 (men’s), (302) 571-1216 (women’s) or by email at limenhouseadmin@comcast.net. Find Limen House at Facebook and YouTube
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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.
