The Basics
Nehemiah Family Services was founded by Pastor Billy Edwards, who saw a strong need for outpatient substance abuse services in rural southern Minnesota. Pastor Billy, who is in recovery from substance abuse himself, has Master’s-level degrees in both divinity and chemical dependency, which suits him well for working with men and women seeking sobriety. Because of its locations in the small towns of Dodge Center and Preston, NFS is somewhat isolated from supplemental recovery services.
Treatment and Staff
NFS is an outpatient-only treatment facility. Clients attend a two-phase program for three to four months. In the first phase, they begin by thinking about what their substance abuse is doing to themselves, their families and those around them. They build on this knowledge by developing relapse prevention skills, identifying thinking errors and learning about health issues. This phase lasts for eight sessions.
The second phase, which lasts for nine weeks, helps clients learn about assertiveness, communication skills, effective conflict resolution and problem-solving. There is an additional focus on errors in thinking. Relapse prevention and refusal skills are also further developed, in addition to education about codependency. In this phase, clients begin to form their own values, beliefs and code of ethics.
Therapists at NFS use CBT and Motivational Interviewing (MI). The facility is primarily faith-based and doesn’t use the 12-step model or SMART Recovery. Clients are not required to believe in a Higher Power.
Those in need of individual therapy attend a one-hour session every two weeks or as needed. Clients attend group therapy once a week in both phases one and two. A cognitive skills group meets twice a week and an evening faith-based cognitive skills group meets once a week.
In the first phase, each session lasts for four hours while in the second, sessions are twice a week for two hours each. In total, clients receive six hours of group therapy per week for a total of 64 hours before graduating.
Because NFS is outpatient-only, it refers those in need of detox to nearby hospitals. Clients with co-occurring disorders are referred to a mental health office located in the same office complex but NFS supports those with dual diagnoses.
At NFS, clients can work with one full-time therapist (Pastor Billy) or one of three part-time therapists. In compliance with Minnesota regulations, every therapist has an LADC certification.
Extras
NFS clients and their families can take advantage of the family program, which meets once during the the first phase (though plans are underway to add a family component to the second phase as well).
Every NFS client is offered 12 weeks of aftercare, which consists of weekly support groups. These meetings are held every Sunday evening from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm, and are free.
In Summary
Nehemiah Family Services is a good fit for those who have few financial resources, but still need basic help for substance abuse. Though the lack of familiar 12-step or SMART programs will deter some, NFS is still an economical choice for those unafraid of a more religious approach.
Nehemiah Family Services
104 1st St NW, Rm 146
P.O. Box 335
Dodge Center, MN 55927
Nehemiah Family Services Cost: $1,500 ($50/hr with insurance, $25/hr self-pay). Reach Nehemiah Family Services by phone at (507) 374-9047. Find Nehemiah Family Services on Facebook
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