South Middlesex Opportunity Council: Rhodes House Review
Located in Framingham, Massachusetts, the South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC) is a non-profit social services agency that provides family and nutrition programs, housing, employment, education and behavioral healthcare, including substance abuse and addiction treatment. Its Rhodes to Recovery program offers residential treatment for financially challenged women who have between one and two weeks of sobriety. Clients reside in the Rhodes House, which follows the social recovery model approach, a peer-oriented process that is conducted in a nurturing environment.
Accommodations and Food
Rhodes House is a spacious split-level white residence with two adjacent properties. The building, which once served as a nursing home, has a 27-bed capacity. A majority of the women are paired in fully furnished double-occupancy rooms, with singles reserved for clients with seniority. There is one large room that lodges three clients.
Smoking is permitted outside in designated areas. Staff resides on the premises and provides around-the-clock supervision.
While food is not provided, residents typically qualify for food stamps that help toward the purchase of groceries. Staff provides assistance with the application process. Rhodes House also sometimes receives food donations but clients are generally responsible for their own groceries. Residents are divided into teams, which take turns cooking for the entire household.
Treatment and Staff
To be considered for admittance, prospective clients must fax a copy of their bio-psycho-social assessments for review. After which, they need to follow up with the Rhodes House Program manager. It’s worth noting that Rhodes House typically has a waiting list so keeping on top of the application process is crucial. Staff looks for motivated clients who are willing to participate in a peer recovery program. Rhodes House also accepts women who have a history of homelessness.
The program is between six and nine months. During their stay, clients attend group and individual therapy, attend 12-step meetings and work with case managers who help with legal, dental, medical and/or mental health issues.
Group topics include relapse prevention, life skills, coping, Building a Foundation in Recovery, substance abuse education, nutrition, tobacco education and healthy relationships. Individual therapy employs traditional psychotherapy and clients usually meet with their counselors once a week.
During the evening, residents go to 12-step meetings; this including three mandatory AA/NA gatherings at the Millbury Center, which is within walking distance. They must find sponsors and work the steps. As a peer-driven model and in keeping with 12-step principles, clients learn to provide and receive support from each another throughout treatment.
Therapy is facilitated during daytime hours. There is also a psychiatrist who drops by on a regular basis to prescribe psychotropic medication for clients with co-occurring disorders, as well as provide medication management.
On-site staff include a program manager, recovery specialists and CSWs.
Extras
Case managers work with clients to establish aftercare plans, such as housing and outpatient treatment referrals. By the time women leave Rhodes House, they are expected to be working and financially independent.
Donations including professional clothing for job interviews, food, furniture and cash are accepted for the residential treatment program. Other services include vocational training and housing placement. Rhodes House also takes personal care and household items for graduate clients who are transitioning into their own homes.
In Summary
South Middlesex Opportunity Council’s Rhodes to Recovery program is a great option for financially challenged women who can benefit from a structured, safe environment to begin recovery. With 12-step, resources for co-occurring disorders and support from the community at large, Rhodes House is a valuable asset for those ready to address their substance abuse and hopefully change their life for the better.
Rhodes House Location
5 Rhodes St
Millbury, MA 01527
Rhodes House Cost
$500 or 60% of income (30 days). Reach Rhodes House by phone at (508) 872-4853 or (508) 581-7821. Find Rhodes House at Twitter and Facebook
Do you have a complaint or review of Rhodes House to add? Use the comments area below to add your Rhodes House review.
Photo courtesy of John Phelan (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons (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.
