The Basics
The Southeast Intervention Group, a state-funded company founded by Dr. Larry R. Kirkland, Jr., runs residential recovery programs for men and women recovering from chemical dependency. The Group has two gender-specific, long-term sober living programs—Herring Houses for women and Step by Step Recovery for men. Both programs are heavily 12-step based.
Step by Step’s founder Dr. Kirkland attends a recovery group on Sunday evenings at the American Legion that all residents are encouraged to attend. The community at Step by Step is tight-knit and both staff along with fellow residents help to keep each client accountable to his recovery.
Accommodations and Amenities
Step by Step clients share a traditional, two-story Colonial-style home in a suburban neighborhood of Dothan, Atlanta. Clients are provided with all the basics: furniture and linens, a fully-stocked kitchen and a washer and dryer. All the rest is DIY. Food and meals are not provided nor are they included in the cost, but staff do transport clients to the grocery store. Families are invited to provide money for their loved-one’s expenses, although residents aren’t recommended to carry more than ten or twenty dollars at a time, so money is typically kept in escrow. Clients are responsible for doing their own laundry and contributing to the cleanliness of the house by completing their weekly assigned chores.
Rules and Regulations
Clients who come to Step by Step are required to have a minimum of 72 hours clean and and sober and are highly recommended to have graduated from an inpatient program beforehand—two or more weeks at a private facility or at least 28 days at a state-funded program. Once admitted, clients must commit to a minimum of three months and usually stay longer. Clients pay $340 dollars up front: a $40 intake fee and $300 for the first two weeks’ rent.
Living at Step by Step is about rehabilitation of behavior and ensuring long-term recovery. Clients adapt to a rigorous schedule, waking up at 6 am for meditation, attending at least one 12-step meeting a day and checking in regularly and consistently with staff. Newcomers are required to get a sponsor in the 12-step fellowship. All residents are enabled and encouraged to find work, but newcomers who haven’t yet found a job must attend more meetings and are also required to clean the local Wiregrass Club—the AA/NA Clubhouse—once a week.
There is no swearing, gambling or fighting allowed. If a member of the opposite sex is discovered in the house, the resident responsible will be immediately asked to leave; only staff and residents of the house are allowed on the property.
Daily life at Step by Step is more than simply rule-abiding. Nearly every day of the week a group—either relapse prevention or recovery education—is offered, the discussion guided by a counselor. On Wednesday nights, clients participate in a group focused on spirituality or a Bible study. The therapeutic program at Step by Step is not a full-time clinical program like one might find at an inpatient program, but this sober living makes every effort to assist residents in keeping focused on their mental health and recovery.
The staff at Step by Step are heavily involved in residents’ lives and most are in recovery themselves. A house manager oversees the residential staff. The Clinical Director and counselors at Step by Step are Master’s-level educated.
Extras
A computer is available in the conference room with Internet access to the Alabama Job Link. Residents can access the computer during the day exclusively to look for work.
In Summary
Step by Step Recovery is an excellent choice for the man who has completed the initial phase of his recovery and wants to take out some insurance towards a long-term sobriety. Step by Step is a sober living, but it has some key facets of a rehab that lend a great deal of structure to the sometimes chaotic decision-making phase of early recovery. There is a two- to three-month waiting list typically, so potential clients should be prepared to call faithfully every week until a bed opens up.
Southeast Intervention Group, Inc.: Step by Step Recovery
101 North Herring House St
Dothan, AL 36303
Step by Step Recovery Cost: $1,200 (30 days). Reach Step by Step by phone at (334)-699-3175. Find Step by Step Recovery on Google+
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Photo courtesy by Michael Rivera By Michael Rivera (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons (resized and cropped)
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