The Basics
Founded in 2015 just outside Tupelo, in Belden, Mississippi by executive director Becky Weatherford, Talbot House provides family-style sober living for ten women. Weatherford has been clean and sober since May 18, 2008. Talbot House was once known as the Gardner-Simmons Home for young girls without a home. In keeping with the spirit of the house, Weatherford’s mission is to provide a home for women in need. The house still has the original Garner-Simmons plaque, to memorialize the two young women that it was named after, Robin Simmons and Margaret Garner, who both died in a tragic accident.
Accommodations and Amenities
Talbot House is a 5,000 square foot Colonial-style southern mansion, complete with a Southern-style brick porch with Greek columns, rocking chairs, potted plants and ceiling fans. The house includes a landscaped yard, a paved walkway and an old-fashioned streetlamp. Talbot House accommodates no more than ten women, who are paired in double-occupancy rooms, which include twin beds with brand new memory foam mattresses and other furnishings. There are two women to a bathroom.
Clients are responsible for their own groceries, and meals are prepared in a fully equipped kitchen. Cooking classes are provided as part of life skills training. Amenities include transportation to meetings and appointments, Wi-Fi, cable TV, a house telephone, laundry room, a vegetable garden. Weatherford lives on the premises, and acts as residential manager. There are two house cats, Mr. Kitty and Lena, who provide furry companionship. Smoking is permitted outside only.
Rules and Regulations
Women who wish to reside at Talbot House must be 21 and over. Most clients have successfully graduated from a residential treatment program. Others are accepted on a case-by-case basis. A three-month minimum length of stay is suggested. At Talbot House, sobriety comes first and during the first month of their stay, the women must get grounded in a solid recovery program.
Clients are encouraged to follow whatever recovery program works best for them, including 12 step, SMART Recovery or Celebrate Recovery. They must attend a minimum of three weekly meetings, but most clients at Talbot House attend a meeting on a daily basis. The women are also encouraged to attend outpatient treatment, and many clients move in with aftercare protocols in place. Local outpatient referrals are provided.
Other requirements include acquiring and working with a sponsor or mentor, performing household chores and attending the weekly house meeting. At Talbot House, random drug and alcohol screenings are conducted. A zero tolerance policy is usually employed, but relapsers are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, as long as the circumstance don’t affect the safety of the household. The curfew is 11 pm Sundays through Thursdays, and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
Extras
Other services include a free yoga class on Wednesday mornings. The 30-day cost is $700, without transportation, and $800, including transportation. An additional $250 security deposit is required. In the near future, Talbot House will offer a weekly therapeutic processing group facilitated by a licensed therapist.
As a non-profit organization in partnership with CREATE Foundation, Talbot House welcomes donations to offset costs.
In Summary
This beautiful mansion offers clients a place to call home and allows women a chance to get grounded in their recovery. Talbot House is a gem nestled in a picturesque landscape that is reminiscent of the Old South, and with Weatherford at the helm clients receive individualized attention, as well as ample doses of hospitality.
Talbot House
2794 Boatner Dr
Belden, MS 38826
Talbot House Cost: $700-$800 (30 days, not including a $250 sobriety deposit). Reach Talbot House by phone at (662) 255-7533, (662) 350-3277 or by email. Find Talbot House on Facebook
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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.
