Women on the Way was founded in 1996 by Liz Mann, a woman who saw room for improvement in the traditional model of recovery. Despite its name, the non-profit organization now operates three facilities including a residential treatment program for men in addition to two sober living homes for women.
Accommodations and Food
The main facility for women provides enhanced sober living for up to eight clients who are in very early recovery or just getting out of a primary treatment program. On a separate lot, a cottage and duplex accommodate up to 12 women who are in a later-stage of recovery and require a transitional living environment. One additional property acts as the residential facility and can sleep up to 10 men. Though each location has its own unique layout, all have a fully-equipped kitchen, on-site laundry and common areas for clients to relax and socialize during their downtime. Residents in all facilities share bedrooms with at least one other roommate.
Food service is handled slightly differently in each of the programs. In the men’s program, staff members purchase groceries and create menus that clients take turns cooking as part of their chores. Enhanced sober living works similarly, though residents are expected to pay for groceries themselves. In the other transitional housing locations, clients buy and prepare their own meals individually in a shared kitchen.
Treatment and Staff
The sober living programs generally last for three to six months and are structured primarily to foster independent living. All programs require clients to attend treatment sessions which incorporate the 12 steps as well as evidence-based methods such as CBT. The initial phases of care involve individual and group therapy, educational sessions, meditation and spiritual support. Therapy also includes stress management, domestic violence, self-esteem, codependency, healthy communication, anger management and parenting skills. Once clients have progressed in their recovery, sessions on relapse prevention are also factored in. Women enrolled in the enhanced sober living phase are allowed to leave the facility but must adhere to nightly curfews.
Following completion of the enhanced sober living program, women can step down to the more independent sober living which tends to be a mix of women from the first phase of treatment and some from outside the Women on the Way network of care. Residents are expected to get jobs or enroll in school while still attending at least one AA/NA meeting a week and typically stay between six and 18 months.
Staff consists of CADCs, case managers and additional support personnel.
Extras
Case management services are available in all programs and are provided for medical referrals, job assistance, educational guidance and legal and financial aid. Spanish language services are also available.
In Summary
Overall, Women on the Way is a fairly comprehensive program with several tiers of treatment and residential services. Programs include a good blend of evidence-based therapy and 12-step principles, helping clients lay a solid foundation for community and peer support. Women on the Way is a solid and affordable network of gender-specific residential treatment and sober living services.
Women On The Way Location
20424 Haviland Ave
Hayward, CA 94541
Women on the Way Cost
Sliding scale. Reach Women on the Way at (510) 276-3661. Find Women on the Way on Facebook
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