A halfway house in Pennsylvania is just as it sounds. It’s a halfway living facility for recovering addicts out of rehab. It provides a secure and stable environment where addicts can stay short-term until they are confident of returning to regular life.
Halfway homes are meant for people not yet ready to return to their homes and families. Addiction can destroy homes and disrupt relationships. Feelings of shame and guilt can be overwhelming for the addict. Stepping back into their earlier lives isn’t easy. Halfway homes are the best place for them to get back on their feet.
What is the purpose of a halfway house?
Halfway houses are sober living homes because they help addicts stay true to their sobriety goals. Some addicts have to stay in these homes if they have spent much time in rehab. Others are here to facilitate their recovery from addiction.
You may have to pass drug tests to stay here because many halfway homes don’t have the means to handle withdrawal symptoms. These facilities are best suited for addicts treated for a medical detox in rehab or outpatient facilities.
What are the benefits of living in a halfway house?
Recovery is a lifelong journey for addicts, and transitioning from a controlled environment to an uncontrolled one can be difficult.
- Supervision: In rehab, patients are under close observation. Round-the-clock monitoring ensures that their cravings are in check. This supervision is absent when they move back into their homes. However, if they stay in a halfway home, the staff will ensure they follow the rules of a halfway house and remain sober. The manager conducts routine drug and alcohol screenings to prevent them from abusing drugs and alcohol.
- Controlled environment: When addicts stay in a sober living home, they enjoy a controlled, peaceful, and drug-free environment. It provides a certain degree of stability and structure and makes inmates more disciplined and responsible. They must perform chores like cooking and cleaning and respect curfew hours.
- Accountability: Since you live with fellow addicts, you must obey the rules. You have to pass regular drug tests and stay away from substance abuse. It makes every recovering addict accountable and responsible.
- Peer support: Halfway homes accommodate many addicts who support and help one another. Peer support can quicken the recovery process. Friends and well-wishers may encourage you, but they can never understand what you are going through. Fellow addicts have battled similar cravings and know how to overcome these. You will find someone to talk to whenever you experience cravings.
- Financial independence: Halfway houses encourage you to seek employment to pay for your accommodation. When you become financially independent, you can go back to your home. You get the confidence and determination to work hard to make a living.
Who can stay in a halfway house?
Halfway houses are open for all addicts who need a stable environment, but most people staying in these are recovering addicts. They have those that have undergone proper treatment at rehabs. Such people are encouraged to stay here because sobriety is a criterion for accommodation. Those that have been sober for some time are more likely to benefit from such a facility rather than those who are new to recovery.
What can you expect to find in a halfway home in Pennsylvania?
Halfway houses have rules in place, but these places are not like rehabs or clinics. They provide freedom, support, and structure, ensuring addicts become self-sufficient and responsible. They can attend school or work in offices while staying in halfway homes. However, they must attend AA and NA meetings and conform to the 12 steps for achieving sobriety.
- Halfway houses expect total commitment to sobriety. You cannot indulge in drug or alcohol abuse. You must agree to take routine drug and alcohol screenings.
- You must perform different household chores.
- You must not engage in violence or fight with other inmates.
- You cannot damage the property or steal another’s things.
- You must adhere to curfew hours.
How to find the right halfway home in Pennsylvania:
- Look for halfway homes that are clean and hygienic. You should not move into facilities where the manager and staff don’t insist on cleanliness.
- Avoid halfway homes that let you stay for free or agree to pay on your behalf. You will find many disreputable homes that tempt addicts to reside free of cost. In exchange, they get their personal information and submit these for false insurance claims.
- Don’t choose a halfway house that isn’t well-maintained and spacious. These facilities will accommodate many residents. There must be ample space for all. Instead of relying on images posted on their website, take a tour of the place before deciding. Ensure that both the interiors and exteriors are clean and not run down. Sleeping quarters must be airy and inside the house. The facility should be pest-free and adequately lit, with fully-functional bathrooms and kitchens.
- Choose a facility that maintains admission records and follows admission protocols. The primary criterion for admission is that the patient must be sober. If there are any coexisting mental conditions, psychotherapists and psychiatrists must address these.
FAQs:
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When is a halfway house a danger to residents?
You must never trust sober living homes that don’t implement rules and punishments for flouting these. Stay away from homes that don’t have certified staff members and don’t have regulatory inspections.
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Are halfway homes free?
Halfway homes are not funded by governments. They don’t offer formal treatment for substance abuse and are not under state-run licensing agencies. People can stay in these homes for as long as they think they need to before they return to their earlier lives. However, they must pay rent for their accommodation.
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Can anyone walk into a halfway house?
You can have visitors provided these are your family members and friends. However, the manager and staff must approve them before entry.
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Can you be evicted from a halfway house?
Yes, you can if you violate the house rules multiple times. The manager won’t take serious action unless the incident occurs repeatedly. If a resident leaves by order, he may have to face charges filed against him.
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Do halfway houses treat addicts?
You shouldn’t expect to get treated by doctors in a halfway house. Addiction treatment is possible inside rehab. Halfway houses are sober living homes for transitioning recovering addicts to their earlier lives. They only provide the structure and support for addicts but not treatment.
