Most people associated with rehabilitation would have heard the term halfway house.
The earliest houses were built in the 18th century England, and housed children that had been arrested for petty crimes.
Soon, these made their way to the US, where in most cases these houses are government-funded.
Privately funded halfway houses are there too, with the first one opened by a woman called Maud Booth in New York in 1896.
What this is all about
- Halfway houses, whether in Albany, New York, or any other state in the USA, are basically treatment facilities. These are for people who have lived in a fulltime facility for some time and are preparing to re-enter society.
- Most often, it is people who have spent time in prison or those who are recovering from addiction that seek residence here.
- Some residents at these houses could be those recovering from the treatment of a mental illness.
These houses are named so as they are transitory places that people use to move from a full-time facility to living in society.
Added benefit of Sober Living
Most halfway houses in Albany, New York, or other places are manned by teams of professionally trained staff that supervises and monitors the residents’ rehabilitation programs. As most residents in these facilities are ex-users, it stands to reason that the atmosphere here would be supportive of total abstinence and sobriety.
Just like Alcoholics Anonymous, the programs followed here would be structured. And residents are expected to follow these programs without fail. These are built in a way to avoid relapse and boost inner productivity.
What to look for
If you are searching for ‘Halfway houses near me’, you will benefit tremendously from knowing what to expect from this type of house. Here are some tips that will surely help you in looking for one.
- The house should provide basic education classes.
- Most good houses offer several different kinds of therapies, such as art, equine, and anger management.
- There should be skill development courses offered there, such as financial acumen, computer skills, employability training, and more.
- Different types of counselling sessions must be offered there, such as grief counselling, self-esteem boosting, and others.
- Most of all, it should be neat and clean with a warm and welcoming ambience.
Other factors
Most such facilities, like sober living near New York charge rent for staying there. It is so the place can be run smoothly. However, this is not very high, and in some cases a payment plan is worked out so that the resident is able to pay it easily.
These houses are designed to avoid relapse and all residents are expected to abide by the set rules and regulations. Any violation is met with warning or expulsion. Some houses are very strict while some are not.
If you are looking for such a house, it is recommended that you do a bit of research instead of settling for the first name that shows up in your online search.
