The Haven serves adult women for a period of nine months to one year. Safety, empowerment, structure and support are key to the environment and each individual client. The women are on a schedule each day and participate in some sort of planned group-activity from 7:00 AM to 10:30 PM. Services and treatment activities address
recovery using cognitive/behavioral techniques, Stages of Change, Contingency Management, and Community Reinforcement, and are integrated to address mental health and trauma issues. Treatment activities include individual and group education and counseling, peer run activities-groups-meetings, vocational skills, GED preparation classes, on- and off-site 12-step meetings, parenting issues, etc. The program utilizes an on-site psychiatrist and medication management for those needing these services. Case Management services are also part of the treatment and the women are linked to services for healthcare, dental care, benefits acquisitions, transportation, eye care, employment and vocational services in addition to other needed services provided by community agencies.
The Haven Mothers' Houses I and II provide intensive residential substance abuse treatment to women. Women who receive services through The Mother’s House must either be pregnant or have an infant in their care. The Mother’s House provides a stable, safe, and drug-free environment to allow women to overcome the behaviors that led them to a lifestyle of addiction and crime. Clients are given an opportunity to learn different ways to cope with their feelings and are taught how to make appropriate choices. Many women do not seek treatment due to the fact that they are fearful of what will happen to their children. The Mother’s House operates with the philosophy that it is critical that a mother be with her infant as she progresses through treatment. The Haven children are the heart of the program and allow the mother to experience love, care and parenting in a substance-free environment.
Women are taught lifestyle skills and are expected to manage their environment. A
typical day at The Mother’s House begins at 6:50 AM. Clients eat breakfast with their children and then take the children to an on-site specialized day care. Then, they attend substance abuse groups and learn cognitive therapy skills. Clients then go to the daycare to eat lunch with their children. Their afternoons are again
spent focusing on overcoming their addiction. From 5:00 to 8:30 PM, clients spend time bonding and attaching with their infants. From 8:30 to 10:00 PM, clients attend one final group and then it is off to bed. Clients meet with a counselor once a week to discuss their treatment goals and are provided with mental health treatment if necessary.
In the final phase of treatment, clients from The Haven and The Mother’s House I and II come together to reside at The Harmon House. The Harmon House accomodates women and up to 10 infants who have progressed in their treatment regimen. Clients in this house are employed in the community, have found community child care and are increasing their community support system. Upon returning from work, clients attend evening groups that focus on maintaining their recovery.
The Baby Haven provides specialized daycare for infants whose mothers are in residential substance abuse treatment at The Haven. The staff supports mothers in treatment by enhancing the children’s physical, emotional and cognitive growth. In order to allow mothers to attend treatment groups, the daycare is open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and provides care for up to 15 infants. The daycare is unique, in that mothers come to the daycare to feed their children lunch and are encouraged to bond and interact with their children. During this time, mothers receive nutritional guidance from staff and
are able to meet individually with staff to address their children’s issues and receive parental guidance. In addition, mothers participate in a weekly parenting education group and a parent/child interaction group. These groups are facilitated by an infant mental health team that consist of a licensed psychologist and a post-doctoral fellow. Each child is provided with developmental assessments at six-month intervals. The daycare staff assists each child in meeting and exceeding their developmental milestones.