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opening a halfway house              Reply to this Comment

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The city of Tahlequah,OK has given me permission to start a residential halfway house. The women would be required to work to make it self supporting. They would attend at least 5 12 step meeting a week with me. I have 18 years clean and sober. I have no credentials but I do know recovery. The will receive counseling and get a sponsor. I will live with them. When not working they will be living recovery. I am having a hard time seeing judges to refer women to me. I would like to get women coming out of jail or close to going in. We do have drug court but when they have completed it we see very few back in meetings. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can get these women for the program. It would be hard to live recovery for a year and not want the life it offers. Please help if you can.

Halfway House              Reply to this Comment

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I operate an outpatient program w/referrals from the courts and other agencies in our county (CA). The first thing you can do is to write a brief one-page intro to your services to each judge listed in your jurisdiction. Most referrals from court come through the Probation Dept., so make sure they receive the same intro as well. You can also sign up with local jail (inmate services) and ask them to list you as a resource for those re-entering society. Hope this helps.

A sober Residential program primer              Reply to this Comment

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Hello Thanks for providing this valuable service to your community. I would talk with Woman Assistant DA's and Woman in the probation department, also Native People Goverments in your area. The native goverments like to refer their members to sober communities. Sometimes from great distances, to avoid relapse and temptation. You could contact courts and county agencies OUTSIDE of your own. Also introduce yourself to treatment programs local and up to 100 miles away showing them a brochure of your House and its merits. These spin drys often are not set up to help beyond 28 days and by developing a relationship they will come to see you as a partner and a resource for their clients. Also UNIONS.. they have an investment in their members health and are often much more willing to continue paying for recovery programs for their members. Your major hurdle is the local goverments and uptight neighbors. Be very honest and kind with your neighbors, they will see your good intent and respect you for it.. Your house must be SAFE for all, and have plain house rules to stop confusion and pettyness. It is a buisseness that produces sober independent woman. Get a cute name like "wing of change house" or "Womens serenity house" It should never be used as a hide out for criminals, aabused woman or hunted woman... or a flop house. Leave the battered/ prostitution/ recovery to others.There are legal reasons why I say this.. Hold your vision and keep your standards high. Best of luck to you. Someday a woman will tell you "You changed my life.." and you'll know it was all worth it.