ABOUT FREEDOM HOUSE
Founded in 1993 in rural northern Alabama, Freedom House is a state-funded facility offering long-term residential treatment for women struggling with substance abuse. Children up to the age of 12 may stay with their mothers during treatment. Intravenous drug users, pregnant women, and women with dependent children are given priority treatment.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Incoming clients must have completed an Alabama Placement Assessment, which can be carried out by local mental health and substance abuse facilities, or by private counselors. The length of stay varies according to the individual client’s needs. Two alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com reported staying longer than 90 days.
Freedom House uses a system known as Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC), “a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that is person-centered and builds on the strengths and resilience of individuals, families, and communities…”
Residential treatment is offered in two tracks: one for women whose children are staying with them during treatment, and another for those who do not have children with them. Freedom House is a 12-step facility, and treatment also includes group counseling, family counseling and education, classes on addiction and recovery, relapse prevention, and peer support. There’s also a focus on women’s issues including relationships and trauma, and the center prioritizes training clients in life skills such as parenting, budgeting, and vocational training. Finally, the center provides job placements and educational referrals, transportation, child care services, medication monitoring, and education on HIV/AIDS, TB, and Hepatitis.
In addition to standard residential treatment, the center offers interim treatment for women with children who are waiting to enter a residential program, and aftercare services for women with children who have completed the center’s residential program.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The facility’s staff includes certified addiction counselors, a nurse, and peer support specialists. Both individuals polled by Best-rehabs.com to date rated the level of training found in counselors a perfect five stars.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
There is currently no information provided by the facility regarding its living arrangements and related offerings; however, the two individuals polled by Best-rehabs.com to date on the center’s accommodations and meals rated Freedom House a perfect five stars in accommodations and amenities and meals and nutrition. One alum also rated Freedom House a perfect five stars in cleanliness.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Both alumni reviews submitted to Best-rehabs.com to date were very positive. Both alumni gave the facility four or five out of five stars for its level of staff support and the overall quality of its individual and group counseling, as well as the program’s overall effectiveness. “12 step based facility, that offers therapy to discover the issues that keep us drinking,” L.B. wrote, and K.A.B. attributed her sobriety to tools she acquired at Freedom House, adding: “This facility saved my life. Bottom line.”
At the time of this writing, secondary sites yielded mixed reviews: Freedom House had a three-star average rating on CiteHealth based on eight reviews,[1] as well as two five-star ratings on Facebook.[2] Alumni were mostly split on the treatment from staff. The negative feedback among these reviews repeatedly cited poor treatment. One anonymous alum wrote in a representative review on CiteHealth: “Staff seemed very biased and gave preferential treatment to certain clients.” Others had more positive experiences. Alum Jessia on Facebook wrote: “Great place love everyone there. They taught me so much.”
WHAT STAFF SAY
On Indeed, 25 current and former employees to date rated Freedom House an average four out of five stars, with 17 positive reviews, seven mixed, and just one negative review.. Employees rated company culture 3.6 stars and management 3.7 stars.[3]
In comments, employees mostly praised the positive interaction they had with clients. One resident council member described the facility as having an “Enjoyable and friendly environment.”
FINANCING
There is a $150 admission fee for entry into the standard residential program, though this is charged on a sliding scale. The program for women with children is offered free of charge. Residents are responsible for any dental and medical costs they incur while in treatment, as well as for supplying their own personal needs such as cigarettes during treatment.
[1] http://citehealth.com/rehab-centers/alabama/cities/rogersville/freedom-house#reviews
[2] https://www.facebook.com/pages/Freedom-House/122434664481411?fref=ts
[3] https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Freedom-House/reviews?fcountry=US&floc=Rogersville%2C+AL