ABOUT NORTH COUNTY SERENITY HOUSE
A program of HealthRight 360, which is a network of family and child services operating throughout 13 counties in California, North County Serenity House (NCSH) has served women struggling with chemical dependency, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders and their children throughout San Diego County since 1966. The established program operates a residential facility for women.
The facility makes room for up to 20 children under the age of five and houses a child development center, placing among the 4% of California facilities to house client’s children. The organization also operates eight transitional houses.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Residential care is gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and client-centered. With a holistic approach in mind, programming helps women address any of their recent and ongoing challenges of educational, legal, and vocational concern alongside the issues they primarily came to treatment for, be it substance abuse or a behavioral or mental health problem, or both.
Clients attend counseling in both private and group settings, plan for recovery and relapse prevention, and learn about the long-term impacts of drugs and alcohol. Where applicable, families are also invited regularly for activities and therapy.
For women seeking additional support after they’ve completed residential care, NCSH manages eight houses under its Serenity Village Transitional Housing program. Women may reside in one of these homes for up to 24 months as they make gains towards self-reliance in their new community.
Finally, the Discovery Center helps children ages five and younger who come from backgrounds of poverty or little to no formal education. Depending on their needs, children may learn some basic social values of sharing, taking turns, and getting along, as well as more advanced skills of self-help and problem solving. Ultimately, the program helps children prepare for success in kindergarten and beyond.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
HealthRight 360 has three medical doctors on its leadership team as well as a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT). In the state of California, 98,.3 percent of all substance abuse treatment facilities have higher education requirements for staff. The single Best-rehabs.com survey respondent polled on the matter gave three out of five stars for the staff’s level of training and experience.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
This facility has capacity for 120 women, allowing for many more residents than the national average of 18 clients in a substance abuse treatment center at a given time. Other than this, there are limited additional details on this facility’s living arrangements and related offerings. The eight transitional homes each have three bedrooms and three baths, a kitchen, a dining room, and communal areas.
Of the two Best-rehabs.com survey respondents, one gave NCSH four stars for both its accommodations and meal quality; the other gave three stars in these areas.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Awarding the facility four stars or more for treatment effectiveness, the two alumni surveyed by Best-rehabs.com to date shared positive recovery experiences. One highlighted the staff as a facility strength, despite giving three stars for their level of training and experience. In addition, this respondent gave three stars for the level of family participation and whether or not treatment was worth the cost, and four stars for exercise activities and counseling options. This former client concluded, “It was pretty good.”
On Google, where the facility has an average rating of four out of five stars from 27 users to date, feedback is somewhat mixed, though mostly positive.[1] Many reviewers praised the facility’s gender-specific programming. Y.B. wrote: “Yes there’s challenges but overall it’s worth it,” while C.M. critiqued: “More like a shelter than a rehab. Too many residents.”
Fifteen Facebook users generated a higher average of 4.2 out of five stars on the facility’s page, which its staff can manage.[2] “I love this program,” one representative reviewer wrote. Many alumni praised the facility’s staff.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The few loved ones to leave feedback on Google largely expressed concern with the center’s policies. One parent, for example, claimed that her daughter had attended treatment for a heroin problem, “Only to be let down by other residents constantly smoking heroin in her bedroom, bringing in alcohol..bringing in other drugs etc.” In addition, reviewer C.S. gave a one-star rating because she was upset that her sister was not accepted there prior. “Not fair at all,” C.S. wrote.
FINANCING
There is currently no information provided by the facility’s webpage regarding its treatment costs. The sole alum to provide feedback in this category to date awarded four out of five stars for the center’s affordability.
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