Starting from the perspective that substance abuse is a treatable condition, the McDonough House works to provide help and hope to those struggling with addiction by individualizing treatment to meet the needs of each client. The program offers 12-step meetings for clients and families, in addition to individual and group counseling.
ABOUT MCCA — MCDONOUGH HOUSE
McDonough House is a residential substance abuse treatment facility located in Danbury, Conn. The center is part of the Midwestern Connecticut Council of Alcoholism, Inc. (MCCA), a nonprofit substance abuse treatment provider established in 1972 that serves adults and families throughout western Connecticut. Medically-monitored detox is also available on-site.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
According to the center’s website, residents at McDonough House begin their stay with an initial assessment, the findings of which help determine the most appropriate course of treatment. If detox is needed, clients may be prescribed medication, including Librium and methadone. Throughout the detoxification period, clients participate in individual counseling, educational workshops, and 12-step groups.
Once stabilized, clients transition to the center’s residential program, which is highly structured and includes individual and group therapy, relapse prevention education, daily 12-step meetings, recreational activities, medical and psychiatric consultations (if needed), and continuing care planning. The center also offers specialized groups for men, women, and seniors.
McDonough House also offers a weekly family program for loved ones that addresses how addiction affects family members, how relationships may change after treatment, and how loved ones can find their own support systems.
Clients who have completed treatment at McDonough House are welcome to continue their care at one of MCCA’s seven outpatient facilities.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
According to its website, McDonough House’s detox and residential treatment team includes physicians, registered nurses, counselors, and other support staff.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
McDonough House is a modest, 22-bed facility set in a low-rise, red-brick building located on a tree-lined street. The center’s website indicates that clients sleep in twin beds and share bedrooms with one other resident.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Four of the five alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing provided negative reviews of McDonough House. Two alumni specifically complained about the center’s detoxification program, citing ineffective treatment and subpar facilities. “The certain drug they use for the actual DETOX I was there for isn’t any good,” an anonymous alum wrote. A.J., also an alum, characterized the detox unit as a “basement.” “In detox, there is no real treatment. Occasionally we get a group or a nightly speaker. The groups are sometimes run by the facilitator, who has no qualification or experience in counseling,” A.J. wrote.
Other alumni found the treatment team to be rude and patronizing. “The staff is absolutely HORRIBLE,” Joe told Best-rehabs.com. Similarly, M.B. noted that the staff was nonresponsive and, in some cases, poorly trained. “The counselors there frequently disseminate incorrect information,” M.B. wrote.
Cheryl, the one respondent to give the center’s treatment effectiveness an above-average rating, described McDonough House as a “no nonsense facility,” indicating that highly motivated clients would benefit from treatment. She did, however, note that there was a lot of “down time.” “I would have liked more AA meetings or AA member interaction during the day,” she wrote.
On CiteHealth, two of the three reviewers were disappointed with the care they received.[1] One reviewer cited rude and dismissive staff, and another respondent felt that staff had “no experiernce only school books experience.” However, one reviewer gave the facility an overall rating of five stars and credited the program with saving their life. “If you have a drug/alchohol problem they will help you find a better way of life,” they wrote.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The two loved ones surveyed by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing provided mixed feedback. One anonymous alum gave the center’s treatment effectiveness five out of five stars and complimented the “Knowledgable staff.” However, this parent felt that their son’s treatment was “To short.”
The second survey respondent gave the center’s treatment effectiveness just one star and described the facility as “old” and “a bit grungy.” “State paid program, so don’t expect much,” they added.
FINANCING
According to the facility’s website, MCCA accepts insurance and participates in many managed care plans. A Medicaid application is available for download on the facility’s website, and clients may also benefit from MCCA’s involvement with the Connecticut General Assistance Behavioral Health Program.
[1]http://citehealth.com/rehab-centers/connecticut/cities/danbury-city-in-fairfield-county/mcca-mcdonough-house#reviews