Better Way of Miami, Inc. offers substance abuse treatment for high-risk populations such as the homeless and indigent. Our services include residential treatment, day/night programs, and outpatient care. Rooted in the 12-Steps, treatment at Better Way incorporates individual, group, and family counseling, recovery strategies, employment preparation, skills for daily living, and aftercare plans.
ABOUT BETTER WAY OF MIAMI, INC.
Established in 1983 by a group of men in recovery, Better Way of Miami is a nonprofit rehabilitation center that provides culturally-competent, residential and outpatient addiction treatment to individuals in high-risk populations. Our clients include those who are homeless, HIV-positive, and struggling with co-occurring substance use and other mental health disorders. Better Way collaborates with the criminal justice system to serve individuals with legal obligations. Our treatment programs are based on Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous principles, and we do not offer on-site detoxification services.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
According to our website, access to full medical and psychiatric care is available on-site. Better Way Miami specializes in dual diagnosis treatment for clients facing multiple mental and physical health challenges. By focusing on a 12-step recovery approach, our treatment programs emphasize personal responsibility and the importance of spiritual support for maintaining sobriety and overall wellness.
Our residential program has an average stay of just over 60 days. During this time, clients attend AA and NA meetings and participate in counseling and educational settings, as well as job preparation training and recreational therapy.
After completing the residential program, clients may transition into a day or evening treatment program. This intensive outpatient program typically lasts three to five months and consists of 20 hours of group and individual therapy each week. Clients develop relapse prevention techniques and essential life skills such as money management, communication, and assertiveness. They continue to participate in 12-step communities and receive assistance with job placement, HIV prevention, and connections to community resources.
Additional outpatient services include less intensive, individualized treatment plans, drug and alcohol testing, and family education groups. Every level of treatment incorporates ongoing clinical assessment.
Graduates of a Better Way of Miami treatment program have access to an active and supportive alumni association. We also provide long-term, sober housing support for clients experiencing homelessness and a chronic substance use disorder.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
We pride ourselves on having well-trained, continuously educated staff members with relevant cultural knowledge and competency. Some of our staff members are also able to provide bilingual services. Our treatment team includes medical staff, substance abuse counselors, licensed social workers, and behavioral health technicians.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
Our 55-bed residential facility offers simple, dorm-style rooms. We have a gated campus with a courtyard and multiple buildings. Across the street, we also have a 36-unit apartment complex that provides subsidized housing to former homeless clients participating in outpatient treatment.
While we do not provide further details about living arrangements or related offerings, feedback from three individuals polled by Best-rehabs.com revealed overall positive opinions. All three awarded three stars out of five for the facility’s cleanliness and upkeep. Alumni rated meals, nutrition, exercise, and leisure activities four and five stars. The loved one polled gave these aspects three stars. One alum expressed strong satisfaction with on-site safety and low satisfaction with policies regarding phone and internet use.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Both former clients who submitted survey responses to Best-rehabs.com would recommend our facility. In addition to sharing positive opinions about accommodations, they indicated high respect for the staff’s level of training and experience. However, they expressed lower satisfaction with our holistic therapy offerings. One alum described our program as “a good program” but also reported relapsing soon after discharge. The other alum rated our treatment for co-occurring disorders four stars but rated opportunities for family participation just two.
Google reviews also reflected overall positive perspectives with some caveats. Eighteen individuals gave us an average rating of 4.1 out of five. One reviewer mentioned the positive value of our program’s strictness, stating, “If you are looking for a place that is going to cater to you, then keep on looking. This place keeps it real and strips you from what you may be used to.”
Other alumni described their experience at our facility as life-saving and significant in shaping their sobriety. However, one critical reviewer gave Better Way Miami just one star and described our staff as unprofessional.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The two loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com were generally more critical of our facility than alumni. One respondent noted that our program was not long enough to be effective, while the other suggested that staff should have been stricter with clients. Despite these criticisms, they both gave favorable ratings to the level of treatment staff members’ qualifications. They agreed with one alum in awarding a mediocre rating for family participation and rated dual diagnosis treatment just three stars.
The other reviewer would not recommend our program, giving a one-star rating for the effectiveness of treatment and indicating that they did not participate in the process as a family member.
FINANCING
Better Way of Miami accepts Medicaid and is supported by local funding sources and a combination of state and federal grants.