ABOUT ST. JUDE’S RECOVERY CENTER
St. Jude’s Recovery Center is among the 144 (45.9 percent) facilities in the state that provides gender-specific services, ranging from residential services and outpatient services, to permanent supportive housing and a coed half-way house, for adult men and women dealing with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders.
Serving mostly low-income individuals, the Atlanta-based facility is also one of the only 55 (17.5 percent) substance abuse treatment centers in the state of offer detoxification on-site.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
To treat its clientele, St. Jude’s Recovery Center utilizes a variety of evidence-based, comprehensive treatment methods to address a range of mental, behavioral and physical concerns. A 20-bed detoxification unit is medically monitored and typically lasts 16 days, though duration of treatment depends on the individual. Following detoxification treatment, clients will be transfered to an appropriate program.
Residential programming includes individual and group therapy, on-site 12-step meetings, treatment planning, and continuing care. Life skills training, health and nutrition education, job readiness, and other educational workshops prepare clients for life after treatment.
Residents are required to be employed by the end of the program and must attend evening addiction treatment meetings. Medication management is also provided.
St. Jude’s Recovery Center also provides a special needs homeless housing program, a veterans recovery center, and a halfway house. To be admitting into supportive housing, residents are required to complete a minimum of six months of intensive addiction treatment. Those in the halfway house and veteran’s program participate in random drug tests and twice weekly aftercare groups.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The facility’s website does not have information regarding treatment members, but the vice president of clinical services is a licensed professional counselor. In the state of Georgia, 98.3 percent of all substance abuse treatment facilities have continuing education requirements for staff. To date, the five individuals polled by Best-rehabs.com on the matter were very satisfied with the aptitude of staff.
Staff Experience and Training: 4.4/5
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
St. Jude’s Recovery Center’s detoxification unit has 20 beds, and the Family Care Center has 22 beds. The men’s residential unit has 49 beds and the women’s unit has 16. The halfway house and veteran’s recovery housing each have eight beds, while the homeless special needs program has 42 beds.
While residential treatment is gender-specific, the halfway house is coed. Though little information regarding accommodations is available on the website, five Best-rehabs.com survey respondents polled on the matter provided high ratings for facility’s cleanliness.
Facility Cleanliness and Upkeep: 4.2/5
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
The three alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com to date offered differing feedback. Former client A.S. gave five stars for treatment effectiveness, the level of staff support, and for overall accommodations, as well as four stars for the amount of leisure activities and the facility’s visitation policy. “The constant meetings and annonymous meetings helped alot,” A.S. wrote.
However, an anonymous alum felt the “buildings are old and need renovating,” but praised staff, offering four stars for counseling options and treatment of co-occurring disorders. They also strongly agreed that he would recommend the facility to others. Moderate, three-star ratings were given to most other categories, including holistic offerings and the level of family participation.
Alum Tony gave an altogether negative review regarding the facility, referring to St. Jude’s as the “worst treatment facility ever,” the food as “horrible,” and writing that staff “treat you badly and make you feel very uncomfortable.”
As of this writing, 21 Google users produced an average rating of 2.4 out of five stars for this facility.[1] A few former clients note that the program worked for them and that they appreciated the staff level of support, but the majority of comments touch upon rude customer service, poor management, and high costs. “I was treated like an inmate,” A.J. wrote in a representative negative review.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
Four loved ones surveyed by Best-rehabs.com to date praised most aspects of the facility, specifically the level of family participation, its visitation policies, and for the facility’s counseling options. “Personalized attention,” one family member listed as a facility strength, with another loved one also cited “personal connection to each patient” as a facility strength.
Connectivity/Visitation Policies: 4.5/5
Family Participation: 4.3/5
Counseling Options: 3.8/5
“I sent my child here for alcohol and drug addiction 4 years ago and he had one set back 6 month after he came out but he had the tools needed to get it together and he’s been clean ever since,” wrote one anonymous loved one. Another loved one added: “They do a good job of getting you back on your feet. They help you get cleaned up, find a place to stay, and give you skills to help find a job.”
All four surveyed individuals agreed that treatment at this center was worth the cost, though one an anonymous individual wrote that treatment for co-occuring disorders could have been better. However, loved ones agreed that they would highly recommend the facility.
Likelihood to Recommend: 4.7/5
WHAT STAFF SAY
Though Best-rehabs.com has not yet received feedback from former or current staff members, 13 individuals on Indeed gave mostly positive reviews, offering an average rating of 3.5 out of five stars.[2] Eight of these staffers gave four- or five-star ratings. “Totally enjoy working with people and seeing the transformation take place,” wrote one individual. “My co-workers and I have fun working hard and giving back.”
Despite noting positive experiences connecting with the clients, one individual wrote: “Management is poor and inconsiderate,” in a representative remark from those who gave the facility just one, two, or three stars.
FINANCING
St.Jude’s Recovery Center provides serves low-income individuals, 75 percent of whom are homeless. St. Jude accepts monetary donations, though other financial information is not available on the facility’s website. The five Best-rehabs.com survey respondents polled one the matter indicated that the center is quite affordable.
Affordability: 4.6/5
[1] GoogleReviews
[2] https://www.indeed.com/cmp/St.-Jude%27s-Recovery-Center,-Inc./reviews?fcountry=US&floc=Atlanta%2C+GA