Foundation House is an extended-care sober living environment that has pioneered a dynamic approach to recovery by fostering the balance of structured independence and community. We offer a dignified bridge between treatment and living life clean and sober in the real world. We don’t just teach how to get sober, we teach the skills and lessons necessary to stay sober.
Our program emphasizes community, adventure, independence, honesty, and effort. Foundation House Standards help build self-confidence in early recovery and place accountability on those aspects of life that help our residents stay clean & sober. Our mission is to help our clients exceed their own limited expectations of what their life can be.
Our weekly calendar features a wide range of activities; individual therapy, process groups, 12 Step instruction, yoga and meditation, nutrition education, art & music, athletic leagues, and wilderness adventures.
Our homes are fully furnished, beautifully maintained and our environment is family-oriented. Residents lead by example and practice meaningful change in a safe and supportive community. Our focus lies in helping our residents build a strong foundation and form a collective strength that will guide them as peers along the path of recovery.
At Foundation House we remove the stigma of addiction and return dignity to those who have nearly lost it all.
ABOUT FOUNDATION HOUSE
Located blocks from the Back Cove in Portland, Maine, Foundation House is an extended-care sober-living facility for men that bridges the gap between primary treatment programs and normal community life. The facility is particularly well-suited for those who have been through wilderness therapy programs, though graduates of any primary treatment program are welcome.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
According to the center’s website, the suggested stay is at least six months, though there is no firm requirement. Treatment incorporates the 12 steps and the program also emphasizes adventure and spirituality. The facility uses the Relationship Model as the base for experiential and evidence-based group and individual therapies. Foundation House prides itself on allowing residents the autonomy to discover their own true nature during their stay.
Treatment is split into three phases, each of which includes individual, group, and family therapy, trauma groups, relapse prevention training, and medication management. There’s also a strong emphasis on experiential therapies, such as wilderness expeditions and art, music, and athletic therapy. The transition to normal life is facilitated through life skills training, including job placement, high school and college placement programs, and career counseling.
As part of its commitment to adventure therapy, the center also runs annual international trips. Previous trips have included Africa, India, and Europe.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The facility has a team of six clinicians including a psychiatric nurse-practitioner. The staff includes licensed professional counselors, certified alcohol and drug counselors, and master’s level counselors.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
Photos published on the facility’s website show three attractive, family-style homes with some private rooms, cozy living areas, fully equipped kitchens, and patios with grills. According to the facility’s website, 60 clients can be accommodated across the three homes. Clients shop for and cook their own meals, as part of the course’s nutrition-education component, although a select six meals a week are provided in conjunction with special events.
In addition to the three residences, there is a main office where the clinical team is based, an in-house restaurant where residents learn cooking and nutrition skills, a rock wall space, and an education and programming building that holds a study hall location and a holistic space with two sensory deprivation tanks.
Foundation House offers an extensive array of sports and activities, including surfing, rock climbing, archery, and white water rafting. Enrollment comes complete with two gym memberships, a weekly private yoga class, and a Portland Museum of Art membership.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Of the four alumni who submitted reviews into Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing, one alum provided a positive review, and three left negative pieces of feedback.
One alum gave the center five out of five stars for its treatment effectiveness and accommodations and amenities. “This program offers basically every amenity that one could wish to have while getting sober,” the alum wrote.
The other four alumni noted things such as “worst decision ever. Steer clear of this nightmare” and “did not enjoy this facility.”
“I can’t believe Foundation House is still in business,” another alum wrote. “Absolute nightmare if your serious about long-term recovery. Stay clear.”
However, on Facebook, Foundation House has received glowingly positive feedback. Foundation House’s Facebook page, which the center has the ability to manage, has an average rating of 4.9 out of five stars based on 29 reviews at the time of this writing.
Facebook reviewers tended to praise the staff and the facility’s sense of community, and expressed great loyalty to the center. “Saved my life! Love you all,” Justin wrote.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The two loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing gave negative feedback.Both loved ones gave the facility ratings of one or two out of five stars for a majority of the 15 aspects of the facility they evaluated, including the facility’s addiction treatment, mental health treatment, staff support, and the family program.
“Absolutely not recommend!!!! Unprofessional counseling,” one anonymous reviewer wrote.
FINANCING
Fees are paid on a monthly basis, and are divided into three components: clinical costs, which are billed directly to the client’s insurance company; residential costs, which are normally not covered by insurance; and spending money. For self-paying clients, major credit cards, checks, and wire transfers are accepted.