ABOUT HOUSE OF COMMONS
The Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties (CMHA-CEI) provides a range of mental health and chemical dependency treatment services for residents of the Mid-State region of Mich. Located in the community of Mason, 15 miles south of Lansing, the organization’s House of Commons provides long-term, residential treatment for adult men struggling with chemical dependency, as well as a follow-up day program for probationers. Although House of Commons does not offer detoxification services on-site, CMHA-CEI does operate a medical detox facility in Lansing.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Upon admission into the residential program, clients may undergo an initial substance abuse assessment to help clinicians develop a comprehensive treatment plan. While clients may be self-referred, many clients are referred to the residential program by the Michigan Department of Corrections, Office of Community Corrections, courts, and attorneys. The average length of the residential program is three months.
In most cases, House of Commons’ treatment plans address chemical dependency, criminal thinking, and the relationship between the two. During residential treatment, residents participate in a highly-structured schedule of group counseling and individual therapy sessions. As a men’s-only facility, group counseling may address issues common among men struggling with chemical dependency, such as anger management and emotional regulation. Utilizing a cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) approach, counseling sessions also help to identify the link between irrational thinking and addictive behavior.
According to the facility’s website, a client’s primary counselor may also request family counseling sessions if deemed beneficial and appropriate. Along with counseling sessions, clients may attend educational sessions on a range of topics that help promote sustained recovery, such as relapse prevention techniques, trigger avoidance, coping and life skills training, and developing peer support networks within the community.
In addition, House of Commons’ programming incorporates the 12-step model of recovery into treatment. Residents attend regular AA or NA meetings, study fellowship literature, and perform associated “step-work” throughout the residential program. Along with treatment programming, residents participate in leisure activities, which may include community outings to the movies or bowling.
While information is limited concerning discharge planning, residents who are actively on probation transition into the facility’s day program. The day program lasts an additional six months and offers similar programming to the residential program, though clients return home each night after daily treatment sessions.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
Led by a program coordinator, House of Commons employs a team of masters-level mental health therapists, client services specialists, registered nurses, a dietary technician, and support staff.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
House of Commons can accommodate up to 40 men. Residents are housed in large, dormitory-styled rooms, with ten bunk beds on each side. Each bed has a cabinet and locker for hanging clothes and storage personal items. The facility does offer private bathrooms. Out of five stars, the two loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing rated the facility’s cleanliness and upkeep with a four-star and two-star rating.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
While Best-rehabs.com has yet to receive alumni feedback to date, the sole review available from a secondary review site was positive. On Google reviews, alum Mike gave the facility a perfect five out of five-star rating.[1] However, the reviewer did not elaborate on his experience.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The two loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com offered mixed opinions of the facility. Citing “extra curricular activities” as a facility strength, one anonymous loved one gave four-star ratings for the facility’s counseling options and the amount of family participation in treatment.
However, loved one K.B. disagreed. “Counselors don’t spend any time with family and not even a daily visit with patient,” K.B. wrote, adding “patients rarely get to go outside…” K.B. gave two-star ratings for the staff’s level of experience and training, the facility’s counseling options, and the amount of family participation.
FINANCING
House of Commons accepts Medicaid, Healthy Michigan Plan, and other publically funded health insurance. The facility does not accept private insurance, but does offer a sliding fee scale based on the individual’s ability to pay.
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