ABOUT OTTAGAN ADDICTIONS RECOVERY INC., HARBOR HOUSE
Located in Holland, Michigan, Ottagan Addictions Recovery Inc. (OAR) has provided community-based treatment and services throughout west Michigan for more than 40 years. This review focuses on Harbor House, which is the organization’s residential treatment program for women and their infant children up to 12 months old. Harbor House is among 19.2 percent of facilities in the state that have specially tailored programs for woman who are pregnant or postpartum. Detox services are not available on-site.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
According to OAR’s website, Harbor House gives priority to women who are pregnant, have young children, used drugs or alcohol during their pregnancy, and are involved with Child Protective Services.
To participate in the program, clients must have a chemical dependency diagnosis, haven’t had drugs or alcohol for at least 72 hours before being admitted, want to go into recovery, are willing to attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings, are in good health, and willing to live in a structured environment.
Residential treatment takes place in two stages, and typically lasts between six to 12 weeks. In phase one, women engage in educational lectures, 12-step programs, and individual and group therapy sessions. During phase two, they prepare to transition to society by focusing on sober living and essential life skills. While continuing their group therapy, women are expected to work or volunteer.
Family programming consists of weekly recovery groups that address a variety of issues, such as communication, grief, and enabling. Phased interventions, when appropriate, are also available.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
OAR is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). The treatment team has more than 300 years of combined experience and includes more than a dozen master’s-level therapists, social workers, and certified advanced alcohol and drug counselors (CAADCs).
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
The center’s website notes the Harbor House is more than 100 years old, but was recently renovated. Women are provided with regular access to exercise equipment and a large indoor swimming pool at the Holland Community Aquatic Center.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
The sole alum, Andrea, polled by Best-rehabs.com to date provided a mixed, somewhat negative review of the facility. Andrea gave perfect five stars to 12-step treatment, but rated many metrics three stars, namely affordability, cleanliness, connectivity, faith-based activities, level of staff experience and training, and likelihood they’d recommend the facility.
Other aspects received negative ratings: two stars for counseling options, family participation, and treatment of co-occurring disorders, as well as one star for holistic offerings. “I think they should prepare you more on aftercare, provide people to learn how to take steps to rebuild your life after.”
On OAR’s Facebook page, which the organization can manage, the facility received an average of 4.8 out of five stars based on six reviews.
WHAT STAFF SAY
The one anonymous staff member submitted positive feedback about Harbor House to Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing. They gave the top five stars to accommodations and amenities and meals and nutrition. They awarded four out of five stars to treatment effectiveness and wanted Best-rehabs.com to know it is a “good program overall.”
FINANCING
There currently is no information provided by the facility regarding its treatment costs, yet it welcomes donations. OAR accepts most commercial health insurance as well as Medicare, Medicaid, and self-payment. The website notes the organization offers a sliding fee scale and “will not deny services due to an inability to pay.”