ABOUT AMERICA’S KESWICK
Based out of Whiting, N.J., about 30 miles southeast of Trenton, America’s Keswick is a Christian ministry that offers gender-specific services for men and women seeking addiction recovery. It is one of the only 46 (12.4 percent) facilities in the state to provide long-term residential treatment. The facility also provides aftercare services, joining the 88.4 percent of New Jersey facilities that offer some form of aftercare.
The addiction programs do not provide detoxification services, however, as America’s Keswick does not offer medical or psychiatric services. Instead, the self-described “spiritual hospital” runs programming based on Christian principles in conjunction with work-therapy.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
America’s Keswick operates two gender-specific treatment programs: Colony of Mercy for men and Barbara’s Place for women. Men must commit to a minimum of 120 days of residential treatment. Once they’ve completed this initial residential phase of treatment, men are highly encouraged to continue with an additional eight months of counseling through a local church.
The women’s residential program initially lasts six months. Depending on client progress and staff recommendations, women may be encouraged to continue residential treatment for up to an additional six months. As with men, women who have completed treatment are invited to form a covenant relationship with a local church for an additional 12 months.
Both treatment programs are biblical in their foundation, and highly structured in nature. From day one, residents are immersed in an intensive schedule of one-on-one spiritual counseling, weekly support groups, Bible study, and regularly scheduled worship services. America’s Keswick does not incorporate 12-Step principles or practices into treatment, but focuses instead on discipleship, fostering a sense of responsibility, and the replacement of destructive habits and behaviors with healthy ones.
Clients are allotted designated time for exercise and leisure activities, and The Colony of Mercy program assigns men six to eight hours of work daily. In Barbara’s Place, women can attend workshops for painting, creative writing, crafts, cooking, nutrition, sewing, and music. Although unable to accommodate children, Barbara’s Place has scheduled family visits and a program designed to improve women’s parenting skills.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
America’s Keswick’s treatment programs are facilitated by chaplains experienced in addiction and recovery, a support staff, and program volunteers. The three family members polled by Best-rehabs.com to date each gave perfect five-star ratings for the level of staff support.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
Both gender-specific programs are situated on America’s Keswick’s campus, a lush, forested property with two lakes. The grounds feature basketball and volleyball courts, an on-site pool, and fitness facilities. Barbara’s Place accommodates eight women, who sleep in bunk beds, while the Colony of Mercy houses two to three men per room. Facility cleanliness earned five out of five stars from all three Best-rehabs.com respondents to date, and accommodations & amenities were given two five- and one four-star rating.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Best-rehabs.com had yet to receive any reviews from this facility’s alumni at the time of this writing.
On Google, where the organization received an excellent rating of 4.5 out of five stars based on 41 postings, many reviewers celebrated the addiction recovery programs.[1] “Very helpful and godly place for addiction recovery,” alum M.D. posted in a representative statement. In a more recent report, J.C. succinctly called it “AN AMAZING ORGANIZTION.” Many reviewers praised the facility’s cleanliness and its “beautiful grounds,” and J.G.L. summarized, “An outstanding place for the Christian to go for rehabilitation and recovery from Drug or Alcohol addiction.”
Satisfaction was similarly high on the facility’s Facebook page, which it can monitor, where 417 users left a 4.7-star average rating for the Christian retreat center as a whole.[2] Many comments awarded positive feedback to events that the center hosted, and the few that noted the addiction recovery center in particular felt that the location was a beautiful place for treatment. A.P. additionally commented, “Good economically recovery options.”
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
Along with praise for the supportive staff, the three family members polled by Best-rehabs.com also commended other aspects of the facility. They each gave five stars for the level of family involvement, for leisure & exercise activities, and for the counseling options available. M.J.A.L., a spouse of a client, gave five stars for holistic offerings as well, and wrote, “They have an excellent success rate!!!…The staff is excellent with degrees & experience.”
Loved one J.A.P. left little written commentary, but also awarded five-star ratings to nearly every category, including family programs and holistic offerings.
Despite reporting an eventual relapse, S.L.W., the parent of a former client, gave five stars for the facility’s addiction treatment, mental health treatment, and the level of staff support. “My son did really well at the treatment facility,” S.L.W. wrote.
WHAT STAFF SAY
While Best-rehabs.com had not yet received staff feedback at the time of this writing, the two Glassdoor reviewers had positive experiences and awarded the facility an average of four out of five stars.[3] One employee commented, “Loved working with the men going through the “Colony of Mercy” program, loved the philosophy of “Exchanged Life Counseling,” and loved living on the property.”
FINANCING
Men pay an initial $500 application fee, and women pay a $1,000 application fee, yet treatment is provided free-of-charge. Work-therapy and fundraising efforts help offset the costs of treatment, meals, and lodging. All three loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com to date awarded five out of five stars for the fairness of the facility’s pricing.
[1]GoogleReviews
[2]https://www.facebook.com/americaskeswick/
[3]https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/America-s-Keswick-Reviews-E248890.htm