Miracle Hill Renewal Program uses a Christian adaptation of the 12-Steps to help free women from their life-dominating addictions. The program has four phases, including spiritual foundations, inner healing, building healthy relationships and life planning.
ABOUT MIRACLE HILL MINISTRIES — RENEWAL FOR WOMEN
Miracle Hill Ministries was founded 1937 as a soup kitchen and rescue mission. Today, the organization runs four homeless shelters, several children’s homes, and two faith-based recovery centers in South Carolina. Renewal for Women, located in Greenville, S.C., offers long-term, Christian residential treatment for women struggling with substance abuse. Medical detox is not available on-site, and the center’s handbook notes that the facility is not appropriate for women with “serious or chronic medical problems.”
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
The center’s six-month program is split into four phases: spiritual foundations; inner healing; planning a healthy lifestyle and relationships; and prevention and planning. Participants use a Christian adaptation of the 12-step recovery model and participate in both individual and group counseling, Bible study, chapel and church services, educational classes, and seminars. Days are highly structured and last from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
After treatment, clients may enter Miracle Hill’s transitional housing program for six months, during which they attend weekly support meetings and keep in close contact with a mentor from the local church.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
Treatment is administered by on-staff counselors, though it is not clear whether or not staff have any certifications or official credentials. There are no medical professionals on-site, and medical and dental appointments are made on an emergency referral basis only.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
Based on photos from the facility’s website, program participants reside and receive treatment in a non-descript office building. Residents’ bedrooms are inspected daily, and mandatory chores must be completed. Neither visitors nor phone calls are permitted during the first 30 days of treatment, and there are strict rules about general conduct, with a system of demerits whereby accumulated offenses may result in disqualification from the program. Smoking and tobacco use are strictly prohibited.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Best-rehabs.com has not yet received any reviews from this facility’s alumni, but secondary sites yielded mostly positive coverage from former clients. On Facebook (where Miracle Hill manages its own page), the organization as a whole (as opposed to the Renewal center in particular) received a rating of 4.8 out of five stars, based on 166 reviews.[1] “Renewal was a true blessing, not only did the program set me free from my addiction but it taught me the love of Christ. The teachers, and volunteers at renewal are true angels,” Brandi wrote in a representative review.
On YellowPages.com, among reviews for the organization’s thrift store, there was a single one-star rating for Renewal. “Ths place for substance abuse is like being in prison for women…The rules are outragous and the staff are very mean!” Sylvia wrote.[2]
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The two loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com provided polarized feedback. T.J.S. noted that they would recommend Renewal, giving the center five out of five stars for its counseling, mental health treatment, and family program. “Tough love program and very strict rules. Dependent upon God and religion to see their errors.” T.J.S. wrote in their review.
However, B.L. was more critical of Renewal, noting that the center expelled clients without sufficient reason. B.L. also provided one-star ratings for the program’s treatment effectiveness, counseling options, and holistic treatment. “If you voice a question as to HOW the facility can help you once you are there, they will ask you to leave. They ask for honesty, but if you ARE honest, they do not want to help you,” B.L. wrote.
FINANCING
According to the center’s handbook, all clients must pay a one-time entry fee of $85. Subsequent fees are determined on a sliding scale. In certain cases, those with no source of income may complete the program free of charge; those with some income — including unemployment or disability payments — are expected to pay a fee. No client is turned away on the basis of their inability to pay.
[1] https://www.facebook.com/pg/MiracleHill/reviews/?ref=page_internal
[2] http://www.yellowpages.com/greenville-sc/mip/miracle-hill-ministries-452590731?lid=1000625280620