The Chicagoland Sober Living home is open to people from all backgrounds and focuses on a 5-Point Program
5-Point Program
The following five points are highlighted in our sober living home to maintain long-term sobriety. These include
Housing
Employment
Substance use treatment
Mental health and medical treatment
Education
This 5-point program also helps individuals recover from addiction while they are re-entering society. The recidivism literature shows that thse 5 components reduce chances of re-incarceration (James, 2014).
Our Approach
The Madina House Recovery Residence meets these 5 objectives in the following ways.
Madina House offers affordable housing in Waukegan, Illinois, at a rent that is 70% below the area median income. Additionally, residents may qualify for a grace period while they find employment. During this time residents access the local food pantry.
Residents work with multiple local job-link organizations which are located within walking distance of the residence. These organizations are experienced in finding work for people with a history of felony convictions. We believe full-time service through work or school is therapeutic and essential to early recovery. New house members are on job search daily until they are able to find work.
Substance use treatment is incorporated in the recovery residence including 12-step meetings, recovery skills groups, and a sober living environment. Substance use is monitored through regular lab testing. Sober living environments have been shown to improve sobriety rates by 58% at 6 and 12 months (Polcin et al., 2010). Additionally, research shows they work best for people entering the community after incarceration (Polcin et al., 2010).
Mental health and medical treatment is available through the Lake County Health Department which is also within walking distance of the residence. Residents without insurance work with insurance navigators to obtain Medicaid or medical care on a sliding fee scale.
Educational opportunities are also available online or within walking distance. This includes free GED classes, computer classes, learning English, boosting literacy, and managing limited finances.
Grant BF, Saha TD, Ruan WJ, et al. Epidemiology of DSM-5 Drug Use Disorder: Results From the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions–III. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(1):39–47. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.2132
Grant BF, Goldstein RB, Saha TD, et al. Epidemiology of DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorder: Results From the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions III. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015;72(8):757–766. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.0584
James, Nathan. Offender reentry: Correctional statistics, reintegration into the community, and recidivism. Congressional Research Service, 2014.
National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA). “Behind bars II: Substance abuse and America's prison population.” National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 2010.
Muslim Advocates. “Fulfilling the Promise of Free Exercise for All: Muslim Prisoner Accommodation in State Prisons.” Muslim Advocates, 2019
Polcin, Douglas L., et al. "What did we learn from our study on sober living houses and where do we go from here?." Journal of psychoactive drugs 42.4 (2010): 425-433.