Finding The Right Halfway House in Florida

Jan. 4, 2009 - PRLog -- How do you find the right halfway house? Where do you begin the search? What are some key questions that should be asked when deciding on a halfway house?

Quality of care is the first thing to look for when choosing a halfway house. Does the company offer a safe and structured environment? Do they drug test clients at least once per week? Do they have a zero tolerance policy in place or do they let people get high or drunk as long as they pay their rent? Do they get their clients right from the street or do they have a bed to bed policy which requires their clients to come from a drug and alcohol treatment center first. Does the halfway house have a required 12 step meetings policy and house meetings at least once per week.

Location is the second thing to look at. Is the halfway house located in neighborhoods where the crime rates are high? Are they near places where their clients can find work and start to rebuild their lives? Many halfway houses are in very bad neighborhoods because the real estate is cheap and owners can buy multiple houses and make lots of profit. The problem with bad neighborhoods is that usually drugs are prevalent.  Clients will be faced with temptation and they may not be strong enough to resist. Employment may not be available either which will cause unnecessary stress which may lead to relapse.

Cost would be the third item to look at when choosing a halfway house. There are many places that are $120 to $150 dollars a week. These places typically do not offer many amenities and usually they are in rough neighborhoods. There are a few out there but if they are in this price range, be sure to do a lot of research before deciding to go. Then you have the halfway houses that run between $150 to $200 range. These are typically a better choice because they have more amenities such as telephone service, internet, and other tools that will be helpful in finding employment. Do your research and visit places before choosing the right halfway house. Get referrals from others if possible. Ask around. Do your very best not to pick a halfway house just because of the website. There is great marketing out there but once you get there, the pictures turn into lies.

You can always visit http://www.floridahalfwayhouse.com to get a referral