Our Program
Stephen’s Place actively seeks out potential candidates who have demonstrated a genuine willingness to embrace change, grow personally and professionally, and adapt to new challenges with an open mind and a proactive attitude.
Stephen’s Place provides a structured environment that emphasizes a commitment to the recovery process and responsible living. This video gives you an inside look at Stephen’s Place.
Requirements for Acceptance
- Males, 18 years of age or older
- No pending charges
- Non-violent/sexual offenders
- Presently drug/alcohol free/history of substance abuse
- In need of a safe environment to reintegrate back into society
- Capable of full time employment
Referrals:
Residents will be recruited on the recommendations of prison treatment counselors, parole system, and in-patient treatment counselors. Self-referrals will be considered. Anyone convicted of a violent crime, sex crime or arson will not be eligible for this program. The Executive Director of Stephen’s Place and/or a staff member will assess all referrals for their suitability to the program. We ask that all prospective clients compose a letter explaining their criminal history, substance abuse history, and why they are requesting to become a resident at Stephen’s Place.
Stephen’s Place is designed for adult males with a history of substance abuse that has caused their lives to become unmanageable.
Please see the application for more information. You will be given an option of where to save the file to open it.
Services:
- Provide a supportive, transitional, family model that will include counseling, Twelve-Step program, relapse prevention, and basic life skills training.
- Coordinate residents with educational, vocational, drug/alcohol, and rehabilitation services in the community.
- Assist residents in securing employment and provide job-readiness training.
- Provide financial management and budget training.
- Twenty-Four hour coverage.
- Provides a spiritual dimension based on the transforming power of God while being sensitive to the religious beliefs of all the residents.
Responsibilities of Residents
(in addition to those mentioned in the video)
- Active participation in Alcoholics and/or Narcotics Anonymous and out patient treatment.
- Full participation in the activities of the house.
- Mandatory attendance at house meetings.
- Be present at scheduled meals.
- Assist in the preparation of meals, as well as the upkeep of the house and property.
- Remain alcohol/drug free (subject to random drug testing).
- Follow the rules as outlined in the handbook as well as parole/probation.
Graduate Assistance Program
The income of most of our residents is close to the national poverty level. Affordable housing, until their financial situation improves, is almost impossible; (some have stayed at Stephen’s Place up to three years.)
- We addressed this problem by applying and receiving a grant from the The Fowler Family Trust.
- We provide household items, using our special fund as well as community resources to help our graduates make a successful transition to independent living.
- We provide rental assistance to those graduates who have been at Stephen’s Place for at least one year.
Occasionally we give some financial assistance to a resident who is pursuing a higher education.
Hear From Some of Our Residents
My entrance into Stephen’s Place was not the traditional way most tenants arrive and begin their path to freedom, whether it be physically, mentally or spiritually! I was living in the streets, some may say, basically couch surfing after my departure from treatment.
I went to the Hope center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to get assistance with housing options and being that we were in the fall season bed availability were few and far in between! So, a rep at the Hope Center asked me if I heard of Stephen’s Place, I replied, Yes, but that house never has a bed available, and I was told “that’s the house you want to get into, and maybe you should take a ride to the house to see if there’s any available beds”! I initially made my way up to house and rang the doorbell and Sherman greets at the door and asked, “how may I help you?” I asked if there were any beds available, he answered yes, I felt like the weight of the world fell off my shoulders, but first he had some questions and wanted a brief synopsis of my story. After hearing me out, he made the decision to accept me as a new tenant when he heard the word willingness and thus began my journey in Stephen’s Place!
My experience at Stephen’s Place is filled with ups and downs but the mission is to be able to live a productive life and tackle difficulty when they arise with integrity and perseverance. Stephen’s Place provides meals, social stability, house events, just to name a few things. More importantly it helps to shine the light on those of us who have been trapped in the darkness for so long! This not your everyday ordinary recovery home, this is Stephen’s Place!
Marcos
I came to Stephen's Place a little over a year ago at the suggestion of both my Recovery Specialist and Probation Officer. At the time I was struggling to find full-time work and having lost my license also presented some challenges to getting places.
Stephen's Place helped me to obtain a bus pass as well as assisted me in leaming how to navigate the local bus system. I was also attending Recovery Court and needed to attend all the different things that were asked of me to complete for Recovery Court.
Stephen's Place staff were there to assist and encourage me every step of the way. I struggled with alcohol for many many years, but through Recovery Court, and Stephen's Place I am proud to say I am in recovery. Stephen's Place has a great program and in your first 90 days, you are required to attend 90 Narcotics Anonymous meetings and after that you must attend at least 2 Narcotics or Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week. All those living at Stephen's place are required to attend two dinners per week as a house, where we rotate who does the cooking for the other house members. This allows for us to fellowship over a hot meal as well as builds a sense of community. After our dinners, we all sit down and have our own in-house meetings, where we discuss our recovery and things that may have been good or challenging during the past week. Living with five other people does come with its challenges, but there hasn't been anything that we as a house have not been unable to overcome. It brings with it a sense of family living and everyone has to do their part to sustain the house.
Since coming to Stephen's place, I have been able to accomplish some goals, like graduating from Recovery Court, getting my license re--instated, obtaining some training through a program that I was introduced to while here at Stephen's Place. The emphasis of Stephen's Place is Recovery from addiction, no matter how far you may have been in your addiction, Stephen's place will support you in your Recovery journey.
If it had not been for Stephen's Place I don't know where I would be. From the Board of Directors to the Director, to the live-in House Manager, you are never left without support. Stephen's Place has given me the tools necessary to keep my Recovery Joumey going. Stephen's Place instills hope that you can recover, the courage to keep going and as the late Sister Virginia would put it, "Become the men God had called us to be." | will never forget what Stepehn's Place has done for me and it holds a special place in my heart.
Kevin
