Entrance Qualifications

To be considered for admittance into our program, each prospective member must conduct a phoneinterview, and meet the following criteria.

Must be at least 18 years old.

Must have 30 days of continuous sobriety or come directly from treatment center.

Must agree to background check. (No violent crimes or sex offenses)

Must consider yourself an addict or alcoholic who needs help staying clean and sober.

Must be willing to submit to drug/alcohol test at any time.

Minimum Expectations

Complete abstinence from all mind & mood-altering substances. This includes illegal drugs, Kava, alcohol, prescription drugs, or any other substance used to alter your mind or mood. We do drug & alcohol screening at random. We do not accept residents that are taking Suboxone, Subutex or any other maintenance program aside from Vivitrol. We ensure that you will have a safe and sober place to recover, and we discharge immediately with zero tolerance for a failed drug or alcohol screen.

You must be willing to get a "sponsor" which is a person who will guide you through the 12 Steps of recovery. We expect everyone to have a sponsor within 2 weeks of entry. One-on-one work with a sponsor is the most important part of your recovery. We will help you learn what to look for in a sponsor and assist you in finding one if needed. Active participation in all groups, step-work with your sponsor, and attendance of 12 Step meetings is mandatory.

Attendance of no less than 5 meetings per week is required. The Garden strongly suggests 90 meetings in 90 days. If you are employed full-time the minimum meeting requirement drops to 4 per week as long as all other requirements are met. After 9 months of continuous sobriety your meeting requirement drops to 3 meetings per week if we see fit. There is a weekly house meeting held on Sundays that is required. There may also be other mandatory meetings, retreats, and functions throughout the year. You will be expected to adjust your schedule to accommodate all required meetings or functions.

Each member is also required to obtain a “home group”, which is a meeting where you do service work such as helping to set up chairs, making coffee, and chairing the meeting. We expect everyone to have a home group within 2 weeks of entry.

You must be employed, going to school, or volunteering. Each member must have a minimum of 30 hours per week of work, school, volunteering, IOP, or a combination there of. Even if your fees are being paid by your family or outside resources, you will be required to be productive at The Garden. Members are not allowed to work in bars, clubs, concert venues & we prefer you do not work night shift but understand if it’s necessary. If you are unemployed, you must apply for at least 3 jobs per week.

Complete willingness to follow all rules and directions is a must. The Garden is a structured living environment that provides all residents with the opportunity to live life to the fullest, while learning to live with structure and accountability. We will discharge anyone who does not follow the rules, for the safety and wellbeing of those who are serious about long term recovery.

Policies

Policies and Procedures

Zero Tolerance Policies

1. Relapsing or failure to submit to a drug or alcohol test, this includes abuse of prescribed or over the counter medications. 2. Violence, threats of violence, acts of aggression, or possession of weapons. 3. Committing a crime either on or off property (including stealing of food). 4. Bigotry of any kind. 5. Sexual activity on property and/or a visitor in your bedroom. 6. Knowledge of another member who has broken a Zero Tolerance rule and not informing management. 7. Willful and purposeful disregard for house rules and or blatant disrespect towards management. 8. Providing a urine sample for another resident. 9. Any Theft. 10. Failure to return from an LOA/Pass at appointed time without notice or reasonable cause

Recovery Expectations

1. A minimum of five 12 step meetings per week. 2. Every member must obtain a home group within 2 weeks of entry & become actively involved in it on a weekly basis.. 3. Every member must obtain and utilize a sponsor within 2 weeks of entry. 4. Being actively involved with the 12 step process is mandatory.

Transitional Phase: Upon entrance each member will be in a 30-day transitional phase. During this period, you will be required to go to 5 AA/NA meetings per week. When leaving the house, you must be signed in and out by either another member of the house who is not on restriction or a transitional phase or another male with a year or more of sobriety. Exceptions can be made in some instances. If you
have any questions, please ask management. This phase can & will be extended for those having trouble with our rules.

Groups/Meetings: Dinner will be provided every other week by Staff at The Garden. We have daily morning meditation meetings, and weekly house meetings where the clients can share with the group on how they are doing, ask for help if they are having a hard time, share with each other what they’ve learned and grow together. These groups help the members learn to use each other as a support group and help create the family environment we are striving for here at The Garden. Morning mediation meetings will be held at 8 AM Monday – Friday & 10 AM Saturday & Sunday.

Drug & Alcohol Screens: All members are required to submit to drug and alcohol screens. Drug screens will be conducted at random. A positive drug screen or refusal to submit to a drug screen will result in immediate discharge. Once a member is informed that they are to be tested, they are not allowed to leave the property for any reason. During the test, the member will remain in the presence of the staff at all times. A staff member will witness the test to validate specimen.

Curfews: Curfews are earned and are not guaranteed. First 30 days is 10:00 PM; you will not receive any overnight passes. After completion of your first 30 days curfew is 12:00 midnight and 4 overnight passes a month (with prior approval) are allowed. When overnight passes are being applied for you must fill out the proper paperwork and have it turned in 24 hours in advance of pass

Food: Members are responsible for purchasing their own food. We will assign you cabinet space for dry goods, and the refrigerator/freezer is shared. In a shared living environment, it is an exercise in cooperation and respectfulness to ensure that each person eats only the food they buy. Stealing of food will result in discharge. If the community wishes to have a community meal and purchase food as a group, then everyone should agree on what is to be bought and work together to contribute equally in purchasing, preparation and cleaning up after every meal.

Transportation: You are responsible for your own transportation expenses including work. The Garden is located within walking distance of a couple stores & Lake Erie Park. Members who want to have their vehicles must be legally able to drive. No other member is allowed to drive your vehicle.

Visitors / Guests: Visitors are allowed on property from 10am to 7 pm only on Saturdays and Sundays. No visitors are allowed in any of the bedrooms at any time. You cannot associate with anyone who is actively using or anyone who was discharged from the house for relapsing. Guests are not to be left alone at any time while on property. You are responsible for your guest’s behavior.

Medical Policies: You must be capable of maintaining and administering your own medications. A list of all medications you take will be completed in this packet and kept in your file. If your medications change, you must immediately notify the House Manager. There are certain medications that are not allowed at Murray’s Home, and you should speak to the staff if you have any questions regarding medications you are taking. Failed drug screens due to prescribed medications we are not aware of are grounds for immediate discharge. The following medications are not allowed at The Garden: Suboxone, Subutex, Vyvanse, any benzodiazepine, any scheduled medication, Ritalin, any opiate pain medication, and others. Please ask the staff about any medication you are unsure of. All medication must be taken as prescribed, The Garden reserves the right to conduct a random pill count with you present, and any abuse of prescribed medication will be considered a relapse.

Sickness: If you are sick, inform Staff as soon as possible. You are also expected to inform a house manager of any medical appointments prior to the appointment and provide any requested paperwork after the appointment. This includes dentists, eye doctors, ER visits, etc. You must also inform Staff of any prescribed medication before you fill it.

Personal Belongings: Any valuables such as money, jewelry, stereos, pictures, etc. are the responsibility of the member, and should be secured at all times. The Garden is not responsible or liable for your personal belongings. Members are not permitted to share clothing, personal property or loan money to each other. We have limited storage space for each resident, so we suggest that you pack as lightly as possible – keeping in mind that you can always go back to get more things if you find you need something. The Garden reserves the right to search all personal belongings including cars and phones. Any belongings left in Murray’s home after discharge will not be kept for more than 72 hours and will be disposed of at the discretion of The Garden's staff.

Personal Cleanliness and Chores: You are responsible for keeping your room in a neat and orderly fashion. This means you will keep your bed made, carpets vacuumed, floors swept, and clothing washed and put away. You are required to clean up after yourself in the kitchen, bathroom and all common areas. Please do not leave personal items such as phone chargers, book bags, laptops unattended in common areas. You will be assigned a chore that is expected to be done every day. Normal personal hygiene will be expected.

Respect and Consideration: Members are responsible for being considerate of the rights of other residents. Members are responsible for noise control within their residence. You are responsible for being respectful of the property of other members, other members of the house, the neighborhood, the home itself, and of The Garden as a whole.

The Garden will provide:

Laundry facilities, Wi-Fi, Computer, Gym, Haircuts, Yoga classes, Meetings with a dietician, Access to a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, Employment assistance and professional counseling referrals

Haircuts: Haircuts will be provided by Fresh Looks Barbershop once a month for each member. You must schedule a week in advance. If you miss your appointment, you will not be able to schedule again. Each member will be provided with one hair cut a month. We believe the way you present yourself reflects your inner wellbeing.

Additional Guidelines

Each member must work, go to school, IOP, or volunteer. No member will be allowed in bars, clubs, or concerts for any reason. Attendance at weekly house meeting is mandatory (exception can be made) communication is key. No smoking, burning candles or incense in the houses. Smoking is permitted outside on the back porch only. NO FOOD will be allowed in any of the bedrooms. No one is allowed in any other member’s room for any reason. Visitors are allowed only between the hours of 10am and 7pm Saturday and Sunday. No sharing of personal property, loaning money, borrowing vehicles or gambling. All medication being taken (prescribed or OTC) must be made known to management. Disruptive behavior that affects the atmosphere in the house will not be tolerated. Failure to pay weekly fees may result in discharge. These guidelines are designed to ensure that all members understand what is expected of them. This is not a complete list of all the possible rules and or violations that may occur, so please do your part to use common sense when it comes to either doing or not doing something. Noncompliance with the rules/regulations and/or management’s directions will result in
corrective action that may include but not limited to house restriction, curfew reductions, essays, or other punitive actions as seen fit by management. Continued rule violation will result in discharge from The Garden.