Moving into a recovery home is a big step, and not knowing what comes next can make it harder. Here is what the first week at the Harlem House in McKees Rocks looks like, so there are no surprises.
Before You Move In
After you apply online, a member of our team reaches out within 24 hours. You meet with the house manager, who walks you through the house rules and answers your questions. If it is a good fit, you sign the resident agreement, complete a short intake and move in.
Getting Settled
The Harlem House is a solid brick home with shared bedrooms, a kitchen and dining area, a living room, laundry, and a back porch and yard. Residents take their own prescribed medications, which are kept in locked storage and logged by the house manager. If you are on medication-assisted treatment prescribed by a Pennsylvania physician, you are welcome here.
Building Your Routine
Recovery here runs on routine, and that starts in week one. Residents attend seven 12-step or other recovery meetings a week (five if working) during roughly their first six months. AA and NA meetings are within walking distance, and bus lines make it easy to get to meetings, work and appointments without a car. Part of your first week is finding a sponsor and a home group.
House Responsibilities
Everyone has assigned weekly chores and helps keep the shared spaces clean. Every resident attends the weekly house meeting with the house manager. Residents sign out when they leave and back in when they return. Curfew is 11pm Monday through Thursday and midnight Friday through Sunday.
Work or School
During the day, residents are working, looking for work, or enrolled in school or vocational training. If you are still job hunting, that search becomes part of your daily routine.
Staying Safe and Sober
Random drug testing keeps the house safe for everyone in it. Using, refusing a test or a positive test means leaving the program. Those rules exist so every man in the house can count on a sober place to live.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
You can apply online in about ten minutes, or call us at (412) 284-4718. For the full house rules, read How It Works.
