Cushing House for Teens, South Boston, Massachusetts

Overview of Cushing House

Cushing House for Teens is a treatment center operating under the Gavin Foundation. It offers adolescent treatment services against substance abuse and addiction. The center inducts male and female teens in the age group 16-20. Residential programs are offered for them where they are taught self-reliance, self-care and community responsibility by living together. One of the key program components at Cushing House is its family therapy and group sessions where patients are encouraged to participate in healthy family sessions to heal troubled relationships. Families of different patents are also given the opportunity to socialize together and help each other on the road to recovery. Therapies involved in the treatment programs include structured activities, gender-specific groups, psycho-educational groups, and recovery support groups. All programs are based on the 12 steps of AA where residents are taught about the nature of addiction and principles of recovery. The Gavin Foundation offers AAWOL (Alcoholics Anonymous Way of Life) program which the residents of Cushing House also attend. The usual duration of the residential program is 6 months. The staff at Cushing House is competent and dedicated who provide 24-hour services to its clients in order to assist them in achieving lasting healing and recovery.

Housing and Food at Cushing House

Cushing House is built as two separate facilities for male and female patients. The male unit can accommodate sixteen patients whereas the female unit can accommodate fourteen teens. The enrolled teenagers are between 16 and 20 years of age. Both units have bedrooms that two patients share together. Each bedroom has either two twin-sized beds or a bunk bed. Patients have their own dressers, nightstands, and closets. The units have dorm-style bathrooms which all patients share. There is a common room in each unit that has a TV. Patients can also pass their free time by engaging in sports and games such as foosball, table tennis, and snooker. Trips to a local gym are also arranged by the center so that patients can be given the opportunity to exercise and become physically fit.
The center has in-house chefs and assistants who help in preparing meals three times a day. Menus vary for each day and patients have a variety of options to choose from. Patients can also request for a certain dish and the chefs try to incorporate it in the menu for some day. Food is served in the dining hall where all patients eat together.

Treatment Options

The different treatment options available at Cushing House are:

• Residential Treatment
• Outpatient Programs

At Cushing House, following substances’ abuse is treated:

• Alcohol
• Prescription Drugs
• Prescription Painkillers
• Illegal Drugs

Therapies

Cushing House offers the following therapies to its clients:

• Individual Therapy
• Group Therapy
• 12-Step Meetings
• Psycho-Educational Group
• Recovery Support Groups
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• EMDR

Payment Options at Cushing House

Cushing House operates under the nonprofit agency Gavin Foundation whose mission is to provide comprehensive adult, youth and community substance abuse education, treatment and recovery programs. The Cushing House is specifically targeted towards teens suffering from alcohol or drug addiction. All programs and treatments are funded through donations. Thus, the treatment at Cushing House is free for teens. The goal of Cushing House is to be able to provide hope and recovery to those troubled teens and families who could not afford such a treatment otherwise. Currently, they can accommodate 16 male patients and 14 female patients in their residential program but they are trying to continually expand their services.

Licenses and Accreditations of Cushing House

Cushing House has the following accreditations and licenses:

• Carf (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities)
• License by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Abuse Services

Cushing House Advantages

Cushing House is a rehabilitation center for adolescent girls and boys suffering from drug and alcohol abuse. Cushing House works under the Gavin Foundation which is a nonprofit agency striving to provide prevention and treatment programs for substance abuse. Cushing House offers a complete continuum of care where not only patients are treated but their families are also educated regarding addiction and recovery. The staff at the facility comprise of clinicians, supervisors, case managers, and support staff. The members of staff are highly trained and experienced in their respective fields. Through their continued support and treatment in the residential and outpatient programs, struggling teens are given new hope where they can lead an addiction-free life and realize their true potential. Patients are empowered so that they are able to prevent from falling into addiction in the future and achieve lifelong sobriety.

Staff at Cushing House