TROSA, Durham, North Carolina

Eno River State Park in Durham, North Carolina
1820 James St
Durham, NC, 27707

Overview of TROSA

The Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, more commonly known by its acronym TROSA, is a substance abuse rehabilitation center located in Durham, North Carolina. TROSA has a very high success rate of non-relapsed patients. This facility was founded in 1994 by Kevin R. McDonald, a recovering substance abuse victim, with the help and support of local authorities and community leaders.

TROSA has a unique approach towards the rehabilitation of its client that goes beyond simple recovering. Their treatment programs attempt to enable and induce a complete change in the outlook of the patients. They recognize that often people are driven to substance abuse by a host of underlying issues that range from co-occurring mental health problems to a lack of education and opportunities.

Consequently, TROSA’s programs are geared towards empowering their clients to make healthy and positive changes in their life. This facility offers its services to both male and female patients aged 18 years or above. Residents are often offered employment opportunities, initially as interns and later in various social enterprises overseen by the center.

Accommodation and Food at the TROSA

TROSA has three campuses across the city of Durham. These campuses have a combined capacity of hosting around 500 clients in total. The facility offers a comprehensive and thorough residential recovery program lasting 2 years. Residents are required to share dormitories for the first 18 months of their residency.

Apartment-like living quarters are also available on campus. Residents are allowed to make the transition from a dormitory-style living arrangement to an apartment setting. This move is facilitated by their work and level of recovery. Male and female residents are housed in separate living quarters. Due to the busy schedules that the residents are required to adhere to, socializing opportunities are scarce.

The food served at the center is prepared by residents assigned to this particular job. Three meals a day are served in a cafeteria-style setting. A wide variety of options are provided. There are no provisions for the accommodation of specialized meal requests.

Treatment Options Offered at TROSA

TROSA offers an innovative treatment plan that is geared towards the empowerment and long-term rehabilitation of its clients. It offers no outpatients programs and accepts only those patients who agree to undergo a full-time two-year long residential program.

The facility incorporates vocational training and educational programs into its treatment programs to induce a positive lifestyle change to counter dependence on drugs and accompanying trauma. Their innovative treatment options include:

  • Multiple year residential program
  • Work-based vocational training and Education
  • Women’s addiction recovery program
  • Men’s addiction recovery program
  • Free aftercare and continued access to support groups

Therapy Choices

TROSA offers therapy for the long-term rehabilitation of substance abuse victims with a focus on countering trauma and inducing behavioral modification. Some of the wide-ranging therapy choices offered at TROSA are:

  • Group Therapy
  • Individual Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
  • Behavioral Modification and Motivational Interviewing (MI)
  • Anger Management
  • Relapse Prevention
  • Trauma Informed Care
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Insurance and Payment Options Accepted at TROSA

TROSA is a non-profit residential facility that provides its rehab treatments free of cost to all its incoming patients. Residents are instead employed in various social enterprises. These include a moving and storage service, a tree lot selling Christmas and other decorative trees, a lawn care service, and a thrift store.

Residents are expected to work for around eight hours a day for 6 days a week to recover the cost of their housing and treatment. After the completion of 21 months, in the residential program they are also allowed to take up off-campus jobs where they can have access to 100% of their earnings and savings.

Licensing and Accreditation

  • Four Star Charity rating from Charity Navigator
  • Accredited Business from Better Business Bureau
  • Accredited by GuideStar

TROSA Advantages

TROSA is a nonprofit residential facility that provides good substance abuse rehabilitation for people unable to afford expensive treatments. Their free of cost services leads them to depend on their clients’ work to recover costs and financially self-sustain their treatment programs. This allows them to incorporate a treatment model that not only rehabilitates but also makes the patients self-sufficient.

This is evident from the fact that they encourage peer support in organizing group therapy sessions. The residents farther along in their treatment programs help plan and oversee the therapy of the newer residents. This is an enriching experience as it allows them to not just recover themselves, but also to be a part of the recovery process of other residents.

Staff at TROSA

TROSA employs experienced and licensed clinical addiction specialists, alcohol and drug counselors, professional counselor associates, and substance abuse counselors. Many of their staff members are TROSA graduates themselves, which attests to the effectivity of their treatment and rehabilitation programs. Some of the important staff members associated with TROSA are:

Kevin R. McDonald
Founder, President, and CEO of TROSA

Kevin McDonald, a substance abuse survivor himself, founded TROSA in 1994 after 12 years of working with the Delancey Street Foundation in San Francisco as well as heading its North Carolina branch. He has also worked extensively for the rehabilitation of homeless paroles and former gang members.

Michael Keene
Vice President of Business Operations

Michael Keene is in charge of the financial enterprises undertaken at the center. He also heads the moving and storage service offered at the institute. He has been associated with the center for about two decades. Prior to joining TROSA, he was an alumnus of Delancey Street Foundation and managed the Delancey Street Movers.

Sandie Alger
Director of Women’s Program

Sandie Alger has been associated with TROSA since 2004. As a former and recovered substance abuse victim herself, she has first-hand experience of both the trauma of addiction and the hardships faced during the recovery process. She is in charge of overseeing the treatment of incoming female residents as well as providing them with mentorship.

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