Questions

House of Metamorphosis (HOM) is a live-in, long-term, residential drug and alcohol treatment facility. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to help substance abusers live and cope with everyday issues without drugs and alcohol. HOM is a therapeutic community that emphasizes behavior modification. The program removes negative influences and helps you to adjust to living a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle and develop the necessary skills to sustain your recovery. HOM provides structure and rules, expects residents to be active and involved, and has been helping people from all walks of life for over 30 years.

House of Metamorphosis is in part funded by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.

Treatment extends over a period of 9 months (6 months treatment plus 3 months aftercare). Research has shown that clients from residential long term alcohol and drug rehab programs lasting at least 120 days, or longer experience much higher success rates than those who have shorter treatment programs.

Yes. HOM is a co-ed program. Men and women are generally separated but do share certain activities (such as Morning Meetings and specific groups).

We are one of the largest therapeutic centers in San Diego, providing 118 treatment slots. HOM has the capacity to house 62 residents in our main facility. In addition, we operate 9 residential drug-free houses within walking distance of the main facility. Each of these houses supports 6 residents.

Treatment and the program are designed for adult residents only. Children may visit when allowed and during specified hours, but may not live with the residents. If you have underage children and are looking for a program that welcomes children, call 211 and ask for a referral.

We accept applications from persons 18 years and older.

Yes. Residents can begin looking for employment once they earn this privilege.

Yes. The “blackout” period, during which residents are not permitted to have visitors (except underage children), make phone calls, go on passes, or send and receive mail, covers the first 30 days of treatment.

There is a service fee associated with the treatment program. The fee structure has upper and lower limits, is based on a sliding scale, and the ability to pay. HOM accepts payments from insurances and private parties. We do not accept MediCal. Please note that no one is denied access to the program because of an inability to pay.

Yes. While in the program, you are expected to adhere to your medication regiment and continue any medications you have been prescribed. Please note that we do not allow any medications that are habit forming or have addictive properties (such as benzodiazepines or methadone). If you are prescribed such medication(s), please consult with your physician and/or psychiatrist first before entering the program. Once accepted, and before entering the program, please bring a 30 day supply of all your medications with you if you can.

For referral services to obtain medications, call 211.

We acknowledge that clients wishing to enter our treatment program often have both substance use and mental health treatment needs (co-occurring disorders). We welcome these clients and are fully committed to offering appropriate assistance for each client, including you.

“Co-occurring Disorder” is defined as having at least one mental condition as well as a drug use disorder. While these conditions may interact differently in any one person (e.g., an episode of depression may trigger relapse into alcohol abuse, or cocaine use may intensify schizophrenic symptoms), at least one disorder of each type can be diagnosed independently of the other. Other terms used to describe this disorder are comorbidity and dual diagnosis.

Whether or not you go through medical detoxification is entirely your decision. Most clients enter the program without medical detoxification; however, if you have been using opiates or alcohol, you may want to consider medical detoxification (because those substances can lead to strong withdrawal reactions that may require medical supervision). Your safety is our biggest concern – please contact us if you would like to discuss your options.

The primary goal of a Therapeutic Community is to foster growth – your growth as an individual, and the growth of the community as a whole. This is accomplished by changing an individual’s life style through a community of concerned people working together to help themselves and each other. The Therapeutic Community represents a highly structured environment with defined boundaries both moral and ethical. It employs community imposed sanctions and penalties as well as earned advancement of status and privileges as part of the recovery and growth process. Being part of something greater than oneself is an important factor in facilitating positive growth.

People in a Therapeutic Community (T.C.) are members, as in any family setting, not patients, as in an institution. These members play a significant role in managing the T.C. and acting as positive role models for others to emulate. Members and staff act as facilitators, emphasizing personal responsibility for one’s own life and for self-improvement. The members are supported by staff as well as being serviced by staff. There is a sharing of meaningful labor so that there is true investment in the community, sometimes for the purpose of survival.

Peer pressure is often the catalyst that converts criticism and personal insight into positive change. High expectation and high commitment from both members and staff support this positive change. Insight into one’s problem is gained through group and individual interaction. Each member learns through experience, failing and succeeding and experiencing the consequences: this is considered to be the most potent influence toward achieving lasting change.