Program Phases header image

Program Phases

Welcome to Gale Recovery, Inc. We are glad you’ve chosen to work on recovery from drug and/or alcohol abuse, and we are honored to participate in your process. Recovery involves a process of change as you replace old unhealthy habits with new healthy behaviors. Our program phases, along with a treatment/recovery plan that you will develop with your counselor, are designed to assist you in developing and transitioning to a life of recovery.

Download Phases PDF

Entry Phase

The keys to the “Entry Phase” are to assist you to develop a foundation in early recovery, to get acclimated to your Gale/Olson program, to become familiar with community resources and to move toward Phase Two of our program. During “Entry,” you will develop a treatment/recovery plan with your counselor focusing on your initial recovery goals, along with an employment search and referrals to community resources.  You will begin to develop general goals for transitioning from Gale Recovery into a life of recovery in the community.  “Entry” lasts a minimum of 30 days before you are eligible to move to Phase Two.

  1. During the first three days in Entry, there are no program fees for self-paying residents.
  2. During Entry, there are no overnight passes and the dorms are closed from 8:30am to 3:00 pm while you are out following up on community referrals, recovery meetings, medical or other treatment related appointments, religious services, and job interviews.
  3. 10:00 PM nightly curfew applies during Entry.
  4. You will meet with your counselor at least once a week and will mutually develop an initial treatment/recovery plan including general goals for your life in the community after Gale Recovery. You will also attend weekly house group sessions.
  5. You must follow up with each community referral, including Department of Social Services, Villa Maria Behavioral Health Clinic, Workforce Development, Goodwill Industries, and the Frederick Community Action Agency among others. Your counselor will assist you to obtain basic identification documents if needed and will work with you to resolve any barriers you encounter with community referrals.
  6. During this phase, you will develop a resume and review it with your primary counselor.  Your counselor is available to assist with your job search and with developing job seeking skills.
  7. Job seeking must begin no later than your second week unless your treatment/recovery plan specifies otherwise. If no job is obtained, you will document and review your searches with your counselor who will continue to work with you to address barriers to employment.
  8. If you are involved in a third-party program (such as Drug Court), that party will likely participate in your treatment/recovery planning process which may include specific requirements or activities.  If your program fees are paid through Drug Court, training or volunteer hours may substitute for employment if approved by Drug Court as part of your treatment/recovery plan.
  9. As a community member, you will be assigned to a rotation of basic household chores.
  10. You will be paying your program fees or depositing into a savings plan on a regular basis.  You must show proof of income and savings on a regular basis including bank statements and paystubs.
  11. During this time you will begin developing a support network and a sponsor (this can be a temporary sponsor) or peer mentor.
  12. After 30 days in Entry, your primary counselor can approve you to submit a letter to your peer group stating your readiness for Phase 2 based on these requirements:
    • Demonstrated progress on your treatment/recovery plan including a draft of general goals for transitioning to the community.
    • Proof of at least part-time employment.
    • Program fees and/or savings plan no more than one week behind.
  13. Assistance is available from your counselor in developing your letter.  A group vote by your peers determines the move to Phase 2.
  14. If your “Entry Phase” continues beyond 45 days, continued program residency in Gale Recovery requires review and approval by the clinical team.

Phase 2

The keys to “Phase 2” are balance and stability, development of your discharge plan, and to further establish a healthy structured daily routine to support your transition to the community. During this phase you will define what recovery means to you and further develop your treatment/recovery plan to build on your basic foundation.  You will be developing a discharge plan for where you will live after Gale Recovery.  Curfew is extended and additional privileges are available. Treatment/recovery planning will focus on developing your support network in the community along with healthy habits and goals leading to a recovery lifestyle.

  1. “Phase 2” daily curfew is 11:00 p.m. (midnight on Friday and Saturday).
  2.  Two (2) weekend passes are available each month; your counselor will approve each pass based on these requirements.
    • Continued progress on your treatment/recovery plan including development of your discharge plan.
    • Continued proof of employment.
    • Program fees and/or savings plans are up to date.
    • Please note that if you are involved in a third-party program, they may have other requirements for a pass, for example Drug Court must approve all passes for their participants.
  3. After you obtain employment for 30 hours per week or more, and your program fees, and/or saving plans are up to date, you may obtain a daytime access pass which gives you anytime access to the dorms.
  4. During “Phase 2” you will invite your sponsor or peer mentor to Gale/Olson House to meet your primary counselor.
  5. Family/significant other counseling is available in Phase 2.
  6. You will work with your primary counselor to obtain a credit report, develop a budget for your transition into the community and begin to plan for reducing debt.
  7. You will further develop your treatment/recovery plan to focus on future transition to the community.
  8. You will maintain your program participation in good standing by regularly completing your assigned household chores, group tasks, and by keeping your program fees and savings plan up to date.
  9. When you are approaching 90 days of residency, depending on progress you have made on your treatment/recovery plan, you will be working with your counselor on one of the following options:
    • Basic Discharge into the community.
    • Planned Program Graduation and Discharge into the community.
    • Transition Phase. If you have made progress on your treatment/recovery plan, your program fees and savings plan are up to date, and your discharge plan requires additional length of stay, you can apply to your counselor to enter the “Transition Phase” to extend your residency for an additional period to work on savings and other goals to support your eventual transition to the community.

Transition Phase

The keys to the “Transition Phase” are to provide an additional residency period to further strengthen your recovery plan and to begin your transition to the community. During this phase you will continue to address the goals you have set for a recovery lifestyle and you will begin implementing your discharge plan with your primary counselor to focus on housing, income, and community life after treatment.  Transition generally extends your stay up to 6 months from your date of entry into Gale Recovery.

  1. During the “Transition Phase,” you will begin implementing your discharge plan for transitioning to life in the community.  You will be using your budgeting skills, savings and other skills developed during your residency to seek housing opportunities in the community.
  2. Once you reach Transition, you will have greater independence and privileges in general. If you are making progress on your treatment/recovery plan you may drop two individual sessions monthly and may request up to four weekend passes monthly. Additionally, you may keep DVD players and similar devices in your possession (you are solely responsible for the safety and security of these devices which may be secured in the office at your request).
  3. In Transition you will have the opportunity to select a recovery topic and to facilitate a group session as well as becoming a House Mentor to new residents.
  4. If all transition tasks are completed, you can request curfew extensions from your primary counselor for healthy goal related purposes.
  5. Once you have completed the majority of your treatment/recovery plan and are up to date on all program fees and savings, you will develop a planned graduation and discharge plan with your counselor.
  6. It takes 3 to 6 months to replace unhealthy living habits with healthful habits. The Transition Phase generally concludes after 6 months from your first day in our program; however, if graduation requirements have been met, and your discharge plan requires an additional length of stay, you may request an extension of stay which will be reviewed on a case by case basis.  Submit a written request including your reasons for extension and the length of time requested (up to 2 months) for approval from the Executive Director and/or the clinical team.
  7. For individuals in Transition, if all program fees have been paid up to date, Gale Recovery, Inc. will rebate 15% of all fees you have paid out of pocket (excludes third party fees such as Department of Social Services, Food Stamps, Maryland RecoveryNet (ATR), Drug Court or other fees not paid out of pocket) since your date of entry. The rebate may be applied toward your final balance, toward transitional expenses (such as security or utility deposits, home furnishings, rent) or deposited into a savings plan.