Halfway House Idea:
The halfway House Idea was borrowed from the United Stated of America, and was implemented in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to benefit and help the persons treated for addiction to narcotics in accordance with the Saudi traditions, values and religion.
The Halfway House plays the role of a bridge between the life of a narcotics addict and the normal healthy life.
A Halfway House was opened in Dammam on 25/02/1421 H to accommodate 28 beds. A year later, an additional building accommodating 14 beds was added. On 21/04/1424, 30 more beds were added that increased the total capacity of this house to 72 beds.
A wide range of high quality services are provided to help patients recover from their deteriorating physical, psychological, social and spiritual conditions from the consequences of narcotics and alcoholic addiction. Each patient receives services adequate to his needs and is encouraged to follow-up actively through practice and treatment to fully stop the use of narcotics and to grow and develop oneself to rejoin the society.
This treatment is only the beginning for continued efforts throughout lifetime to keep away from using narcotics and pursue personal growth and development. Finally, the former addicts can be integrated into society to make a valuable contribution.
Most patients find it difficult to return and merge into the family and society after discharge from the compound. This is due to deterioration of family relations and the environment surrounding their homes that are unprotected from old associations and addict associates of the patients. For this reason, most patients are retreated after their discharge from the compound.
Objectives of the House:
- Provide a healthy environment for the treated individuals.
- Help the treated individuals attend and follow-up care unit programmes.
- Encourage the treated individuals to strengthen their connection with Allah and perform prayers on time at the Mosque.
- Assist the treated individuals to comply with laws and regulations that face them in their new lives.
- Help the treated individuals depend on themselves.
- Assist the treated individuals to create new positive social relations.
- Explain to the treated individuals the concept of treatment as a development process.
- Help the treated individuals to understand the circumstances that expose them to the risk of relapse and how to avoid them.
- Assist the treated individual to benefit from his free time.
- Help the treated individual to prove and love himself.
- Support the treated individuals to solve their problems by making the right choices themselves.
- Encourage the treated individuals to improve relationships with their family.
- Help the treated individuals to rejoin society and improve their relationships.
- Facilitate the treated individuals to find the right job and house.
- Aid the treated individuals join self-supporting groups.
Conditions for Acceptance of a treated Guest in the Halfway House:
- Narcotics addiction must be the primary diagnosis.
- Having true will to be treated.
- Completion of treatment in the compound.
- Being transferred from internal sections.
- Cooperation with the treatment team by attending all activities and treatment programmes.
- Compliance with religious obligations.
- Maintaining good behaviors.
- Age must be less than 20 years.
- Individuals can not be enrolled more than twice.
- Individuals must be not wanted by any judiciary.
- Individuals were not dismissed earlier for using narcotics or irresponsible acts.
- Stability of psychological condition.