FAQ

1. What is your residential capacity?
We have the capacity to serve 155 men with substance use disorders. We maintain a waiting list when we reach capacity.

2. What are the living arrangements like?
We have four residential wings. Each wing has a full kitchen, lounge area, and laundry facilities. Residents may share a bedroom with up to 8 individuals, but many bedrooms are smaller, and some residents have their own rooms.

3. Do you have special programs for military veterans?
Because we want to honor and help those who have served our country, LifeHouse Group offers preferential placement to honorably discharged veterans.

4. What is the financial responsibility of your residents?
Residents are not charged any fees for the first 60 days after they arrive because we believe the focus should be on recovery. Allowing residents to build a foundation for their recovery in the first 60 days without the pressure of needing a regular income is a key component of our recovery model. We also want to ensure that any man who needs our help can get it. At the end of 60 days, most residents can pay a small programming fee, which is currently set at $50.00 per week, to help us offset our operating expenses.

5. How should prospective residents and their families contact LifeHouse Group?
Currently, LifeHouse Group accepts men recovering from addiction who are referred by treatment centers, released from the Illinois Department of Corrections, or are Illinois residents living in the general community. Feel free to call us at 708-897-8581 to allow us to answer your questions, provide additional information, and assist you with the application process. For men who are currently incarcerated, we encourage you to begin the application process 14-30 days before your release date. More information on that process is addressed in FAQ #6. Click here to apply.

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6. At what point should incarcerated individuals and their families contact LifeHouse Group?
The process of finding a housing placement after incarceration usually begins around 14-30 days prior to an individual’s release date.

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• 30 to 60 days before release, the individual should inform the Field Service Representatives at his facility that he wishes to be approved to live at LifeHouse Group. We strongly recommend that individuals refuse alternate placement locations. Often, the first option offered by Field Service Representatives involves staying with friends or family, placements that typically do not have the same long-term success as a placement at LifeHouse Group.

 

• ​14-30 days before release, local Field Service Representatives will refer placement preferences to the Parole Re-Entry Group. This group contacts LifeHouse Group regarding placement and scheduling a screening call.

 

• 3 to 14 days prior to release, a LifeHouse Group representative conducts a screening call with the prospective resident and makes the decision to approve or decline an application. If approved, LifeHouse Group staff coordinate with Field Service Representatives to arrange transportation to our facility upon release.

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• On the day of release, the individual must contact us to confirm his estimated time of arrival and pick-up location. When he arrives at the pick-up location, he should call us, and we will send transportation to bring him directly to our facility.

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7. How long is a typical stay at your facility?
We ask our residents to commit to a minimum 90-day stay at our facility. Residents are allowed to say up to 24 months if they are complying with program requirements.

8. Do your programs and services involve family members, and, if so, how?
Where appropriate and beneficial to the resident, we encourage family involvement.

9. What is a typical day for a LifeHouse Group resident?
When our residents first arrive, we encourage them to focus on their sobriety and on obtaining any of the documents they need, such as a valid state I.D. or an EBT card. We also focus on developing physical and mental well-being. We offer over 80 hours of programming per week and residents are required to take part in a minimum of five hours per week. Roughly half of our programming is focused on addressing the challenges of recovery, while the other half focuses on building practical skills. A typical day changes from the first week to the twelfth week to the twenty-fourth week to the day a resident leaves us to begin living independently again.
 

As residents move through the program, their recovery is always paramount, but residents also begin to focus on their futures. They are encouraged to take advantage of the skills training and career and educational opportunities that we offer. By the time residents are ready to move back into their communities, they are usually gainfully employed and have learned life and practical skills that are necessary to a successful recovery.

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10. Are there career opportunities at LifeHouse Group for current or past
residents?
We have 29 staff members. Of those, more than half are program alumni. Because they are alumni, they have a unique understanding of the obstacles facing our residents and can help others using their own experiences as a guide. We are happy to hire people who are in recovery and who have the “lived” experience to relate on a personal level to the challenges faced by our residents.

11. Why will I be successful at LH Group when I failed with my other attempts?
At LifeHouse Group, we believe that addiction has many root causes but that a successful recovery, no matter what the circumstances, depends upon connection – to ourselves, to other residents and staff, and to our communities. We offer a broad array of services that allow you to rebuild your life and your future and to form connections through education, employment and job training, physical and mental wellness treatment, and stable housing.

Our model is unique because it addresses all aspects of the recovery process. We know that your challenges may be different than those of other residents, so we tailor our services to meet you where you are today and where you will be tomorrow. Our program is designed to transition with you through each stage of your recovery, from learning life skills and achieving a sustainable career path, to living independently once again.

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12. What is the relationship between LifeHouse Group and LifeHouse Recovery Organization?

LifeHouse Group is a for-profit company that owns and operates the building in Dixmoor, Ill, where our residents live. LifeHouse Group was formed as a for-profit business to allow it to purchase and manage safe and suitable housing for our clients.

LifeHouse Recovery Organization is a not-for-profit entity that provides the essential services and programs required for men in recovery. Because the mission of LifeHouse Recovery Organization is to provide wrap-around services to men with substance use disorders, the focus is on our social mission rather than on generating revenue and profits. LifeHouse Recovery Organization offers services such as case management, peer mentoring, job certification programs, and financial and computer literacy classes. While LifeHouse Recovery Organization is currently situated in the same location as LifeHouse Group’s home, we intend to find separate headquarters space shortly.

Together, these organizations address all aspects of the recovery process: stable housing, job training and placement, education and life skills, and physical and mental wellness services.