Philosophy of Recovery

Supportive housing is a concept which is unique in most parts of the world.  It exists here for the benefit of addicts and alcoholics in recovery, but it is more.  First, the staff of Fessenden House lives at Fessenden House.  For this reason the Residents of Fessenden House have a very high success rate and are very likely to maintain their sobriety while they are in residence.

Residents at Fessenden House have no absolute maximum length of stay imposed upon them.  For so long as they continue to qualify for supportive housing as specified in the House Policies, and so long as they continue to uphold their responsibility to the community, they may continue to remain in residence.  In addition, the men who staff Fessenden House are Religious in the Episcopal tradition, giving the House a decidedly spiritual tone.  Finally, the men who come to us have other problems which would preclude them from eligibility in most institutions such as half way houses.  Some have HIV disease; others have cancer; still others have mental or emotional disorders which render them ineligible for other, more standard forms of assisted living.  In other words, we take men who would otherwise fall in between the cracks in the institutional system as it exists.  While we do not duplicate existing services found elsewhere, we do help some of those who need it the very most.

The 12-Step Foundation

The Board of Directors and the Staff of Fessenden House are firmly committed to the 12-Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous as the only long-term, proven method of maintaining abstinence from alcohol and/or drugs and an addiction-free lifestyle for any addict.  As can be seen from reading the House Policies, attendance at a minimum of three 12-Step meetings each week is a requirement for all regular residents of Fessenden House.

While it is true that the Staff has the authority to dispense a Resident from the requirement for good cause, the basic expectation is that while a Resident lives at Fessenden House he will continue to attend 12-Step meetings to ensure a stable foundation for sober living in community.  The Staff, being in recovery themselves, are very well aware that there are a number of differing ideas about how to get sober, we are also aware that nothing else besides the 12-Steps has the track record that AA and NA have for long-term sobriety.  While Residents are free to believe anything they like concerning the 12-Steps and the spirituality which under girds them, for so long as they are Residents at Fessenden House, they will attend 12-Step meetings, unless there is an overarching reason why they should not.