Design For Change Recovery

ABOUT DESIGN FOR CHANGE

Design for Change is a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility for adults located in Lancaster, Calif., a picturesque city situated between the Tehachapi and the San Gabriel Mountains. The facility offers residential, outpatient programs, and sober living homes, and medically supervised detox is provided on-site. The facility is one of the 182 (15 percent) facilities to provide non-hospital detox services in the state. Treatment is gender-specific and available for individuals with co-occurring disorders.

TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT

Clients who opt for residential treatment may remain on-site for 30-, 60-, or 90-day lengths of care, placing Design for Change among the 440 (33.6 percent) of facilities in the state to provide long-term residential treatment. Design for Change recommends that clients stay for longer than 30 days, as the first couple weeks of treatment may focus on detox, not recovery.

The facility's recovery program is rooted in 12-step principles and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Along with attending 12-step meetings, clients participate in a mix of individual therapy, gender-specific group sessions, and addiction and life skills education classes. Design for Change restricts therapy groups to no more than six participants.

In addition to traditional methods, the facility also integrates holistic modalities that include psychodrama, bio-sound healing, fitness activities, nutrition education, and music and art therapy.

Day treatment, which consists of six hours of daily programming for five to seven days per week, features many of the same offerings as residential care. Intensive outpatient care requires less of a time commitment, as treatment is conducted three hours a day, five to seven days per week.

Following treatment, clients may choose to enter Design for Change's sober living homes for ongoing support and structure. Clients must participate in regular drug testing, secure employment, and attend 12-step meetings.

STAFF CREDENTIALS

Design for Change maintains a staff-to-client ratio of 1:4. The staff includes master’s- and Ph.D.-level therapists, certified addiction counselors, a family nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, and an art instructor. The facility is one of the 182 (13.9 percent) facilities in California accredited by the Joint Commission.

ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES

Design for Change’s homelike residence is set in a natural landscape that lends itself to hiking and other outdoor activities. The facility encourages communal living with comfortably furnished common areas and semi-private rooms, though some private rooms are available.

When clients are not in therapy, they are welcome to enjoy the on-site gym, sauna, and pool, and residents are allowed visitors during designated times.

WHAT ALUMNI SAY

At the time of this writing, Rehabs.com has received reviews from five alumni of Design for Change. The feedback was mostly positive. Alumni described staff as “caring and passionate” and the program as personalized and effective.
"Great treatment facility, organized and accommodating. Best decision of my life," one alum wrote.

Counseling Options: 4.8/5
Staff Experience and Training: 4.6/5
Family Participation: 4.5/5

Alum Lisa added: "The staff was awesome. They didn't teach me to simply stay sober, but instead taught me how to live again, free of alcohol and drugs." While alumni offered more moderate ratings for the facility's holistic offerings, they appreciated the upkeep of the facility and its cost.

Cleanliness: 4.6/5
Affordability: 4/5
Holistic Offerings: 3.5/5

On Yelp, Design for Change has 10 positive and three negative reviews to date.^{[1] [2]} A majority of reviewers felt the center saved their life, praised the center's staff, and indicated they would recommend the facility to others.

Twelve reviewers on Google awarded the facility an average rating of four out of five stars at the time of this writing.^[3] Multiple reviewers praised the staff, which they described as “amazing,” “phenomenal,” and “very helpful and supportive.” Other highlights included the family program and the facility’s unique approach to treatment.

FINANCING

Several insurances are accepted, including Anthem, Aetna, and Humana. Additionally, the center offers some scholarships for individuals who have insurance policies with partial coverage.

^[1] https://www.yelp.com/biz/design-for-change-lancaster
^[2] https://www.yelp.com/notrecommendedreviews/design-for-change-recovery-lancaster-2
^[3] https://goo.gl/H6CNP1