Pubdate: Sat, 12 Oct 2002 Source: Messenger-Inquirer (KY) Copyright: 2002 Messenger-Inquirer Contact: http://www.messenger-inquirer.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1285 Author: Lydia Carrico HOME FOR RECOVERING ADDICTS WILL OPEN SOON Eight to 10 men will be housed on Clay Street The home looks like many others in the area, television blaring in the living room where a worn couch and two chairs sit and porcelain plates pictured with lighthouses decorate the mantle. But this home will house eight to 10 men 18 and older who have been referred by the courts to the Lighthouse Recovery Program, a 12-step alternate program that aims to provide education, care and Christian mentoring to men with drug and alcohol addictions. "We're very excited about this," said Roger Stacy, president of Community Solutions, a local group working to prevent drug and alcohol abuse. "There is a tremendous need for both men and women for transitional living." The home at 324 Clay St. has been freshly painted, and volunteers are furnishing it with beds, office equipment, a dining table and living room furniture. Residents should begin to move into the home within a month, said Earl Loney, co-director at the home and a volunteer. The men who are court-referred to the one-year program must follow their treatment plan developed by a drug and alcohol counselor or risk having their original sentences reinstated, Loney said. The program is strictly voluntary, however, and residents will have a two-week trial period to decide if they prefer another sentence. The men must work, attend meetings, pay rent and abide by all house rules. Rents have not been established yet, Loney said. But it will be based on income. Loney and co-director Sandy Rich will do initial intake, then assign the men to a counselor for further treatment. Lighthouse Recovery has existed for about a year and a half, a joint effort between First Baptist Church, Owensboro Christian Church and about eight other churches. But the home was recently bought to expand its programming to offer transitional housing. Gary Baldwin, pastor of First Baptist Church, could not be reached for comment. Before the home, those in recovery often stayed at homeless shelters in the area, Loney said. "So many of these kids are transient and are living from place to place, and there is no structure," he said. Addicts need a complete change of environment to recover successfully, said Loney, who is studying to be a drug and alcohol counselor. The program has an estimated budget of $35,000 to $40,000, and volunteers hope the churches will cover the cost. Victory Properties owns the home and donated it to the program for the transitional facility, Stacy said. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh