Westminster House, Recovery Centre for Women
Women do Recover

WESTMINSTER HOUSE GUIDELINES

  1. Use of any mood altering drugs, including alcohol will result in immediate discharge.
  2. Westminster House is a tobacco free zone; clients are required to abstain from using tobacco products while in residence.
  3. For the first 14 days clients will be on retreat in order to stabilize within the program and connect with peers; no visitors, letter writing, or phone calls will be permitted. Clients will be on the buddy system. Clients who have children less than 18 years of age will be supported to have one 15-minute phone call per week. Other exceptions include: Mental Health Worker and calls related to funding.
  4. The following items are not permitted in or around the premises: substance use-related paraphernalia, alcohol and illicit drugs, pornography, weapons (guns, knives, etc.), lottery tickets, mouthwash, laxatives, cell phones and personal ghetto blasters.
  5. All medications must be blister packed thru London Drugs Pharmacy and kept locked in the office. Westminster House deals with London Drugs Pharmacy only.
  6. Clients are required to be up at 6:30 a.m.; be showered, dressed and have their bed made and are ready for breakfast by 7:00 a.m.; Clients need to be ready to go to the meeting at 7:40 a.m.
  7. No napping during the day; unless you have staff permission.
  8. All clients are required to attend 11 AA or NA meetings a week. Mon-Fri all clients are required to attend a morning meeting. Clients are supported to miss 1 meeting a week for self-care. Sunday night meeting is mandatory. If clients are late for a meeting or leave at half time, the meeting does not count.
  9. Clients need to be home for dinner Sunday to Thursday unless given special permission to not be included at dinner. Clients need to be at dinner table for all meals.
  10. No drinking coffee from the Last Door.
  11. Trips to the local mall or dollar store are limited to twice a week. Women are encouraged to find alternative indoor activities that broaden their recreational choices.
  12. MP3 players and I-Pods may be used when writing on step work, working out at the gym and as meditation at bedtime only.
  13. Children may stay at the house one night on the weekend. One child over night at a time. Parent must supervise children at all times. Only one child overnight per weekend. Boys (10 and under) Girls (no age limit)
  14. Children may stay at the house one night on the weekend. One child over night at a time. Parent must supervise children at all times. Only one child overnight per weekend. Boys (10 and under) Girls (no age limit)
  15. Visiting hours are daily between 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. except Tuesday evenings due to speaker meeting. Please share with your peer’s in-group who will be visiting.
  16. Overnight visits will be considered on an individual basis at the end of the clients stay to support transitioning into the community.
  17. Clients to be back home by 10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday; by 12:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday; and by 9:30 p.m. on Sunday. Clients who are on an overnight need to return to the house by 5:30 for dinner. Curfew on weekends may be extended under special circumstances for planned event attendance. Lights out at 11pm during the week and 12:30 am weekends (Friday & Saturday).
  18. Food or drink is not permitted in client bedrooms at any time, exception with water. No food or drink is permitted in the living room except on video nights, and during group; clients can bring their tea/water into group.
  19. No violence or abusive talk of any kind will be tolerated.
  20. No drug-talk or war stories.
  21. No new relationships supported until women have completed their step 9. Needs to be discussed with peers’ in-group prior.
  22. No romantic relationships within the house, clients will be discharged.
  23. No writing on Step work in the library until after step 5. We do not support giving letters to clients to obtain library cards.
  24. Reading material prior to Step Nine is limited to NA / AA literature, meditation books and group handouts; in order to build a strong foundation of recovery and become accustomed to the ideas and philosophies of the 12 Step programs. No purchasing magazines or newspapers.
  25. Any sickness or accident to be reported to a staff member immediately, regardless of the severity. If client is feeling ill, clients must get up and attend the morning meeting and report to day staff upon returning to look at further action needed.
  26. Vehicles are not to be operated during primary care Westminster House. Any operation of vehicles must be discussed with staff prior and will be decided on a case by case basis.
  27. Piercing or tattooing is not permitted while at Westminster House.
  28. Director or staff may ask to check purses, packages, pockets and rooms at any time.
  29. When a client chooses to leave before their three month commitment is up they are unable to return or call the client line for a period of 30 days; exceptions made based on group conscience.
  30. No stopping at the Last Door Monday thru Thursday unless given special permission by the staff at Westminster House.
  31. Clients must be in pairs during the day until 6pm then in 3’s at night this includes alumni, unless given special permission by staff.
  32. Clients are put back on retreat during step 4 from all family members and partners. This does not include children 18 years and under.
  33. Absolutely no bringing outside food back to the premises for personal consumption during the week (Sun-thurs). On Friday and Saturday clients can purchase snacks for movie night and keep them in the pantry. All snacks must be eaten by 9:30 pm Sunday night.
  34. After step nine, clients are able to use the Internet here or at the library only.
  35. Clients must take all of their belongings upon discharge.