Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Philadelphia

Impact and Availability of Drugs in Philadelphia

For years, Mexican transnational criminal organizations have controlled drug-distribution hubs in northeastern U.S. cities, such as Philadelphia, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency’s 2015 National Drug Threat Assessment.

The Philadelphia Police Department Criminal Intelligence Unit identified 169 gangs in the city in 2013, according to the DEA report. These groups handled a wide range of illicit substances, including heroin, cocaine, marijuana and prescription drugs.

In 2014, the availability of cocaine in the United States remained at historically low levels, but DEA field divisions in Boston and Philadelphia reported wide availability of the drug. Conversely, the availability of synthetic cannabinoids, such as Spice and K2, and cathinone in Philadelphia decreased from 2013 to 2014.

Drug Deaths and Treatment Admissions in Philadelphia

Philadelphia County had 2,532 treatment admissions for drug abuse and 1,085 admissions for alcohol abuse in 2015, according to the Pennsylvania State Coroners Association. That year, 702 documented drug-related deaths occurred in the county — more than double the number of homicide deaths.

Among Philadelphia-area drug deaths in 2015:

• Whites represented 67 percent of cases and blacks accounted for 33 percent
• Men accounted for nearly three out of four deaths
• Single people accounted for 65 percent of cases

Roughly 80 drug-related deaths in Philadelphia County occurred in October, the most among any month in 2015. Drug fatalities generally increased from Thursday to Sunday and more occurred between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. than any other time frame.

Prescription Opioids and Heroin in Philadelphia

The Pennsylvania State Coroners Association found that opioids were involved in 30 percent of all Philadelphia-area drug deaths in 2015.

A report by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health showed that overdose deaths associated with fentanyl increased in 2006 before subsiding for seven years. Fentanyl-related overdoses increased again in 2014 and 2015. Additionally, heroin-related overdose deaths in the area sharply increased from 2011 to 2015.

In 2015, opioid overdoses resulted in more than 6,500 emergency department visits in Philadelphia, per the city’s department of public health. Deaths involving opioids most commonly affected people who were white, male and aged 25 to 59.

Find a Sober Place to Live in Philadelphia

Avoiding drugs and alcohol after treatment isn’t easy. The Philadelphia area includes sober homes that assist people in maintaining sobriety. These facilities foster recovery in a safe and secure environment.

Brotherly Love House

Brotherly Love House uses evidence-based methods to teach people in recovery the skills needed to further their careers, forge relationships and maintain a permanently drug-free life. It incorporates 12-step meetings, daily meditation sessions and weekly recovery workshops.

This sober residence provides daily transportation to recovery meetings and weekly transportation to grocery stores. Located on East Penn Street, the program features a virtual and physical computer lab, free Wi-Fi, on-site laundry services and cable TV.

Kairos House

Project HOME runs Kairos House, a supportive facility for adults affected by vagrancy, mental illness or addiction. Located in the Yorktown neighborhood, the residence includes 24-hour staffing and on-site laundry services.

Kairos House provides personal recovery resources, health care, education and employment opportunities for adults. The sober home offers activities that teach participants to be self-sufficient.

Junction House

Junction House is a sober living environment for women in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction. The program teaches emotional honesty, accountability, integrity, personal responsibility and 12-step principles.

A certified recovery specialist, sober coach and addiction peer advocate provide interventions and family guidance. These professionals also help women deal with co-dependency. Residents can attend on-site and nearby Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

This single-family residence is located in a suburban community about 20 miles from Philadelphia. It features decks, fireplaces, private parking, meditation areas and weekly yoga sessions. The program aims to improve the health and spirit of women in recovery.

Solution House

With locations on Paul, Marsden and Anchor streets, Solution House provides sober environments that encourage and guide people during their recovery. The homes assist residents in developing sober living skills and discovering personal growth opportunities.

The Solution House Driver License Recovery Program addresses unresolved driver’s license issues, such as unpaid tickets or DUIs. Through this initiative, a case manager investigates these problems and creates a plan to validate the license.

Residents are required to attend 30 support group meetings in 30 days. They’re expected to be employed during their stay. Each week, they engage in house meetings to discuss progress, concerns and future plans.

Job Training in the Philadelphia Area

Philadelphia and surrounding counties have numerous resources that help people develop job skills and find work.

Prevention and Recovery Resources at Philadelphia Colleges

College drinking is an epidemic. To combat this problem, higher education institutions in the Philadelphia area receive assistance from counselors, staff and student leaders. These groups try to educate, inform and support students battling addiction and those in recovery.

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania implements various alcohol and other drug program initiatives designed to reduce substance abuse on campus. These programs and campaigns include:

First Step

First Step offers brief alcohol and drug interventions for students battling substance abuse. Students can openly discuss their patterns of substance use in a judgement-free environment, and they can learn harm-reduction strategies to decrease the health consequences of substance abuse.

Penn Drug and Alcohol Peer Advisors

Penn DAPA is a peer education group that discusses problems associated with substance abuse. Student leaders, athletes and others educate their peers about negative behaviors and discuss the consequences of substance abuse. The program hosts education workshops for Greek-letter students and the Say Something Campaign, which encourages all students to identify high-risk behaviors in friends.

Penn Plays Safe

Penn Plays Safe is a campus-wide poster campaign with quick facts about the dangers of alcohol abuse and drug use. Students or teachers can set up a poster in their residence hall or office.

Penn Plays Safe

Penn Plays Safe is a campus-wide poster campaign with quick facts about the dangers of alcohol abuse and drug use. Students or teachers can set up a poster in their residence hall or office.

It’s a Science

The “It’s a Science” poster campaign educates students on the effects of various substances, including alcohol, marijuana and cocaine. For example, some posters explain the relationship between alcohol use and memory loss, and other posts provide information about the impact of cannabis on brain function.

The University of Pennsylvania website has information on substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, stimulants, hallucinogens and ecstasy. The site also helps students locate nearby 12-step meetings.

Temple University

Tuttleman Counseling Services at Temple University allows students, teachers and staff to receive individual or group counseling for a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety, stress, eating disorders and self-esteem. Licensed psychologists, social workers and counselors also address family problems, LGBTQ issues and other concerns.

The university offers confidential mental health screenings to determine whether someone needs a psychiatric evaluation. Screenings, which last a few minutes, allow students to learn whether their thoughts or behaviors are related to a treatable mental health issue.

Students can find self-help hotlines on Temple’s website. The site also has resources on depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, self-harm recovery, discrimination and various substance use disorders.

Drexel University

Drexel University has two counseling centers that provide free counseling to full-time students. Their mission is to promote and support emotional health and positive behaviors on campus.

The Haven at Drexel is a sober home for students recovering from substance abuse problems. Its programs include 12-step meetings, drug testing, counseling, confidential peer support and sober activities. College students dedicated to maintaining sobriety run this independent recovery community.

At Drexel, students can call a peer counseling helpline and speak with volunteer students about a number of issues, including drug and alcohol use and feelings of loneliness. This is a nonjudgmental, supportive option for distressed students.

St. Joseph’s University

St. Joseph’s University operates the Wellness, Alcohol and Drug Education (WADE) Program, which strives to encourage students to make healthy lifestyle decisions. Through the program, students can receive drug-related resources and referrals, assessments, education and training.

The Flock is leg of WADE that provides support to students affected by addiction. Its Allies of Recovery Training allows students to examine their own biases, and it teaches them ways to use words, actions and advocacy to support students in recovery.

St. Joseph’s website includes a parent’s guide that details how parents can talk to students about substance abuse. The site also has faculty resources with strategies to increase academic success and reduce drug or alcohol abuse on campus.

Philadelphia University

Counseling Services at Philadelphia University assists students in overcoming personal challenges. It provides confidential screenings for anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD and alcohol abuse.

Philadelphia University also provides students with substance abuse prevention resources such as e-checkup To Go for alcohol and marijuana use. These assessments examine substance use patterns among students.

Keeping Drugs Off of Philadelphia’s Streets

Many nonprofit organizations and government agencies in the Philadelphia area recognize the impact substance abuse has on the community. As a result, these groups have launched several prevention initiatives, from counseling services to diversion programs, intended to fight drug abuse in the area.

Philadelphia Municipal Court

Philadelphia Municipal Court runs the Philadelphia Treatment Court, an alternative-to-incarceration program for nonviolent drug offenders with substance abuse issues. The court-ordered rehab program aims to help people overcome addiction and to reduce recidivism rates.

The municipal court oversees the Veterans Court and DUI Treatment Court. It also operates programs such as The Choice is Yours and Project DAWN, which are designed to reduce criminal activity and drug abuse in the Philadelphia area.

Philadelphia Police Department

The Philadelphia Police Department implements a variety of programs that encourage youth in the area to make smart lifestyle decisions, including:

• Heroin Education and Dangerous Substance Understanding Program
• Drug Abuse Resistance Education
• Gang Resistance Education Training
• Community Health Enrichment Empowerment Resource Services
• Police Explorers
• Police Athletic League
• School Diversion Program

These resources empower young people in Philadelphia. The programs promote positive interactions between police officers and community members that create healthy community relationships.

Prevention Point Philadelphia

Founded in 1991, Prevention Point Philadelphia is a public health organization that provides services to those at risk for developing blood-borne diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis. The organization has programs associated with syringe control and Suboxone treatment. Suboxone is a medication-assisted treatment for that aids people recovering from opioid addiction.

Since its inception, PPP has exchanged millions of syringes and has provided health care to nearly 10,000 people, according to its website. The organization strives to foster a safe, comfortable and nonjudgmental environment.

Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network

The Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network uses intervention, counseling, education, job readiness and community service to reduce substance abuse and violence among Philadelphia youth and their families. Core elements of the program include home visits, treatment, school crisis intervention and mental health counseling referrals.

Its Youth Violence Reduction Partnership often works with at-risk young people, primarily males between the ages of 14 and 24 who have been involved in drug use or who were previously incarcerated for a drug or gun offense. The organization concentrates on areas marred by criminal activity, such as West Kensington, Harrowgate, Fairhill and Kingsessing.

YVRP also collaborates with the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health Disability Services and Mental Health First Aid to teach people to help someone with behavioral health issues, such as anxiety, mood disorders or addiction.

Shalom, Inc.

Located on Lehigh Avenue, Shalom, Inc. is a nonprofit that uses prevention, intervention and counseling services to combat substance abuse in the Philadelphia area. Its High School Prevention/Intervention program addresses life challenges experienced by students. These issues could involve drugs, alcohol or tobacco.

The organization participates in the Students Against Destructive Decisions program, which works to reduce underage drinking, drug use, impaired driving and other poor decisions among students. Shalom representatives host SADD activities in area high schools.

Shalom’s Youth Advisory Board inspires students to make healthy life decisions. Through this program, a group of students meets monthly to discuss area problems that they could affect in a positive way. The initiative implements health fairs, poster contests and other educational projects to prevent substance abuse.

Philadelphia Prevention Partnership

The Philadelphia Prevention Partnership comprises community groups that strive to reduce drug, alcohol and tobacco use in the area. This collaborative approach is designed to increase participation in preventing substance abuse in Philadelphia.

The coalition attempts to raise neighborhood substance abuse awareness, provide education to youth and discuss solutions to social problems that could lead to drug use. It oversees three projects that inspire communities to create prevention programs intended to reduce drug and alcohol abuse.