Addictive Diseases Services

Alcohol and drug addiction is a disease, which is progressive and ultimately fatal if left untreated. It is extremely destructive to individuals, causing problems in all areas of life; therefore, treatment must address the client’s biological, mental, social, and spiritual needs. The Advantage program emphasizes reduction in use and abuse of substances and/or continued abstinence; the negative consequences of substance abuse; development of social support networks and necessary lifestyle changes; work activity; social and interpersonal skills; improved family functioning; understanding of addictive diseases; and continued commitment to recovery maintenance.

Many people understand that addiction is a disease, which is progressive and ultimately fatal if left untreated. It is extremely destructive to individuals and loved ones, causing problems in all areas of life. The Advantage model of treatment emphasizes wellness, including reduction in substance use and/or abstinence, and provides education on the disease of addiction. Entering inpatient or outpatient treatment allows individuals to address their biological, mental, social, and spiritual needs. Group services or individual counseling will explore the consequences of substance abuse and necessary lifestyle changes needed to achieve long-term recovery. Focus will also be put toward the development of recovery support networks, examining work and leisure activities, gaining social and interpersonal skills, improving family functioning, education on the addicted brain and on multiple pathways to recovery, and recovery management.

Inpatient Treatment Programs

Classic City Recovery ITP
199 Miles Street
Athens, GA 30601
706-354-3970

Advantage Classic City Recovery is a licensed residential treatment program that serves both men and women. The program works with those who have experienced substance use as a barrier to a sober lifestyle and need comprehensive services to aid in the development of daily living skills, which enable the men and women served to manage symptoms and regain functioning lost due to substance use. Services are delivered to individuals based on their specific needs. Individual and group counseling is utilized to address issues of substance abuse and to educate on ongoing recovery management. Individual and group activities and programming consist of services to restore and develop skills in functional areas which interfere with men and women’s ability to live in the community and to build social relationships to support a substance free lifestyle.

In addition to treatment services, those who enter the Advantage Classic City Recovery treatment program are supported with Addictive Diseases Support services that include assistance to the person and other identified recovery partners, recovery management planning and individualized interventions through phases of recovery.

The target population for the residential services is adult men and women, age 18 and older who reside in the State of Georgia. Those who meet the DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder are candidates for residential services. Individual exhibits a pattern of severe substance use/dependency as evidenced by significant impairment in social, family, scholastic, or occupational functioning. Referrals are accepted from DFCS, Probation, Parole, Treatment Courts, and Community Agencies, etc. Admission is based on availability with pregnant women and IV users as priorities.

The program’s average length of stay is 6 weeks. Upon completion of treatment goals an anticipated commencement date will be provided. It is imperative that residents who commence from residential services remain connected to treatment and recovery services in the community they are transitioning back into.

We are an ASAM Level 3.5 facility. A verified substance abuse diagnosis is required. A substance abuse diagnosis must be from a psychiatrist, licensed professional counselor, LCSW, or a nurse practitioner. Other admission requirements include results of a completed TB skin test and a RPR blood test. A negative COVID-19 test result is needed prior to admission in the program. The test must be within 14 days. A completed referral application is needed as well. The program does not accept insurance. If the applicant has insurance, a written letter from the insurance company is needed stating that they will not pay for the substance abuse program. Once all documents are received, the application is reviewed. If the individual meets criteria for the program, they will be scheduled for an admission date.

Advantage – SA Residential (Classic City Recovery): 199 Miles St., Athens, GA 30601
Phone: 706-354-3970 Fax: 706-850-3678 Email: Shawna.Fagon@advantagebhs.org

Men’s Transitional Housing: Refresh

What is Refresh?
Refresh Men’s Transitional Living and Aftercare Program is a program that provides a safe, stable, substance free residence with power and water included for no more than 12 months to any male or person who identifies as male over 18 years old. The goal of the program is to assist in increasing recovery capital. Refresh is about building recovery capital to overcome addiction.

How do I qualify?
To qualify, applicants must complete the Refresh application and Brief Assessment of Recovery Capital (BARC -10) and demonstrate evidence of needing assistance to rebuild Recovery Capital.

Applicants must have successfully completed all recommended treatment/recovery services from an intensive outpatient program (IOP) or (ITP) program.
Applicants may also be referred by Advantage Behavioral Health Systems’ opioid treatment program PROUD, who have participated for 120 days.
Applicants must be able to live independently with others taking care of all activities of daily living (ADLs) such as eating, bathing, and mobility.

What is Recovery Capital?
According to author and researcher William White, the concept of recovery capital was introduced by Robert Granfield and William Cloud in a series of articles and their book, Coming Clean: Overcoming Addiction without Treatment. Granfield and Cloud define recovery as the volume of internal and external assets to initiate and sustain recovery from severe alcohol or other drug problems. White states, “Recovery capital is conceptually linked to natural recovery, solution-focused therapy, strengths-based case management, recovery management, resilience and protective factors, and the ideas of hardiness, wellness, and global health.”

There is an added functionality to this concept, however. The resources, or capital, a person needs depend heavily on the severity of a person’s substance use disorder and the resources they already have available. For a person with severe substance use disorder but little recovery capital, they are more likely to benefit from professional treatment and post-treatment support services. However, a person with moderate or severe substance use disorder and high recovery capital may require fewer resources to find and maintain recovery.

In other words, recovery capital is the total resources that a person has available to initiate and sustain their recovery.

Recovery Capital is not a fixed value, it diminishes during active addiction and increases during sustained recovery. Recovery Capital may be grouped in four categories – Internal: human and physical; and External: social and cultural.

Human and Physical – includes housing, employment, nutrition, education, personal resources, mental, spiritual and emotional health, knowledge, coping, well-being, mindfulness, physical fitness, financial responsibility.

Social and Cultural – encompasses community attitudes and recovery supports; policy maker knowledge and policies and resources related to recovery; active efforts to reduce stigma; visible and diverse recovery role models, accessible sources of sustained recovery supports, recovery peer resources and early intervention; beliefs, sense of personal choice, social integration, connection to purpose; availability of multiple pathways to recovery, community assets, recovery-focused systems of care.

Outpatient Treatment Programs

Active in Recovery (AIR)
240 Mitchell Bridge Road
Athens, GA 30606

The Active in Recovery (AIR) Program provides recovery-focused and individualized treatment and support services to people entering recovery or maintaining recovery from addiction and co-occurring life issues. The foundation of this program is the relationship with and collaboration between the participant and the treatment team, including key external advocates and support from family and community.

Program philosophy
The substance abuse treatment philosophy of AIR Treatment Program is based on the American Medical Association’s definition of addiction: a chronic, progressive, primary illness affecting the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being of the individual and family. Built on the experience of a holistic approach, our services ensure that participants receive high quality, professional substance abuse and mental health counseling services consistent with recovery-based principles. Furthermore, we recognize individuals and meet them where they are. At AIR, we engage with a collaborative approach that incorporates our knowledge and your wisdom from lived experience to address your addiction, barriers to recovery, and any identified root causes of your disease. Our integrated treatment approach can help you discover the path to a sustainable, long-term recovery.

While participating in AIR, individuals will receive an array of services aimed at supporting them on their recovery journey. The primary method of treatment is group treatment, as research shows this is the most effective form of treatment for those recovering from a substance abuse disorder. Additionally, other services participants may receive include, but not limited to:

Individual Counseling
Psychiatric/Nursing Services
Addictive Disease Support Services (ADSS)
Group Training/ Group Counseling

AIR is a 6-month program, divided into three phases to assist participants to learn and progress in their recovery. As individuals demonstrate knowledge and application of learned recovery skills and recovery management, they will move up to the next sequential phase. This will allow AIR members to engage in school or work while still benefiting from ongoing treatment.

Levels of care:

Phase 1: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays Consists of 10 hours of services per week. Groups, bi-weekly individual counseling and addictive disease support services. (ASAM 2.1)

Phase 2: Tuesdays & Thursdays Consists of 6 hours of services per week. Groups, bi-weekly individual counseling and addictive disease support services. (ASAM 1.0)

Phase 3: Mondays & Fridays Consists of 5 hours of services per week. Groups, bi-weekly individual counseling and addictive disease support services. (ASAM 1.0)

Aftercare: Wednesdays Weekly 1-2 hour(s) peer group on Wednesdays.

Peers in Recovery from Opioid Use and Dependency (PROUD)
240 Mitchell Bridge Road
Athens, Georgia 30606
1 (888) 749-3806

PROUD is a non-intensive outpatient, peer-led, opioid specific program that focuses on the importance of connection as the solution to addiction. Recovery is a very personal journey. The mission of the PROUD Program is to connect any person with an opioid use disorder diagnosis to the best care possible to achieve recovery and wellness, and to provide ongoing supports including medication assisted treatment where appropriate. The goal is to help the individual meet as many of their identified needs as possible, and to help them stabilize as they build recovery capital. PROUD will seek to create a connection with the person and any identified natural supports to effectively assist with detox and stabilization services, residential treatment services, outpatient substance use services, individual counseling and groups, and linkage within the community at large, in an effort to meet the person’s recovery goals.

PROUD is not an ASAM level of care, but rather a system of care designed to work alongside other behavioral health programs as a comprehensive component for person-centered care.

PROUD’s Operating Hours are Monday – Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm