Frequently asked questions

When Ten16 was established back in the 1970s, police used “ten codes” in their radio communication to road patrol officers. A “10-16” meant there was an open door at the scene. Coincidentally, our first halfway house’s street address used the very same number. We became the 1016 home both for our physical location and our commitment to always being an open door to recovery.

At Ten16, we believe that recovery is possible for everyone. It won’t be easy, but it IS possible! We take a holistic approach to recovery that treats all aspect of health: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. We believe that lasting recovery means learning to live substance-free. If that feels scary or even impossible, we understand. We’ll meet you where you are and help you take the next right step. Learn more about our approach.

That’s a great question, and it’s one that requires a little more information about you. Which substances are you struggling with? How are they impacting your life? What kind of future do you see for yourself? At Ten16, we know that there’s a path to recovery for everyone. We’d love to speak with you to help you decide which service or treatment best fits your current situation. Please request a call to take the first step!

Whether you’re seeking assistance with residential rehab, outpatient counseling, or prevention and education, Ten16 is able to offer more and higher-quality services thanks to our accrediting bodies and our statewide partnerships. By working closely with other health care providers, we’re able to expand our network of services—and our accreditations ensure that every service exceeds expectations! If you need support that we cannot provide ourselves, we can almost certainly connect you with a partner we know and trust.

You have a choice in who you work with to get the results you desire. Choosing a licensed and accredited provider ensures your provider meets minimum standards of quality, adheres to known best practices, and has been vetted by a third-party agency. Ten16’s accreditation demonstrates our commitment to continuously improve the quality of our services, staff, and facility and to maintain our primary focus: on doing the next right thing for the people we serve.

Yes, absolutely! Ten16 is committed to the privacy of every person with whom we have contact. It is essential that you can trust us to protect your right to confidentiality as you start services with us and begin the recovery process. There are several federal safeguards protecting the personal information that you share; staff will never release your personal information without your written consent. You can learn more on our privacy page.

You will find there to be several things that are uniquely different about Ten16 than the majority of Substance Use Disorder treatment providers. Some things are similar – all quality providers use evidence-based practices and modalities. Many quality providers have an abstinence orientation. Some will still recommend connections with the 12-Step community like AA/NA.

You will see a significant shift at the crossroad that sets us apart. We strongly believe that: 

• Healing happens in community. We heavily emphasize groups for treatment, support, and social activity. Being a part of a group of people who care about you and are committed to the same goal gives a person new meaning and purpose.
• Healing care happens through a holistic, integrated approach. You will work with a therapist and a recovery coach together. They bring clinical skills to help heal the hurts of past trauma and recovery skills to manage the disease in healthy ways. At our residential and recovery housing programs, you can add others to that team, like medical staff and case managers.
• Healing is best sustained through living free from relying on alcohol and drugs. Our abstinence orientation recognizes that you might not be drug-free when you start one of our programs but will work with you until you get to that point. Our experience, supported by decades of research, shows that the best long-term outcome
• You are always welcome. Our recovery centers are open for you to stop by whenever we’re open. You don’t need an appointment to walk in. You are free to use our computers, talk with a coach, or grab a cup of coffee. Our residential program offers opportunities for alumni to stay connected and come back to visit. And if you’re experiencing a setback, we want you to return immediately. The doors are open!
• Recovery is about long-term freedom. This process is not about learning how to stop misusing drugs and alcohol. It is about developing the skills and support network to adopt a recovering lifestyle of meaning and purpose and connect to a caring community. Many places stop once the crisis has passed, and the symptoms have calmed down. We know better and understand that someone with a relapsing disease needs support until they are confident in maintaining that lifestyle on their own.

They are similar in philosophy in that we agree that a person has the best opportunity to achieve and sustain recovery when the individual stops using drugs or alcohol. We also agree that adopting a recovery lifestyle is critical to success. Ten16 differs from AA or a 12-step program because we offer therapy and licensed counseling. AA/NA is generally self-help and provides support through fellowship and a structured framework for living. AA/NA is not a treatment program.   Neither are other self-help groups like SMART recovery.

Ten16 has decades of data to support the effectiveness of its recovery approach. More importantly, it is considered an evidence-based practice, especially for those with a severe Substance Use Disorder. Recent research has shown that abstinence-based treatment goals have a higher achievement rate than those who pursue moderation.

Additionally, when researchers have talked with people entering treatment, the majority list maintaining a drug-free life as “the only change they hoped to achieve.”  Only a few individuals identified “reduced harm” or “safe use” as a goal.

Regardless of an agency’s treatment philosophy, the nature of the disease yields a high relapse rate. This is true for both abstinence-oriented programs and medication-assisted treatment programs. Relapse is unfortunately common. Breaking the cycle of addiction is incredibly difficult, regardless of the approach, because it requires a total life change.

Research continues to confirm that when people engage – not attend, but participate – in these communities, it will improve their treatment experience with Ten16. More importantly, it is a great predictor of how well they will do after treatment. Multiple studies show if a person becomes actively involved in 12-Ste groups, they experience better relationships and have improved self-esteem. Additionally, there are lower levels of depression, higher rates of abstinence, and improved coping skills. The person must find a group with a strong sense of community, genuine care and accountability, and a common goal to help each other achieve and sustain recovery. This connection can be found in other pathway communities. Still, they are not as prevalent, consistent, or proven as the 12-Step community.

Again, we aren’t against the use of medications. We understand that medication-assisted treatment may work for some people. Whether it is an anti-depressant or medication for an opioid use disorder, that is a choice between a person and their physician. We work with clients already on MAT, including agonists like methadone, partial agonists like buprenorphine, and antagonists like Vivitrol. We understand that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The important thing is staying focused on achieving sustained recovery and restoring quality of life.

We believe that the best path to full recovery is to address the outward and inward reasons for drug misuse. Too often, we have seen people limit their investment in internal healing and lifestyle changes because they develop a belief that the medication will do that for them.

We aren’t refuting the government’s recommendation. However, we believe in informed consent and individual choice. Each medication, as well as an abstinence-oriented approach, has its unique benefits and risks. People should be given a complete, unbiased, and non-shaming explanation of those and decide on their own. Most people come to Ten16 for our drug-free approach. They have already tried those medications without success and, in some cases, misused the medication.

We don’t dispute the research that shows that agonists and partial agonists offer a degree of safety. Unfortunately, the big drug companies have done an excellent job of overselling the benefits of their medications with less acknowledgment of their limitations. Evidence shows that a person does not achieve the full benefits of those medications until they have been on the drug for over six months. During the first six months, research showed the same number of adverse events occurred among those on these medications as will someone who is in a drug-free program or is on an antagonist medication. Interestingly, 2/3 of people who take these medications stop using them before six months.

There are risks related to a return to using for someone abstaining for a while. Research shows that the levels of risk for an adverse event are the same during the first six months of treatment in MAT and abstinence-oriented programs. Most of those who return to their opioid use and experience an adverse event are those who were either not engaged or involved in any treatment. An Italian study of over 10,000 people showed that “Retention in any treatment was protective against overdose mortality.”