Aftercare | Spring Lake Ranch

Elliot House

Located on the Cuttingsville property, Elliot House offers a supported, gradual introduction to greater independence through our transitional living program. The process includes case management to assist with career or school counseling and life skills from cooking to time management. Residents at Elliot have the best of both worlds with full access to all Cuttingsville programs and services as well as additional opportunities. These include the ability to cook in the newly redesigned kitchen, pursue employment in the community, attend college level classes, and use the work ethic acquired through the Ranch Program to strive towards a better life. This is not a long-term program but rather transitional, encouraging folks to enter their new beginning.

*Appropriateness for Elliot House or IAL programming will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Completion of the Ranch Program does not automatically indicate eligibility for SLR step-down programs. As these programs have a lower level of direct-staff oversight, factors that may determine eligibility include but are not limited to a resident’s safety history and substance use history. If it is determined that SLR’s step down programs are not appropriate, then SLR staff will assist in pursuing alternative options

Independent Living

The Washington Street Townhouse is located in the historic district of Rutland. The Townhouse is a large, stately home that has been converted into seven apartments as well as office space. These apartments offer frequent contact with caring staff and other participants while still enabling residents to live outside of an institutional setting.

The Townhouse dates back to the 1840s and includes many beautiful original features, as well as key updates. Each of the seven apartments has its own unique charm. Amenities like off-street parking and trash service are available, and Rutland’s quaint and convenient downtown, with its restaurants, cafes, services, and stores, is just a short walk down Washington Street.

For Townhouse clients, access to the staff is a simple matter of visiting the case manager offices located in the building. Group sessions and get-togethers are held in the adjacent carriage house, and the wide, inviting porches are an excellent place to hang out with friends. Some of the apartments are used for short-term stays, while others house people who have been part of this program for many years.

The Townhouse offers clients the comforts of their own private space while maintaining important ties to the supports they have already established through the entire Spring Lake program.

Many people in the Spring Lake Ranch Therapeutic Community choose to continue in independently-rented apartments in Rutland. They manage their own finances, medication, and routines with input from staff, family, and peers.

Ranch services for those in apartments include addiction relapse prevention, money management, cooking and apartment upkeep, work, volunteer, or study options, staying healthy and fit, and a variety of other opportunities. Just as with those in other stages of the program, clients in apartments have staff advisors that assist them in creating personal routines and support programs that meet their needs, and challenge them to continue moving toward their goals.

Many clients choose to rent apartments close to the Townhouse, providing frequent opportunities to interact with other clients and staff as they seek to establish their lives in Rutland.

Work

The Work Program at Spring Lake Ranch helps residents prepare to accept greater responsibility; the aftercare program helps them leverage that experience to create work opportunities. When a resident transitions, he or she may already have established a volunteer job, an internship or sheltered job, or perhaps be enrolled in a class at an area college. Those routines are built upon or expanded as the resident is ready. Often, Elliot House residents begin by coming back to the daily Work Program at the Ranch until their new activities are better established. Others are ready to look for full or part-time employment. Staff help clients connect to area resources as appropriate, assisting in creating résumés, exploring opportunities, and scheduling job interviews.

In all our efforts, we keep the individual in mind. We meet people where they are, and keep the challenges tailored to each person’s needs.

Illness Management

Clients who are preparing to transition from Elliot House to IAL begin a relationship with an aftercare case manager. Case managers help work through the difficulties that come along with transition of any kind. They also help clients adjust to the increased pace and responsibility of living in town. Assistance in medication management, addressing addiction, budgeting, cleaning, cooking, and managing free time are typical services, though the skilled staff is available for more individualized needs as well.

Clients also continue to see our psychiatrist throughout their stay in the Spring Lake Ranch Therapeutic Community programs. In most cases, they begin a relationship with a local general practice doctor and a therapist before they transition, providing established connections for when they move.

In case further support is needed, Rutland Regional Medical Center is located right in town and includes a psychiatric unit in addition to top-notch medical facilities. Other area hospitals include UVM Medical Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, and the Brattleboro Retreat.