Bridges of Iowa

A non-profit, faith-based treatment center, Bridges of Iowa, Inc. (BOI) opened in 1999. Located in Des Moines, Iowa, the center offers long-term residential and outpatient programs, as well as transitional housing facility to adults struggling with substance use disorders. In addition, Bridges of Iowa also works with individuals in the criminal justice system due to drug-related offenses.

Accommodations

Though BOI is housed in Polk County Jail’s West Wing, there is no affiliation between the jail system and the program itself. The facility accommodates around 40 men in single rooms, each furnished with storage cabinets and double beds. The rooms are small, but the living accommodation itself is very spacious and has a living room, dining room, a large kitchen, offices, as well as a fully-equipped fitness center, complete with machines and weights. Clients can also enjoy TV during the break. Frequent recreational outings like trips to basketball games, local parks, or softball games are also arranged.

Clients who are in the last lap of their treatment stay in BOI’s transitional living facility. These sober living facilities are apartment-style living units; each unit offering living room, two bedrooms shared by four men, and an attached bath.

Food

Clients are served three healthy meals daily during their stay in the residential facility. Fresh fruits and snacks can be had at any time. Once clients transition to sober homes, they have to take care of their food.

Treatment Program

Christian principles form the basis of the treatment program offered by Bridges of Iowa. The twelve-step treatment approach is the treatment modality used by BOI. The residential treatment program offered by BOI is a year-long treatment program and involves three phases.

Clients in the first phase receive education and program that are based on biological, psychological, spiritual, and social manifestations as per the definition of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM).

In the second phase, clients learn interviewing skills, improve their resume, and identify potential employers with the assistance of the staff. When the clients start working, their check is held by the facility. Clients are taught financial management and budgeting in the second phase.

Phase three involves transitioning into the transitional living facility and outpatient treatment. The third phase helps in creating a less structured environment that enables the client to reintegrate seamlessly into society.

Staff

Staff at Bridges of Iowa includes LCSWs, CADCs, and caseworkers. Highly experienced psychiatrists design all programs.

Cost

Approximately $1,700 (with insurance, 12 months);approx. $39,000 (out of pocket, 12 months).