Karralika Therapeutic Community Adult Program

Our Adult Program is a residential treatment program for single adults and couples seeking to address their alcohol and drug dependence.

Established in 1978, the Karralika Therapeutic Community Program offers a comprehensive program for people with alcohol and other dependence, using the therapeutic community approach to treatment. In simple terms this approach uses ‘community as method’ where members of the community support each other to fully participate in the community and achieve the goals of lifestyle and self-change.

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About the program

Treatment is provided within a safe environment, free of alcohol and non-prescription drugs and is based on the belief that a person’s dependence on alcohol or other drugs is symptomatic of underlying personal difficulties. We provide an environment that not only assists people to overcome their dependence but also assists in the development of positive life skills to help them choose a better life and continue their recovery journey.

Our program focuses upon individual personal growth to replace alcohol and other drug dependence. It includes life and job skills training, individual case management and recovery goal setting, along with group work and access to specialist services from other agencies. We can support the diverse and often complex needs of each resident within the Therapeutic Community. That is why each resident has a personal plan and case worker, and the resources and tools to support their own treatment goals.

Preparation for future employment and lifeskills training are important components of the program. Clients have the opportunity to learn new skills to support their growth and potential employment opportunities when their treatment program ends and they return to the community.

Staff work within a creative and innovative therapeutic environment and are skilled in clinical practices and present strong role models for clients in treatment. Our multidisciplinary team is professionally trained in the treatment of those with alcohol and other drug dependencies and some have lived experience. We also have staff with qualifications in psychology, nursing, counselling, addiction studies and other related disciplines.

Our team offer alcohol and other drug information, support and case management to parents who do not have custody of their children and assist with supported access visits through our Child and Family Services Program.

To view the adult therapeutic community program facilities SEE HERE.

Residents being in Karuna, an 8 week program to begin to identify and address the reasons for their dependence, before moving into the next stage of their treatment program within the Karralika Therapeutic Community. However Karuna is also a short-stay residential program where clients take part in group and individual case management sessions, creative therapies, parenting, and healthy eating and active lifestyle programs. Karuna aims to empower clients to make informed choices about a range of ongoing treatment options as part of their recovery journey which may include an staying with us longer in the Therapeutic community, be referred to another agency, or supported return to the community through our Outreach Program. Some men may be eligible to move into the Nexus Men’s Halfway House program.

Our staff can also support the children and extended families of clients not residing in the Therapeutic Community with counseling and supported access visits.

Karralika Therapeutic Community Model – what’s involved?

The Therapeutic Community Program Model involves a series of stages to support an individual’s personal growth and development. The distinct stages are specifically designed to support the change process by providing meaningfully timed measurements of expected change, support for goal attainment and success, and markers or milestones to represent the learning process.

Within each of the stages, you will be supported to set and achieve your own goals, identify treatment issues and facilitate growth.

Referrals to the intake program are accepted from the adults in the community themselves or through other agencies, Community Corrective Services and other legal systems. An initial interview is conducted by an Intake Officer to gauge which pathway would best suit your needs and circumstances: a short or longer residential treatment program; a family program; the halfway house program; or potentially a referral to another program elsewhere. To be accepted into our programs you will need to be 18 years of age or over and can demonstrate some acceptance of a need to change your alcohol- or other drug-dependent lifestyle. Prospective clients are required to phone on time for appointments and not be under the influence of any drugs or alcohol at the time of the interview.

The Karuna Program can be a short stay program or the first phase of the 12 month treatment program within the Therapeutic Community. The Karuna Program is designed to empower you to make informed choices about a range of ongoing treatment options, enabling you to experience a more positive and healthier lifestyle.

You will take part in group and individual case management sessions and educational seminars during the program. At completion of this stage, you will be asked to decide whether you wish to continue your treatment within the broader Therapeutic Community to achieve your recovery goals, and will have also been assessed by us as suitable to do so. You may have the opportunity to move Nexus Program if you are male, be referred to another program or move into the community with outreach support from us for a period of time.

Here, you will live and work in a small community environment and, with the support and encouragement of staff, help yourself and others in the community to develop constructive life-coping skills, self confidence a support network to address your treatment issues. The social structure within the Therapeutic Community is a simple hierarchy of positions with degrees of responsibility. Contact us to find out more.

You daily program centres around normal routine of daily work projects and leisure pursuits, which are supported by creative therapy, physical activity and work skills programs.

Treatment normally lasts around six to seven months but may be adjusted to meet your individual needs. Attendance at outside support meetings commences during this time.

The Commitment phase sees you taking on a more senior role in the community, holding certain positions within the community and being a positive role model by mentoring newer residents and supporting them to understand the Therapeutic Community structure and model. In this phase you will also begin to prepare for living in the wider community. Working with your case worker you will develop a personal plan involving activities outside of the Therapeutic Community.It is also a period of preparation to move into the Transition phase of the program, or into alternate accommodation in the community.

During the Transition period, an updated treatment plan is created, reflecting the ongoing achievement of your identified treatment goals. The focus is on your separation from the Therapeutic Community – transition into the wider community through increased independence, increased contact and interaction with the wider community, development of relationship/support networks, and planning to move into your own accommodation. You may participate in voluntary work and will be supported to focus on supports and tools for relapse prevention (including internal and external providers).

Moving to independent living through Karralika Programs Inc. Transition Houses supports the change from the residential program into community-living.

For more information

For more information about the program or if you are interested in referring yourself or someone else, please contact the Intake Officer on 02 6185 1300 during business hours.