House Rules
- There is absolutely zero tolerance for drugs and/or alcohol (including kratom, CBD, K2 & other synthetics) use, possession, or paraphernalia. Any infraction of this rule will result in immediate dismissal from New Beginning Sanctuary (NBS) Program and property thereof.
- Clients who are prescribed narcotic/controlled medications will be required to relinquish them to NBS Staff, who will secure said medications in the office safe, upon arrival in the program. Clients prescribed medications will be given access to their meds by NBS staff once daily at 7 PM. Clients will be required to initial a medication log to confirm receipt and will also be subject to random pill counts on any medication to ensure compliance with the prescription.
- All clients are subject to supervised random drug testing and/or BAT (Blood Alcohol Test) without notice and with or without cause or explanation. Refusal to submit to testing will be treated in the same manner as having submitted a positive test result; the client will be immediately dismissed from NBS and property thereof. The client, likewise, will be considered to have submitted a positive test if they should leave the property at any time for any reason before having submitted to testing. Clients will have one hour to produce a sample for U/A or they will be considered positive.
- There is absolutely zero tolerance for violence, threats of violence, intimidation, or theft at NBS. Violation of this policy will result in immediate dismissal from the NBS Program and the property thereof. Criminal charges (when applicable) may result from a violation of this policy. NBS is not responsible for stolen property and suggests not bringing anything of value into the home(s).
- Borrowing or loaning money, bartering, exchanging, or selling personal property, or the solicitation thereof is prohibited within NBS. Such practices can and frequently do lead to misunderstandings and conflict between individuals and program members in general.
- Weapons of any sort are strictly prohibited with zero tolerance in a client’s personal possession, in their rooms, or on any NBS property. Such weapons include but are not limited to firearms, ammunition, knives with a blade length in excess of four inches, etc.
- Pornographic materials/sexual novelty items of any sort are prohibited in a client’s individual possession, in their rooms, or on NBS Property. Materials include but are not limited to magazines, movies, computer downloads, phone downloads, drawings, etc.
- All clients are subject to search of their person, personal belongings, rooms, and surrounding areas at any time without cause or explanation and by any means NBS deems necessary. This also allows law enforcement to search anything they deem necessary. Failure to submit to a search will be treated in the same manner as having been found in possession of zero tolerance items, resulting in immediate dismissal from NBS and the property thereof.
- Smoking and/or vaping is allowed in designated areas only, with all trash being placed in the proper bucket(s). NO VAPING INSIDE ANY NBS PROPERTY.
- Clients must keep personal belongings and personal areas neat, clean, and orderly at all times. Beds must be made every morning.
- Clients must shower at least once daily (no exceptions).
- Clients must wash and put away their personal eating utensils after each use (plates, bowls, cups, silverware, etc.)
- Clients are responsible for washing and folding their own linens WEEKLY (sheets, blankets, pillowcases, towels, washrags).
- Clients are asked to turn the lights off when they are finished using them and/or leaving the room. Lights out will be at 10:30 PM every night, except Friday and Saturday nights when this time is extended until 11:30 PM.
- Clients are required to be out of bed by 6 AM and remain so until 3 PM Monday thru Friday unless authorized by a staff member. Clients who have outside employment are exempt. Clients without work and/or with a balance will be required to leave the house by 8 AM in search of employment, turning in a minimum of five applications per day before returning home. If a client receives disability and is unemployed, they must be up between the hours of 8 AM and 3 PM to ensure active participation in their recovery.
- All applications and efforts must be documented with time, date and phone number, and name of the manager. Employment search is subject to verification by NBS staff.
- Nightly curfew is 7:00 PM for all clients who are within their first 30 days of the NBS program. From there, curfew will be extended to 8 PM Sunday, 10 PM Monday – Thursday, and 11 PM on Fridays and Saturdays on the contingency they are working a healthy program and fees are caught up. Curfew means clients are to be inside the residence, not just on the property. Guests are not allowed inside any NBS properties UNLESS it is approved by the Housing Director on a case-by-case basis. Clients are to be respectful and courteous to neighbors at all times.
- After 45 days clients are eligible for an overnight pass (with verified family members only) once each month with staff approval. After 120 days, clients are eligible for an overnight pass two times per month with staff approval. All 24-hour pass requests must be submitted 7 days in advance. After eight months, clients are permitted to take their two nights out consecutively; 48-hour pass requests must be submitted 14 days in advance. OVERNIGHT PASSES ARE A PRIVILEGE THAT IS EARNED (fees caught up, chores completed and all meeting requirements met)! Clients MUST agree to make themselves available for random U/A and BAC tests REGARDLESS OF THEIR LOCATION or ACTIVITY. (Failure to do so will result in termination from the program.)
- Radios, I-Pods, and other personal entertainment devices must be used with the accompaniment of personal headphones so as not to disturb fellow clients with extraneous noise.
- Clients must sign out/in on provided log sheet when leaving/arriving on property. The log will include time out/in, destination, and client initials or signature.
- Clients must attend a minimum of three (3) scheduled meetings/groups per week. This includes a minimum of one (1) sobriety/support-related (i.e., Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous) meeting each week. Clients are required to attend the mandatory classes outlined by the Housing Director and/or other staff members. Classes outside the home are acceptable, as long as they are signed off by a class leader and are verifiable.
- Clients must attend a minimum of one outside religious service (i.e., church, synagogue, temple) each week. This means the service MUST BE HELD OUTSIDE the NBS home. Clients entering/re-entering NBS Springfield are required to attend The Well or Friday Night Fire for their first four Friday nights. NBS also requires clients to be present at a mandatory house meeting to address business regarding the home (ex: chore assignments, program fees & other items of concern).
- Clients are required to perform house chores daily as assigned by NBS staff. Chores are to be a priority over anything other than work, meetings, court/PO appearances, or medical appointments.
- Clients are responsible for their own food. If group meals are agreed upon, all clients are encouraged to share in the responsibility of the purchasing and preparing of said meal. All clients are assigned a refrigerator, freezer, and pantry space. Don’t be a jerk and eat other people’s food; that’s STEALING.
- Clients are individually responsible for the documentation (WEEKLY PLANNING SHEET) of chores, meetings, financials, and related staff signatures. (IF IT IS NOT WRITTEN DOWN, IT DIDN’T HAPPEN). Also, loss of the weekly planning sheet will result in an initial fine of fifty ($50), first offense, one hundred ($100) second offense, and dismissal third offense.
- When answering the house phone, clients are asked to do so politely and professionally.
- Failure to comply with house rules and regulations will result in serious sanctions and/or penalties, including but not limited to fines, additional chores, or termination from NBS.
- I understand that NBS Sanctuary recovery program promotes volunteering and giving back to the community. I agree to volunteer when needed at the request of NBS.
- NO RELATIONSHIPS FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST 60 DAYS! You need time to work on yourself before you can have any success at a relationship. Clients are allowed to spend time with family, but spouses, boyfriends/girlfriends, friends, etc. need to respect and support your recovery by understanding you need this time. In some cases, we will allow loved ones to participate in meetings and services with clients. This is up to the discretion of NBS staff.
- Any relationships between clients and staff are not permitted and may result in immediate termination from the program.
- NBS is a program. The housing is included in the program. As a client you are paying program fees, you do NOT pay rent and you are NOT a tenant. If you are dismissed/terminated from the program, you are to leave the house quickly without disturbance and not return to the property at any time. Doing so will be considered trespassing. NBS works closely with probation and parole, police, courts, and all supervising authorities. Any incidents will be reported immediately.
- Clients understand that they are participating in a program by their own choice and that the chain of command to be followed is house manager then housing director. In the event that you have a grievance/complaint against the housing director, you may contact the executive director.
- Clients are encouraged to show accountability and leadership within the home. NBS promotes within the program first. Clients are encouraged to stay as long as they feel necessary beyond completion with compliance to the rules. Alumni in good standing are always welcome at any function.
- Clients terminated from NBS must collect their personal belongings (under staff supervision) within one (1) hour of said termination. Any belongings not collected within one hour of termination will be considered donations to NBS. Additionally, if you fail to return home any night, you are forfeiting your belongings for immediate donation. Following termination or departure from the program, all mail will be returned to the sender.
House rules are subject to change without notice and are up to the discretion & common sense of NBS staff.