TUERK HOUSE, INCORPORATED (MD)

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Program Description
Tuerk House, Incorporated (THI), founded in 1970, provides substance abuse treatment through a variety of drug treatment programs, an Intermediate Care Facility, an outpatient treatment program, and two halfway houses. According to THI, they are the only 28-day residential drug treatment facility in the city of Baltimore. The program is certified by the State of Maryland and recognized by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).

THI targets uninsured substance abusers (drugs and alcohol) and works with clients to provide long-term care in order to promote recovery. Each year, the program serves about 1, 000 clients; about half of the participants volunteer for the program themselves. The Maryland Department of Parole and Probation, Office of Federal Pretrial Services, Baltimore City Jail, and the state prison all refer inmates to the program. Generally, Tuerk House reserves 15 beds for referrals from the criminal justice system.

The program offers pre-treatment support groups, an on-site detoxification service, and a 28-day residential treatment that offers 42 beds for men and 34 beds for women. In addition, residential treatment is followed up with a minimum of six months of outpatient treatment or clients are placed in a halfway house. THI also has a Peer Support Group that promotes self-help and relapse prevention for those who have graduated and want to continue their support networks with THI.

Program Goals
A primary goal of Tuerk House is to empower uninsured substance abusers so that they may live in a substance-free environment and thus live more productive and meaningful lives.

Networking, Partnering & Collaboration
Tuerk House works closely with agencies in Baltimore and has developed several partnerships in the area. THI has a unique partnership with a case management program that works with incarcerated women called the Turnabout Program (TAP). TAP assists with the release of women who were formerly incarcerated and refers them to the THI post-release program. While participating in THI, the women concurrently receive case management services at TAP in a joint effort to ease their reentry.

Outcomes
In 2002, an independent evaluation conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University, and Morgan State University reported that drug treatment in the city of Baltimore was successful in terms of reducing drug use, crime, and arrests among those who participated. The THI Outpatient Clinic was one of 16 programs included in the study, which tracked drug tests, arrest records, and other data on almost 1, 000 patients for a year. THI reports that 70 percent of the women made successful transitions back to their communities.

Additional Reading
Dr. Jeanette L. Johnson et al. 2002. "Steps to Success: Baltimore Drug and Alcohol Treatment Outcomes." January 24, 2003. (www.soros.org/baltimore/Executive%20Summary%20doc.pdf)

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