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Alumni Care Team
Ongoing Support for Your Road to Recovery
Hanley Center’s Alumni Care Team is dedicated to providing support and direction as you transition from treatment to recovery. We truly believe that “help becomes hope” and that each alumnus deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.
Our team consists of five alumni coordinators, one assigned to the Center for Women’s Recovery, one to the Center for Men’s Recovery, two to the Center for Older Adults Recovery (one male, one female), and one to the Family Program. The core activities of our team include:
- Maintaining regular communication with all alumni
- Facilitating aftercare support groups
- Holding monthly anniversary celebrations
- Organizing events to foster fellowship and a sense of connection
During Treatment
The work of the alumni team actually begins while you are in treatment. Our coordinators bring in alumni to speak to patients on each unit. These alumni, who have been sober for six months or more, share their stories of hope and recovery and answer your questions. We also facilitate several group meetings, including the Step 1, relapse prevention and journaling groups.
To monitor the progress of each patient, alumni coordinators attend weekly staff and community meetings on the Women's, Men's, and Older Adults units. Our team also meets weekly to discuss alumni outreach issues and plan alumni events.
Before discharge, your alumni coordinator will meet with you to develop your alumni aftercare continuing care plan. Your coordinator will assign you an alumni or AA/NA contact where you live, and have you call him or her before you leave Hanley Center.
Your coordinator will also review support groups with you:- AA meetings in your area (for those outside Palm Beach County)
- NA meetings in your area (for those outside Palm Beach County)
- Alumni Aftercare Support Groups
- Alcoholics Anonymous Beginner’s Group
- Narcotics Anonymous Sunshine Group
- Al-Anon Serenity Group
Alumni Aftercare
After you are discharged from Hanley Center, your alumni coordinator will remain in contact with you for the first two years.
- Two days after discharge,
- Weekly for the first two months, then
- Monthly for the remaining 22 months
As part of your alumni continuing care plan, we recommend you attend AA or NA meetings daily for up to 90 days. Once you establish a home group, you should volunteer your service at the meetings, find a sponsor (this could be the contact we provided you before you left Hanley), and begin your 12-Step work.
When we call you, we will review your continuing care plan with you and discuss the recommendations of Hanley Center's multidisciplinary team.
These calls also enable us to perform outreach with our alumni. For example, if someone relapses while we are in contact with them, we can quickly get them back into treatment and back on the path to recovery.
Research
Hanley Center is involved in drug and alcohol addiction research with the University of Miami. At 90 days, six months and one year post-discharge, each alumnus will be asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their addiction, treatment and recovery.
This research will provide Hanley Center with an array of medical and clinical information to help addiction professionals better understand the disease of addiction, the triggers for relapse and the recovery process.
Special Events
Special events promote fellowship and sense of community among alumni. We host a number of events on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.
Spirit of Hope
Anniversary Night
Open Mic Night
Workshops and Retreats
There are other ways to get involved in the alumni community, as well. You can share your story, become an alumni contact, participate in Hanley Foundation events, volunteer on campus or become a speaker. All alumni of Hanley Center are a vital part of our team and we welcome your participation and input.
