FAQs

Substance use disorder and mental illness doesn’t discriminate and neither do we. While many of our clients are from the northeast, we work with families across the country. Our community has become the foundation of our clients’ recovery, providing a home base and safe space.

For both current clients and alums, Release is a destination for healing. Even after transitioning into independent living, many clients stay in the area to maintain sobriety in the vibrant recovery communities in NYC and Westchester. In fact, our own founder Zac Clark came to NYC to recover and never left!

The founders of Release have built a team with vast experience in the field of recovery. There are staff members onsite 24/7 to ensure the safety and well-being of each and every client. 

Tip for success: If you are considering other sober living programs, make sure they provide overnight, awake staff. Many programs do not offer this, and it makes a big difference.

Yes. We work closely with highly qualified doctors who help steer our clients’ medication protocols on a case by case basis. There is significant evidence supporting MAT (Medication Assisted Treatment). We believe that the “A” in MAT remains “Assisted” and is not replaced by “As.” We do this by exposing our clients to different recovery methods and communities.

Yes, safety is our number one priority. All clients are required to breathalyze nightly and are randomly drug tested 3-4 times a week. Drug testing is performed using a 12-panel drug test. Urine samples are periodically sent out for lab testing. 

Release utilizes a Sober Link, a portable breathalyzer, as an additional layer of support for clients who are approved to leave the property overnight. Overnight passes are typically granted to clients after their first one to two months at Release and approved by a case manager, with the family’s knowledge and consent.

There is no shame in relapsing, as it can be a part of the recovery process. Rather, we look at relapsing as an opportunity for growth and learning. Our clients are surrounded by a team of professionals who have comprehensive experience navigating relapse.

If the client is a transitional living resident he cannot stay in the community until the relapse has been addressed and he is medically cleared to return by a doctor. We will remain engaged with the family and the client through the relapse to provide support and ensure everyone’s safety. We believe in second chances and will not turn our clients away if they are willing to recommit to their recovery.

Yes. We work with our clients to build a robust schedule that includes work, school and volunteering. Clients spend their first 30 days at Release focusing solely on their recovery. If there are extenuating circumstances and clients need to return to their full time jobs, we will work with their treatment teams to create a recovery schedule that supports their return to work. Once clients have established their foundation by meeting our early recovery expectations, clients work with their case manager to select a school track or work track. We work closely with our clients to support them as they transition back to a school or work environment.

Recovery isn’t a punishment. We are committed to creating positive experiences for our clients by showing them that they can have fun in recovery. We provide opportunities for our clients to go hiking, surfing, kayaking, and bowling. Our clients attend baseball games, camping trips, comedy shows, dinners out, and barbecues. We also encourage our clients to plan events for the community. We often give our clients a budget and ask them to plan a fun experience for the community.

Our clients are then permitted to have their cell phones and laptops as our program teaches clients how to integrate the real world into their early recovery. We reserve the right to hold laptops or cell phones if at any time we determine they are deterring a client’s recovery process.

We are happy to provide a breakdown of our service fees and what is included with each service. Please call us directly at (914) 588-6564 or (800) 678-2196.

No, we do not take insurance but we have worked hard to forge partnerships with local clinical providers, most of whom take insurance. That said, families have worked with their insurance companies in the past who have had success in getting reimbursement. There are insurance advocates out there who can help. If you need assistance, let us know and we can hook you up with a referral.

While we encourage our clients and families to make a 3-month commitment to working with our team, we bill monthly and do not ask our families and clients to sign a long term contract. Refunds are considered on a case by case basis.