House Rules

TURNING POINT RULES

Rules are subject to change. Ask for current rules prior to admission or upon
admission.
1. Possession or use of alcohol, drugs or weapons is strictly prohibited. Drugs are
classified as any mind altering substance including kratom, over the counter speed, and
misuse of any prescription drug. Possession includes anywhere on Turning Point
property. This includes any product that contains alcohol i.e., mouthwash, after-shave,
over counter medicines, etc. All prescribed and over the counter drugs must be held
and dispensed by the House Manager. Violation will result in discharge.
2. Drug Testing is mandatory if asked to submit to a alcohol/drug test. If the results are
positive or the resident refuses the test, the resident will be immediately discharged or
offered appropriate consequences to be determined by the director.
3. Threatening, violent, and/or aggressive behavior is grounds for discharge.
4. No gambling of any kind inside the house, outside the house, or on your phone.
5. No changes, improvements, decorating or repairs are to be done to any part of the
property without the director’s approval. This includes appliances, moving and/or adding
furniture, moving and/or adding pictures, photos and posters on the walls.
6. No smoking inside of the house. No incense, candles or anything flammable allowed
anywhere in the house at any time. Violators will be immediately discharged for the
safety of the house.
7. All doctor appointments must be approved in advance by the director other than
emergencies where the resident is required to advise the doctor upfront of their
substance abuse disorder and attend the appointment with a staff member. Failure to
properly inform doctors will result in discharge.
8. A Sponsorship Report is due within 7 days from admission. A home group must be
chosen and approved within 2 weeks of admission. Sponsors including temporary
sponsors must have a minimum of 2 years clean/sober and be a Turning Point
approved sponsor. Sponsor must have a sponsor and have worked all 12 steps with a
sponsor from the directions in the AA Big Book or NA Basic Text. Sponsor cannot be an
employee from the resident’s treatment center or case management. Sponsor cannot
be a member of another recovery house. Working the steps with the house does not
exempt resident from working the steps with a Sponsor from the AA Big Book or NA
Basic Text.
9. Attendance at substance abuse 12 step meetings is mandatory. A meeting slip must be
signed including telephone numbers by chairpersons or members recommended by the
chairperson showing attendance at a minimum 1 meeting per day except Sunday.
Residents may attend a meeting on Sunday with Director approval (6meetings per
week). Additional meeting requirements at director’s discretion may be added. The
meeting slip must be turned in to the House Manager each Friday by curfew. House
Meetings, Aftercare (required), and group therapy count toward the 6-meeting
requirement. Residents attending IOP are only required to attend 5 meetings per week
(1-2 meetings on each day not in IOP) counting same as above.
10. House recovery support meetings are held twice a week for an hour and a half each.
House meetings are subject to change due to scheduling. A Monthly Appreciation
Meeting is held on the first Wednesday of each month from 6:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. A
meeting sheet must be signed. The recovery support group charge is $20 per person
per group; however, the fee is paid from other funding sources for qualifying residents.
11. Curfew is 10:00 P.M. on weeknights (Sun.-Thurs.) and 12:00 P.M. on weekends (Fri. &
Sat.) This means in the house, not sitting outside or in the driveway. If working past
curfew, resident must be in 30 minutes after work. No incoming or outgoing phone calls
after curfew except in case of emergency. 1-night passes per any 7-day period can be
earned after the first 30 days by following all rules. 1-night passes per 7 days or 2-night
passes per 14 days can be earned. The manager must receive pass requests 72 hours
in advance. Passes will not be approved before reviewing weekly performance on the
same day of the pass. Resident cannot leave for pass without final approval from
Director via Manager. Failure to comply is grounds for discharge.
12. Required within the first 3 business days starting on the admission date. If unemployed
upon admission, acquire proper ID’s, physically report in person to the food bank &
apply for food stamps before starting work. If employed upon admission, the food bank
& food stamps apply at the director’s discretion. Failure to comply may result in
discharge.
13. Employment: You have 14 calendar days starting on your first day in the house to
secure a full-time verifiable work schedule or you may be discharged. Employment must
be 40 hours with no required overtime per week. Resident may not start or change jobs
without Director’s approval in advance including orientations. Resident must work for
an employer that pays by check or direct deposit with a check stub or a form of showing
tax deductions and number of hours. A check stub will always be due on payday and
manager will verify direct deposits with the residents pay card. Resident cannot work
for a relative or Turning Point resident without prior approval from the Director. If too
sick to work, resident must stay on the property other than going directly to the doctor
and straight home. A doctor’s note stating the diagnosis and when the resident can
return to work is required on all doctor visits. A doctor’s visit is required on the second
consecutive day that a resident misses work. If resident misses more than 3 days of
excused or unexcused work within any 30-day period, it is grounds for
discharge. Residents come home from work each day before going to meetings with
other residents as a team.
14. Privileges with the preferred sex are earned based on progress. Until receiving consent
from the director there are no phone calls, exchanging phone numbers, letters, visiting,
riding in cars, or being alone with the opposite preferred. Sexual comments, flirting
behavior, and any more than brief interaction with the opposite sex are
prohibited. Consideration for approval with no guarantee of approval for new
relationships can be earned after verifying completion of the tenth step. Violation of any
part may result in discharge.
15. New residents may have their electronic devices between the hours of 7:00am-6:00pm
for employment. Resident may have their phone full time after the following
requirements are met:
 Resident must be at Turning Point for 30 days
 Complete the 3rd step with a sponsor
 Current on all fees.
Residents enabling other residents to make unapproved cell phone calls will lose the
cell phone privilege. Also, after the 5th step residents may be approved to get piercings
or a tatoo at a reputable tatoo studio. Residents are prohibited from giving or receiving
piercings or tatoos from other residents.
16. Guests must be approved in advance by the Director for each visit and a staff member
must be present during all visits. There will be a 2-hour maximum imposed time limit to
visits. Immediate adult family members and pre-existing significant others that are not
considered to be counterproductive to recovery by the director are strongly encouraged
to attend a house meeting within one week of admission for orientation and to
determine the frequency of future contact, if any i.e. phone, visits, and passes.
Approved guests are allowed in common areas of the house only. No guests are
allowed in bedrooms. No type of sexual conduct is allowed. You may sit side by
side. No lying down, sitting in laps, or any other type of physical contact is allowed
during visitation. No sitting in parked cars or outdoors. Hugs of the AA/NA nature are
allowed.
17. A chore list will be posted weekly. Chores are to be done daily and must be checked
and signed off by the House Manager. Residents are responsible for keeping their own
area tidy. Beds must be made each morning. Nothing on the floors but shoes & nothing
on the beds but linens. Everything else is to be put away. No food or drink in
bedrooms. Each person is responsible for washing their own dishes at the time they
are used.
18. Pornographic materials are grounds for immediate discharge. For the purpose of
Turning Point’s Spiritual Environment, pornographic material includes any type of
nudity.
19. Profanity in the presence of the opposite sex, children, and/or guests is prohibited.
20. Support Team System means doing together what we could not do alone. Residents
run together supporting each other. After completing the twelfth step, resident is
required to sign in/out, make curfew, and turn in a meeting sheet each week as long as
they are not behind on their fees. There will be a consequence of $20 if the resident
fails to comply with the sign in/out sheet. Resident must still stay in close contact with
staff so we know the location of resident at all times. Also, resident must return to the
house immediately following work. They may then sign out again. Unless approved
verbally by the Director.
21. Church/religious services is optional and new residents may attend with pre-approved
staff members. Senior residents may attend the church/religious services of their choice
after completing the 12th step and after demonstrating that they are not using church to
manipulate fraternization.
22. Additional and separate rules are based on individual’s history or performance at
Directors discretion.
23. Cost- $410.00 admission fee is due upon admission and $195 per week there after.
$27.86/day with the actual amount of $45.71 per night administrative cost to be billed
once per week in advance at $195.00 Administrative fees include a furnished room,
utilities, phone, & use of washer/dryer. Turning Point does not provide food, linens, or
household items; however, we do have extra bed linen for those in need. Fees are due
on residents’ payday and is applied on Friday. Residents are required to come straight
home from work on payday and Manager is required to be there to collect. Fees are
paid from check to check (weekly, every 2 weeks, twice per month or monthly.) If you
are behind on your fees, you must physically hand any type of check or pay/debit card
received directly to the manager. The manager will cash your pay check and you will
keep 20% until your fees are brought current. Manager will keep any pay/debit card in
his/her possession until the rent is current. If resident receives any cash from any
source, he/she must bring 80% of your pay to the manager. The Director must approve
odd jobs in advance. Waiters/waitresses are to provide food sales reports for each
shift.
24. No debt shall be incurred between any residents or with guests. This includes loans and
sales.
25. Attitude of gratitude is required. Dishonesty, Undermining, and Enabling are grounds for
immediate discharge. Bad mouthing of Turning Point, staff, or any other recovery
organization will not be tolerated. Turning Point problems should be discussed in house
meetings. Enabling another resident to break a rule may have the same consequences
as breaking the rule. Love former residents that were non-compliant from distance – no
contact until further notice by the director. Violation of any part of this rule could result
in discharge.
26. Transportation is the resident’s responsibility. Turning Point can assist with a discount
on bus passes and day labor sources to help obtain money for bus passes or gas
money when riding with other residents that are approved to have a car. All vehicles
must be approved in advance by the director. Consideration for approval with no
guarantee of approval for one vehicle per resident can be earned after verification of
completion of the third step with a sponsor if not approved upon admission as in some
cases. Possession of a vehicle is prohibited without a valid drivers license and
insurance policy. No vehicle repairs on the property for the purpose of resale, income,
or personal gain
27. Lost or stolen property is not the responsibility of Turning Point at any time regardless of
what anyone says or does.
28. Residents that have completed 12 steps with a sponsor and are current with their rent
are trusted to follow all the rules on their own until proven different and will use a sign
in/out sheet.
29. If resident leaves or is discharged, there are no refunds. Any property left behind will be
outside for 24 hours and then disposed of. Non-compliant residents will not be allowed
to re-enter the house. All residents must immediately file a change of address with
creditors and anyone who may be sending future mail. All mail is returned to sender
after a resident leaves. NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule.
30. Up on completion of the 12 steps prior to receiving your Turning Point watch you must
have completed at least 3 service commitments to be verified by their sponsor.