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 an 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.  
6. 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.  
7. 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 residents from working the steps with a Sponsor from the AA Big Book or NA  Basic Text. 
8. 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 the same as above.  
9. 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.  
10. Curfew is 10:30 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, residents 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. Residents cannot leave for pass without final approval from  Director via Manager. Failure to comply is grounds for discharge.  
11. 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.  
12. 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. Residents may not start or change jobs  without the 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 the manager will verify direct deposits with the residents pay card. Residents cannot work  for a relative or Turning Point resident without prior approval from the Director. If too  sick to work, residents 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 a 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 tattoo at a reputable tattoo studio. Residents are prohibited from giving or receiving  piercings or tattoos 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, residents are  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. Residents must still stay in close contact with  staff so we know the location of residents at all times. Also, residents must return to the  house immediately following work. They may then sign out again. Unless approved  verbally by the Director.  
20. Church/religious services are 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.  
21. Additional and separate rules are based on an individual’s history or performance at  Directors discretion.  
22. Cost- $460.00 admission fee is due upon admission and $220 per week there after.  $31.43/day with the actual amount of $51.43 per night administrative cost to be billed  once per week in advance at $220.00 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 are applied on Friday. Residents are required to come straight  home from work on payday and the 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 your pay card to the manager. The manager will keep any pay/debit card in  his/her possession until the rent is current. If a 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 a 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. Upon 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.