Anderson House – Whitehouse Station

Anderson House has a model proven to work. Currently, 76% of last year's graduates are clean, sober, and employed one year from graduation.

I went here a few years ago for help. I got help in the form of the staff trying to use fear and intimidation to "scare you straight." Every Tuesday is clinical day, if your name is called at the end, you got reamed out… for some things that were at the most, annoying, that the main counselor, Helen aka Satan, did not like. If you have a family that is successful and you happen to be an addict, don't associate with this place. She (Helen, especially) has it out for any woman who has had more opportunities than her. She is verbally and mentally abusive. The director Jan does nothing about it. They used to be United Way, but I'm sure after Numerous complaints they had to find different funding. Helen also heads the family counseling session, where she accomplishes absolutely nothing except for a tearful goodbye when they leave. She bashes each family member and goes into things highly inappropriate. Highly inappropriate. I cannot stress this enough. This place also forces each woman to sign up for Medicaid. I had private insurance when I went, but was forced to sign up for Medicaid and Food stamps???? They take your food stamps, decide what doctors you can and can't see, force you to go to "their" OBGYN. They also have a history of bed bugs, so get ready to have ALL your things thrown and shrunk in their dryer by Marie! (one of the somewhat decent RA's) When you get a job, they take your pay checks, if you are caught holding even a little money - you're out the door! They will keep you there right before six months and then throw you out, if not- be ready to go stay at one of their sober houses. If you are honest with them about anything, it makes things worse. What type of place makes someone trying to recover addiction issues feel like lying is their best option when faced with a question? Anderson House does! They have a VERY high turnover rate and that's because they get paid every time a new girl comes in! Turning Point now gets a kickback from them. If you love your mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, etc... Do her a favor and if you have to send her to a state funded place... Send her to Crawford House, where they have a mentally stable staff. I was "thrown out (literally)" of Anderson house because I had computers at my job. Literally, that is the reason. They want you to not be able to contact the outside world. if you are presentable enough to get a normal job while there, DO IT.... If not, you'll end up at Bakers Treat, cooking pastries all day with the girls you see 24/7. They spy on one another and use ammo against one another. It's nice to not work with anyone from he house, it allows you to feel like a "normal" person who doesn't have to return to a house where they have anxiety through the roof every night. Another thing, they force you to use the Link. Hunterdon County's transportation system for the physically disabled. How much more degrading can a place get? If you are unlucky enough to have a snow day, the staff WONT drive you to work and leaves you with little options. Lose my job? Or call a close family member for a ride? Thanks, I'll keep my job and call a family member (all this done knowing that clinical Tuesday I would get screamed at by 6 angry old women on how I'm codependent) my argument back for that was: are we learning to call in sick to our jobs on snow days or are we acting like adults and Doing whatever is necessary to get to and from the things you threaten we do? I'll be the adult. It's a very backwards place. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. You get family visits on Sunday's for a few hours crammed in the living room, with every other girls family. Did I mention Helen took away my family Phone calls and visits for two months at a time? She is the type of person that if you're crying and pleading for help, she smiles in your face and shuts the door. She tries to get a reaction out of everyone (I'm shocked to hear no one has assaulted her yet. She really does get off on tormenting the already distressed.) Do your loved ones a favor and send them elsewhere.