Information to Help You Prepare For Your Stay at Sharp McDonald Center

What to Expect During Your Stay
We are proud that you are choosing to embrace recovery and welcome you to the Sharp McDonald Center. This brief description will provide you with a better idea of what to expect during your stay with us. We will provide you more detailed information when you arrive for your assessment. We are here to help you.

Within your first few days of treatment, you will have several interviews with registered nurses, therapists and physicians in order for us to gain a deeper understanding of how addiction has impacted your life. These assessments will also provide us with a foundation for developing your individualized treatment plan and personalized recovery goals.

We will ask that you follow our daily schedule while you are in treatment. The importance of establishing a structured daily schedule cannot be overstated. Such seemingly little things as getting to bed at a reasonable hour, eating normal meals and attending to personal hygiene are often neglected in addiction. The relearning of normal habits of living by taking care of such details as making your bed each morning and keeping your room tidy, getting up and eating a healthy breakfast, are among the first steps in bringing order to what may have become disorderly in your life.

The type of treatment you can expect to receive at Sharp McDonald Center consists of lectures on the nature of both addiction and recovery, group therapy, case management services, relapse prevention, family education, recreational groups, assertiveness training and education on dealing with problems common to addicts and alcoholics. We will ask that you engage in therapeutic task assignments to help reinforce daily structure and participate in discussion sessions and aftercare groups. During your stay, you will also be exposed to outside support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and/or SMART meetings which will be an important aspect of your continued recovery when you are discharged.

Packing for Treatment
As you prepare for your stay at the Sharp McDonald Center, the list below will help guide you on what items to bring. Please note that all items are subject to review by the Sharp McDonald Center staff. The Sharp McDonald Center Plant Operation Services inspects and approves all electrical items. In addition, Sharp McDonald Center has laundry facilities on-site, therefore laundry detergent will be provided for you.

You may find it helpful to use the printer option listed at the top of this page to print this packing list for your convenience.

What to bring:
____ Modest street clothing for one week only
____ One pair of closed-toed shoes
____ Exercise clothing and athletic shoes
____ Curling iron/blow dryer
____ One pair of pajamas, one robe, one pair of shower shoes
____ Toothpaste and toothbrush
____ Deodorant (non-aerosol)
____ Comb/brush
____ Makeup and feminine hygiene products
____ Personal identification (driver's license or passport) and insurance card
____ No more than $20 cash with you (preferably as one dollar bills)
____ Current prescriptions/medications to be taken during treatment
____ Shaving items
____ Shampoo, conditioner
____ Body wash/soap

Other items you may consider bringing:
____ Stationery, stamps and envelopes
____ Pens, pencils and notepad
____ One book for reading pleasure*
____ A picture of family and or friends
____ One small personal handset with headphones that is a CD or MP3 player without Wi-Fi, camera or recording capabilities**

*This is for personal use during non-programming hours only. Non-programming hours are between the hours of 9:15 to 11:00 pm.
**Cell phone use is discouraged in order to allow you to acclimate to the program. During your time in treatment your cell phone will be securely stored.

What not to bring to treatment:
____ Any item with alcohol listed in the first three ingredients
____ Clothing or items reflecting drugs, explicit images or language
____ Electronic devices that have Internet, telephone or photographic or recording capabilities (examples include, but not limited to, iPads and iPod Touch)
____ Weapons of any kind or any sharp object
____ Illegal substances or alcohol
____ Electronic cigarettes, rolling papers, cigars or pipes
____ Candles/incense
____ Personal movies
____ Non-prescription (over-the-counter) medication such as Advil, Tylenol, creams, etc.
____ Food or beverages
____ Chewable candy, suckers and gum
____ Personal computers or computer equipment