Pegasus House

  Pegasus House
482 Lowell Street
Lawrence, MA 01840
PHONE (978) 687-4257

Pegasus House is a Residential Treatment and Recovery Services program for Transitional Age Youth and Young Adults (TAYYA) established in 1985 to provide comprehensive Alcohol, Opioids, and other Drug treatment to females between the ages of 18-25. The length of stay is based on individual need. Pegasus House offers a safe, contained environment where TAYYA are exposed to a structured milieu that reinforces a culture of recovery and wellbeing, self-help skills, pro-social activities, and skills in an overall youth development framework.

Programming is specific to the needs of an individual’s developmental stage and other expressions of culture (e.g. race, ethnicity, language, LGBTQ identity, etc.). Services are intended to address substance use among young adults and the associated problems, challenges, and obstacles which prevent young people from living successfully in the community. Pegasus House provides comprehensive alcohol and other drug residential treatment and recovery support for young people and their families, supports residents in developing the skills necessary to function effectively in the community, promotes and supports education opportunities and/or employment skill development, facilitates access to community-based services, and fosters engagement with the recovery community. Pegasus House helps TAYYA develop longer-term planning and goal setting skills, while also working towards short-term, attainable goals. Pegasus House emphasizes task mastery (e.g. daily living skills, education/job readiness, developing healthy relationships, etc.) that supports a TAYYA development framework.

Pegasus House incorporates The Stages of Change Model and Motivational Interviewing which support identifying and meeting people where they are at in their developmental and personal change processes and helping them move in the direction of improved health and recovery. With increases in opioid use among the TAYYA population, utilizing medicated assisted treatment (MAT), such as Methadone, Suboxone, and Vivitrol, is an option. Resources and support around MAT are available.

Treatment Elements include:

Assessment and Treatment Matching

Comprehensive, Integrated Treatment Approach

Family Involvement in Treatment

Developmentally Appropriate Program

Engage and Retain TAYYA in Treatment

Qualified Staff

Gender and Cultural Competence

Continuing Care

Treatment Outcomes

Daily activities are designed to facilitate resident participation and interaction within the community and to promote their recovery. The daily programming includes individual and group counseling. Topics covered include, but are not limited to, relapse prevention and recovery maintenance, phases of recovery, effective communication and boundaries, impact of addiction on families, anger management/positive coping, goals, feelings, mindfulness/self-esteem, stress reduction, nutrition, tobacco/nicotine cessation, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infection, viral hepatitis, and other topics related to wellness.

Family engagement is an essential component of the TAYYA Residential Recovery Program at Pegasus House. Family sessions include significant family members including parents or significant adult mentors as defined by the resident. Other significant adults may also be included, such as grandparent, other relative, or any adult who may support the young adult with their aftercare and ongoing recovery support plan upon discharge. Aftercare planning is also an integral part of treatment and is initiated at the time of admission and continued throughout treatment.

Social activities are important. Besides trips into the community, Pegasus House residents enjoy volleyball and basketball in the remarkable yard as well as art therapy inside the studio located on the premises.

Pegasus House is committed to engaging and serving persons with co-occurring mental health disorders, trauma informed care, and opioid overdose prevention.

Donna Kivlin, Program Director

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