Sponsored Facility
Foundation House
160 Preble Street, Portland, Maine, 04101
Addicts often imagine a life of sobriety as lacking the adventure and thrill they were used to while in the thrall of drugs and alcohol. The Foundation House program is specifically designed to remove that stigma. We introduce residents to a life that surpasses their expectations by opening their minds to the rich opportunities found in sobriety.
Finding the right fit between the individual and their program of recovery is the first step to success. At Foundation House, we work with clients whose needs align with our core beliefs, clinical experience, physical environment and programmatic philosophy. Our unique blend of trust, freedom and support engages our residents in the process of healing and helps them rebuild their lives in a real-world setting.
“Foundation House is not a program, it’s an opportunity.”
— Foundation House Resident
Our typical length of stay varies from six months to one year, depending on a resident’s needs. During that time, we guide clients through the process of building a foundation for recovery, setting goals for the future, and preparing for a life of sober independence. Foundation House programming is designed to provide residents with a diverse platform of experiences and new habits that reinforce a fun and dignified life in sobriety.
Our program incorporates a fully licensed Intensive Outpatient Program. Clients receive a minimum of nine clinical hours each week through various groups, weekly individual therapy and 12 Step studies.
Our long list of offerings also includes gym memberships, yoga, cooking classes, holistic health lessons, a float spa, woodworking, travel, volunteer programs and sports leagues. We keep our residents busy, but surround their structured time with freedom and autonomy
Each resident achieves personal goals in recovery differently and an individual’s treatment plan and timeline will depend on their own unique circumstances. After the initial six to nine weeks, residents begin to look for part or full-time work, enroll in local universities to pursue a degree, or simply re-enter their academic studies by taking a few classes. Our team assists in the process of finding a job, building a resume, enrolling in classes, and maintaining balance between these new activities and the primary goal of sustained sobriety.
By the end of a resident’s stay at Foundation House, he has found stability in daily life, is able to practice personal accountability and is equipped to begin a life of independence. Graduates begin to integrate into our Alumni Program and we assist in the process of finding housing in Portland, planning a move home, going back to school or transitioning to a step-down program of their choice.
It is essential that residents’ commitment to Foundation House be matched by our own. Every minute of every day is an opportunity to find a moment of impact and insight. From making the bed, to making amends – we are with them every step of the way.
Facility Highlights
- Masters level clinicians
- Small caseloads
- Family therapy
- Educational guidance
- Wilderness program
- 120-acre equine ranch
- Athletic leagues
- Alumni community
- Annual international trips
Specialization
Relapse Prevention
In early recovery it is imperative to bring consciousness to the learned behaviors and impulsive or destructive patterns that have lead to use or relapse in the past. We teach our residents to create the tools and responses necessary to keep them away from a drink or a drug rather those that harm their health and happiness. By practicing and developing new patterns we begin to break old habits and help build a life that is free from deep-rooted process of self-destruction. Our methodology employs an experiential approach that identifies difficult emotional, physical and spiritual moments and transforms association to the feeling of discomfort.Community & Supportive Living
When a young man is given the freedom to begin to build a life in recovery it is essential that this new level of independence be matched with a supportive community. Our environment and our houses are not separated by age, length of stay or program stage. This allows an individual the greatest opportunity to connect with his peers and find a home in our community. The lasting relationships created in our homes and within our program are fundamental in the transition to a life of full independence.Process Abuse Treatment
Not all addictions involve mood-altering chemicals. The term “process addiction” describes the unhealthy use of behaviors (including eating, gambling, sexual activity, shopping, internet use, etc.) that has spiraled out of control and into the realm of addiction.Dual Diagnosis/Co-occurring Disorders Treatment
These two terms describe a person who is not only addicted to drugs or alcohol, but also has a mental or emotional illness, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, etc. Facilities that treat patients with dual-diagnosis or co-occurring disorders provide psychiatric treatment in addition to drug and alcohol rehabilitation services.
Facility Settings
- Residential Neighborhood
- Mountains
- Wilderness
Meet the Staff
Patrick BabcockFounder, CEO and Executive DirectorPatrick opened Foundation House in 2002 to pay forward his experience in recovery for young men battling alcoholism and chemical dependency. With more than 24 years of joyful and continued sobriety, Patrick has helped hundreds of men live free from addiction and taught them to embrace a clean and sober way of life. At Foundation House, Patrick has created an environment that teaches residents not just how to get sober, but how to stay sober through a practical and holistic approach to the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. His primary gift is connecting with residents and their families to help them adopt healthy lives and relationships. Patrick’s introduction to AA and recovery began in 1988. Through inpatient and extended care programs, he has experienced first-hand what works – and what doesn’t – in helping young men to lead successful, sober lives and to grow their kinship with family, friends and work colleagues. Patrick continues to expand Foundation House’s mission of helping young men live life on life’s terms, while also giving back to his community through Foundation House volunteerism and charitable contributions. Patrick holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Fordham University’s College of Business Administration in New York City. He has trained under licensed alcohol and chemical dependency professionals since 2001, specializing in motivational interviewing, PTSD, cognitive behavioral therapy and life skills mentorship. Patrick credits his motivational and leadership techniques to studying those of his father; football coaches Vince Lombardi and Bill Belichick; UCLA basketball coach John Wooden; Greg Varley and Geraldine Owen Delaney, formerly of Alina Lodge in New Jersey; and his sixth-grade math teacher Mike Michaelson. Patrick live in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, with his daughter Lula, son Bodhi, and dog Maddy. Patrick enjoys scuba diving, skiing, live concerts, the practices of Buddhism, travel, everything about Portland, Maine, the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. A native New Yorker, he remains a New York Rangers fan.
William HutchinsonGeneral ManagerWill began his career in the financial district in Stamford, Conn., after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Vermont’s Grossman School of Business. Following an internship with the fixed-income trading firm Greenwich Capital Markets, “Hutch” went on to hold positions in equities, fixed-income and commodities at the Royal Bank of Scotland and Gerald Metals, Inc. Now the Foundation House General Manager, Will’s primary focus is running our program’s day-to-day operations. A hockey player since age three, he has skated across Canada and the U.S. and strives to use hockey as a platform for team building. As a captain of many AAA and state championship winning teams, Will is familiar with the importance of a galvanizing a team to produce the most effective results. When not at work or on the rink, Will is an avid skier, golfer and live music enthusiast.
Michael Eng, MDMedical DirectorDr. Michael Eng is a board-certified Anatomic and Clinical Pathologist, and he credits this for teaching him the importance of institutional policy and attention to detail. For 20 years in pathology practice, he oversaw the processing and reporting of all tissue specimens that moved through Central Maine Healthcare, and personally directed the laboratories at Bridgton and Rumford Hospitals. In leaving pathology, Dr. Eng was called to respond to the devastating effects that addiction and substance abuse have taken on a generation. In working with Foundation House, he will be part of a more inspired and integrative approach to recovery of health and discovery of purpose as he doesn’t believe Medication Assisted Treatment is the the best option. Dr. Eng’s family has run Camp Wigwam for Boys in Waterford, ME since 1965. He was a camper and counselor for 17 years and is currently camp doctor. Dr. Eng credits camp for teaching him pride in community. Dr. Eng trained for a year in Positive Psychology at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, where he also learned to teach YogaDance. He finds working with addiction incredibly rewarding and demanding, both personally and professionally.
Hank Talbot, LCSW, LADCPrimary TherapistHank started his work in the addiction field in 1984, working in an open ward detoxification unit in Holyoke Massachusetts. In 1985, Hank returned to school and earned both his undergraduate degree and his master’s in social work (MSW) from Springfield College. He is independently licensed, holding both an LCSW and LADC 1 in both the states of Maine and Massachusetts. Hank has worked in every facet of the treatment continuum, both in the public and private sectors. His body of work includes a diversity of positions as a program coordinator and director, primary therapist and supervisor, business development advocate, and clinical and contract oversight lead of several multi-state systems. Since 2011, Hank’s focus has been on working with individuals and families affected by addiction and dependency issues in his private practice located in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Hank’s personal recovery started in 1982 in his home town of Springfield Massachusetts. He has been married to his wife Noreen for more than 32 years and has five children and two grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, hiking, running, and spending time with his family. “Growing up, I spent a lot of time in Maine working and playing on my grandparents and aunt and uncle’s dairy farms in the Kennebunk area. Coming to work for Foundation House is like coming home for me. Maine has always been a magical, healing, and safe place for me. Coming from a terribly dark and painful place, desperation drove me into recovery in 1982, but my gratitude for the gifts of recovery has kept me here for more than 36 years. I was trained and worked as a fire fighter prior to coming into recovery and I am incredibly grateful for the skills I’ve developed, and the privilege I am afforded, to provide a life-line to individuals and families to lead them from the maelstrom of dependence to the freedom of recovery.”