By Anne DiBernardo - Florida Catholic
Second in a two-part series. See related stories:
- Prayer, politics and opioids
- Battling opioids in South Florida
- From addiction to sobriety, via faith and grace
- A son’s addiction, a mother’s sorrow
MIAMI | St. Luke’s Center, operated by Catholic Charities, is currently the only program of its kind within the Archdiocese of Miami.
Located just a block away from St. Mary Cathedral in Miami, St. Luke’s is a community-oriented, specialized, and evidence-based addiction recovery treatment program for adults with alcohol and/or drug addiction who may also have a co-occurring mental health diagnosis. The program provides assessment, outpatient, and short-term residential treatment for 30 or more days.
Admission is open to anyone but right now the wait list is quite long, said Sandra Valdes, program director at St. Luke’s. “Because of the opioid crisis more people are eligible for a 90-day treatment,” she explained, noting the program is smaller, with a more personal approach, and this limits the number of clients.
St. Luke’s Center is listed on the South Florida Behavioral Health Network. If a bed is not available, they can recommend an outpatient program in the interim, said Valdes.
The center collaborates with St. John Vianney Seminary, which sends two seminarians to the center to learn more about the program and be available to clients. Clients are also directed to support groups such as Narcotics Anonymous and AA due to their longevity, structure, and proven success.
Although there has been no long-term study, the success rate for St. Luke’s is high for clients who complete it. But that success also depends on other factors such as clients’ motivation, readiness, support system, and other socio-economic considerations.
“It is a life-changing process,” Valdes said.
