EIKOS is a psychiatric community residence which provides an integrated array of services for people with mental illness who need a group home setting:
Room:
- Two lovely large houses and several apartments near the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, in the Cleveland Circle and Coolidge Corner areas of Boston.
- Singles or doubles with compatible housemates
- Ability to accommodate both independent clients and those needing more staff and structure
Board:
- Delicious, nutritious home cooked meals in the main house on Commonwealth Avenue -- breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack - available for residents of all houses
- Assistance with special diets (for diabetes, cholesterol, weight control, etc.)
- Alternative meal plan: shopping, cooking and eating independently with housemates
Internal Day Program
- Welcoming, flexible, focused on inclusion, building warm relationships among residents and creating a climate of success
- Includes daily morning meeting, morning groups, lunch, afternoon and early evening groups, weekend groups
- Full participation in up to 25 groups/week, or pick and choose as many or as few groups as you wish
- "Topic" groups such as arts, discussion, recovery, laundry, exercise, "Strategies for Success"
- "Constituency" groups: women, men, young adults, mature adults, smoking cessation etc.
- Weekly trips to movies, malls, swimming, museums, etc.
Medication Administration
Each resident has a personal psychiatrist outside of EIKOS who prescribes medication
- Staff trained and certified by DPH/DDS/DMH Medication Administration Program
- Department of Mental Health and Department of Public Health reviewed and licensed medication system for filling, storing, administering and tracking all medications
- Ongoing consultation with prescribing physicians
Counseling:
Each EIKOS resident has at least one staff member who is his or her counselor or advisor and meets with him or her at least once a week, sometimes almost daily- All staff trained in supportive counseling with ongoing supervision
- Ad hoc coaching and counseling available almost all the time
House Meetings, Community Meetings and Celebrations
- House coordinator meets weekly with members of each household
- Monday Community Meetings led by the Executive Director include all EIKOS residents from all houses followed by community dinner
- Celebrations: Cookouts, special celebrations of Hanukkah, Christmas, Easter etc.
Treatment Planning
- Program specific treatment plan for each resident
- High degree of individualization for wide variety of needs, ages, abilities
Liaison Work:
- Executive Director, Program Director and Chief Counselor act as bridges and sensitive liaisons
- Liaison work includes family, therapists, doctors, special services, employers, legal system, schools etc.
Back on Track - 6 Month Program
We have recently added a new six month EIKOS program -- Back on Track -- designed for individuals when they need to take a break from school or work to do the exploration, growth and rebuilding they find necessary.- The program is designed to create success from the start by helping you break isolation; create new routines; and realistically re-evaluate your needs, hopes and goals. You will learn to experience life as a more confident individual, rebuilding your competence in social interaction.
- In the first month we establish your internal and external team and get started; during months 2-4 we are all hard at work discovering new strengths and challenges while implementing your individual plan; the last six weeks are devoted to implementing strategies you can continue to use as you transition out of EIKOS.
- Together we will address goal clarification and symptom management, building a network and a set of habits that you will take with you, medication stabilization and refinement, family involvement, socialization, nutrition, exercise, job or school readiness.
- In six months you can see the results, feel the benefits, and get back on track. Let us know if this is of special interest!