At GROW, we offer a range of programs to support people with mental ill-health. One of our standout programs is the Residential Rehabilitation Program which we run out of the GROW Residential Community in Hoxton Park south-west Sydney.

The residential facility offers recovery and rehabilitation services to individuals first and foremost with mental health issues. On assessment, if they present with the co-morbidity of alcohol and/or drug addiction (AOD), known as a dual diagnosis, we are then able to treat both issues within our facility.

Our service delivery is based on peer-led support groups and residential rehabilitation services for both recovery from, and prevention of mental ill-health. The GROW Residential Community provides a safe space where people can recover both their mental and physical health, their belief in their own personal value, learn to live in community with others, develop their leadership skills and establish habits that will support their transition to a full and purposeful life.

The Grow Program is the foundation of all that occurs in the Residential Community. The commitment of our staff and the lived experiences of residents and Growers are the key resources that demonstrate the Grow Program philosophy. All the daily activities are designed to activate the proven features of recovery as developed by Grow over more than 60 years.

Demand for dual diagnosis services is high, but the dual diagnosis population is poorly serviced because many residential rehabilitation services focus on either mental ill-health or AOD – not on both. Both mental health and AOD rehabilitation services are dealing with high needs populations – when mental ill-health and AOD are combined, those needs are even higher, and far more complicated. The Residential Rehabilitation program has been successfully providing a structured rehabilitation service for people with coexisting drug, alcohol, and mental health issues for more than 30 years, with residents staying for up to one year.

Over the past 12 months, the Residential Program has had more than 520 people make contact about entering the program. We have an ongoing wait list with more than 100 people who have registered their interest since March.

Since mid-March, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the centre was placed in lockdown and had its intake suspended, but throughout that period our occupancy remained relatively high – few people left. With the easing of restrictions in NSW, we have begun to accept new residents and expect to soon be back to 100% occupancy. We have had 75 residents enter the program since 1 July 2019.

Over the years GROW has helped thousands of Australians recover from addiction and severe mental illness through a unique 12 Step Program of mutual support and personal development.
The Residential Program is focused on helping the residents help themselves and each other by building a mentally, emotionally, and physically new and positive future.

The Residential Program utilises the Therapeutic Community model of treatment – helping clients help themselves and each other. There is a focus on the whole person and overall positive lifestyle changes through activities, interaction, education, and participation. The program treats individuals with personalised support by adopting a holistic and stepped care approach towards recovery.

One resident, when asked about the Residential Rehabilitation Community had this to say:
“I have been in the program for 11 months. One of the things that kept me going and helped me to get to where I am is the Group Method in a supportive therapeutic community. Mutual help is very special as well and we all have a common understanding with each other. Additionally, credit should go to the staff at GROW. They are above and beyond in an empathetic way to guide myself and my fellow Growers to restore order in our lives. My keyworker and other staff have helped me so much in my recovery which I am very grateful for.”

For more information visit the Programs page.