Retrospective Cohort Study of The Lovelady Center: A large Faith-Based Residential Recovery Program for Women with Substance Use Disorders in the USA

The Lovelady Center in Birmingham, Alabama, is one of the largest residential faith-based recovery programs in the USA for women with substance use disorders and coincident histories of incarceration and/or physical and/or sexual abuse, without the aid of medication-assisted treatment. Presented herein are retrospective analyses of 380 clients within two cohorts for periods of 12 and 24 months, and of 117 respondents to a follow-up questionnaire at 34 months. Cohort I consists of 232 clients (37.6 years' average age) in Phases I through V of the program. Linear regression revealed that the graduation rate (program completion) at 12 months was linear and directly proportional from Phase I to V. The all-cause mortality rate at 24 months revealed that 3.45% of Cohort I clients died. Cohort II consists of 148 previous graduates of the program (39.6 years' average age) who had remained in residence, of whom only 1.35% died within 24 months. A questionnaire completed at 34 months assessed sobriety, sleep, and faith-based parameters. The length of stay was a key predictor of successful completion of the rigorous program with coincident sobriety. The all-cause mortality rate was reduced among those who completed the holistic program.