Alcohol, Drug, and Addiction Inpatient Program

The Alcohol, Drug, and Addiction Inpatient Program is located on the Belmont campus, on the first floor of Proctor House. For more information on directions, parking, and local accommodations, please visit our Maps & Directions page.

Patients stay at the program between four and six days on average. Inpatient stays are brief and focus on acute stabilization and management of crises and psychiatric illness.

Aftercare planning begins immediately upon admission. Patient discharge time is generally between noon and 2pm. Room assignments are based on clinical necessity.

Visitors are permitted, following program policies. Visiting hours are 2-8pm, seven days a week.

Please speak to the patient’s treatment team for more information. Additional details can be found on the Visitors page.

The unit nurses station can be reached at 617.855.2771. Patient phone numbers are 617.855.3126 and 617.855.2369.

Electronic devices, including cell phones, computers, pagers, and tablets, are not permitted. To respect the privacy of all patients, photographic equipment or recording devices of any kind are not allowed.

To ensure patient safety, the following items are not allowed on the unit: alcoholic beverages, drugs/medications, plastic bags, weapons, knives or other sharp objects, matches/lighters, glass bottles, mirrors, and glass picture frames.

Patients are not allowed to use personal razors. Unit staff can provide patients with a razor if needed.

Patients are greeted by unit staff, and a nurse completes an assessment. To maintain a drug-free environment, the patient and their belongings are searched. A metal detector may be used.

Checks

A staff person is assigned to check on each individual every five to 15 minutes on a 24-hour basis.

Smoking

The Alcohol, Drug, and Addiction Inpatient Program is a nonsmoking environment. No exceptions. Patients can ask their doctor or nurse for nicotine replacement.

Possessions

Patients are advised to keep valuables to a minimum when they come for admission.

Items over $100 in value are sent to Security for safekeeping until discharge. Wallets and other items are kept with the patient during their admission. If patients do not need access to these items, they can be sent to Security.

Dress Code

Men and women live together. Everyone must dress modestly and appropriately to the situation. Clothing with alcohol/drug/gambling product names or logos is inappropriate. Sunglasses and hats cannot be worn while on the unit.

Unit Permissions

The following are the patient permission levels. Levels (going off the unit) is permitted on hospital grounds only.

Level 1 (hall restrict): Patients must stay on the unit.

Medically ill patients and patients who are withdrawing from substances may be restricted if they are deemed medically unstable. Patients are welcome to get fresh air on our porch. It is open from dawn to dusk, barring severe weather or safety concerns.

Level 2 (off unit with staff): For activities such as AA and NA meetings and three daily walks.

These walks are used for fresh air, going to the cafeteria, or at times just to sit outside in the nice weather.

Wake-Up Times

Daily vital signs and treatment team meetings start around 7:45am.

Meal Times

• Breakfast: 8-8:45am
• Lunch: 12-12:45pm, 1:30-2:15pm on Saturday
• Dinner: 5-6pm

Treatment Team Meetings

These occur each morning.

Groups

Patients are responsible for getting to groups on time. To make the most of everyone’s group therapy experiences, please make every effort to take care of showering, phone calls, and personal matters in advance of group times.

Bedtime

To promote healthy sleeping patterns, patients are encouraged to retire before 11:30pm. Quiet time on the unit is 11:30pm to 7:30am.

Unit staff are available to answer additional questions. More information may also be found in McLean’s patient guides, including Guide to Arriving at McLean Hospital. Paper copies are available upon request.

Patients may also find this video about our admission process a helpful way to understand how it works. Watch now.