Solid Rock Christian Ministries St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, Florida | See other Florida rehab reviews

4128 28th St. N.
St. Petersburg, Florida 33714

Interviews from Shari, Carla, Kate
Why did you choose this facility?
Shari: I Chose a Faith Base Rehab and yes was court ordered to enter and complete ANY rehab facility.
Carla: I chose this facility for the price, location, and the fact that it was faith based.
Kate: I was awaiting a court date on a drug offense, and I wanted to go to rehab before the judge came up with something worse. I was also very close to death due to drug addiction, and I had no choice but to seek help. A close friend had just admitted himself at solid rock, and after I watched the testimonies they had posted on their website, I quit looking elsewhere. Vulnerable and desperate, I hastily chose to admit myself into solid rock's 28 day program.

Tell us about the experience - was it positive or negative?
Shari: I would highly recommend Solid Rock Christian Recovery For ANY type of addiction. They provide excellent tools to work with and and teach you how to use them.It was a Positive expierience all the way.
Carla: Very, very, very negative!!! I have been to two other rehab facilities in a another state, and they were not faith based. I have had alcohol issues for years, but more recently, my issues were coupled with depression. An extremely long and nasty divorce, family problems, and a very recent choice of adoption for my daughter are the reasons I chose Solid Rock. I did do many hours of research, and thought that what Solid Rock had to offer was just what I needed. One of the Facility employees picked me from the airport, and first impressions were not good. But, I thought that it was my problem, being nervous being in a whole new environment, 1,700 miles from home, friends, and family. There are so many experiences at Solid Rock that my time there awful, no food being provided, air conditioning constantly breaking (in a Florida summer mind you), and lack of recovery classes, to name a few. Also, there was a gang rape that occurred in one of their "safe houses", to a woman resident, by 4 of the male residents, with a live in facilitator present. When the crime came to light, the staff did all they could to hide it, as to not hinder their reputation. The woman involved was my roommate, and men involved were in all the classes, church services, and meetings where I was present, hence I did not feel safe and protected in any shape, way , or form!! Last, but not least, the staff always claimed to have money problems, and the threat of bankruptcy was held over our heads, as if we were a financial burden. Mind you, every residents admission fee was $1500 (or more), and rent was $400 per month. I realize that may not seem like much, but when they pack you in like sardines, and in one apartment they are 5 to 8 residents, simple math shows that they need a CPA on staff. So, at the multiple church services required of you, tithing is pushed so hard that it seemed like desperation. I could write a complete book on the church services they held!! I felt like I was on a prank show and waiting for the camera crew to jump out!! The staff were so hard core, that if you did not worship like they did, jump up and down, cry and bawl, or fall to the ground in convulsions, than were not a true believer in God, and recovery was never going to happen for you, and hell was inevitable. All in all, my time at Solid Rock was nothing short of hell. They completely lied on their website, and on my many phone conversations with different staff members. I do not believe that they truly care about recovery. Residents were never exposed to outside AA or NA meetings, and were discouraged from attending them. Therapy, family, group, or individual, was non-existent. Every staff member were graduates of the "program", lived on the property, and were all involved in relationships or marriages within the congregation. If Solid Rock Ministries is not an occult of sorts, than I don't know what is.
Kate: Though solid rock did provide me a place to dry out, that was the only good that evolved. I had nothing when I got there, just a falling apart car and an identity I was hoping someone would steal. The first 28 days cost $1500 and taught me nothing about...anything, other than religious teachings that were backed up by out of context scriptures. For 28 days I attended all day "recovery in christ" classes mixed with alcoholics anonymous meetings. This was from 8am to 3 or 4, and there were at least 3 "church" services per week that required mandatory attendance. Each service lasted between 2 and 4 hours, which would have been tolerable if the services hadn't been so obnxious and scary. They were a blatant mockery of christianity, in which people who had been smoking crack the day before were cackling like hienas, claiming to be speaking in tongues. During this first 28 days, I was assigned a counselor and a psychiatrist. The counselour only talked about God, which was not the issue I was there to resolve. The psychiatrist prescribed me a daily cocktail of 5 different mental health drugs, two of which were to counteract the negate be effects of the other pills. I could have dealt with that except I knew I would only be eligible for free meds for so long and no one was offering me any advice on how to get a job, or learn how to cope with life like a normal person. The staff encouraged me, a young woman, to request social security benefits for disability, and use my "deteriorated mental state" to ensure my being awarded benefits. Really, this and food stamps, along with rent vouchers and other forms of welfare are how I was encouraged to support myself. Nothing about self- sustanence or growing into a productive member of society. Also. there's a revolving door of self- appointed ministers, none of whom had any formal theological education. After my 28 days was up, I was promptly expected to come up with $600 per month for rent, even though I had been living in a cramped 2bed, 1bath apartment with 5 other women. Oh, and the staff wouldn't let men and women associate, but every single staff member lived on property with their spouse, both of whom had been through the rehab and were now solid rock ministers. Eventually I got kicked out because I made a choice that wasn't the rehab's business and had nothing to do with my recovery. Fortunately, I also had a paper trail, and when I went in front of the judge, she apologized to me for my misfortune, and on behalf of the a wouldnot get from the crook in charge at solid rock.

Do you feel the program was successful?
Shari: Yes, I feel the program is a success. I got a job while in the program. A year later Im doing Marketing and Networking For the entire Pinellas Co. Area for them!
Carla: No, I do not feel that Solid Rock was successful in the way that they wanted to be. I had pre-paid $1500 for the first month, and obeyed all the guidelines for that month. Which included not leaving the property, or any access to the internet. Hence, being from out of state, having no references, no transportation, or connections, I did all that I could to find employment, but to no avail. So, two weeks after my $1500 was spent, they wanted the $400 immediately, and i could not provide, so I was given 4 hours to pack up and leave. Yes, 4 hours. How Christian of them. I am now 9 months sober, without any help form Solid Rock, and lessons learned.
Kate: Not at all. After leaving I found much more affordable and comfortable and safer rehabilitation in a woman's halfway house. I am currently a full time college student with a 3.3 GPA and will be recieving an associate's degree next month- if I had stayed at solid rock I would be login off of government checks at 24.

What advice would you give somebody considering going to this facility?
Shari: Please take it one day at a time ..keep your ears open and stay focused. You will and can pick your self up, brush off and get on the right path that god will lead you to follow. Stay among the postive people not the negative ones
Carla: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!!!
Kate: I strongly recommend small/ inexpensive halfway houses, but research them. Find out whatvhas become of the people who have left, and find out why they left. Check your resources. Many scam rehabs, like solid rock, are put together by former addicts who drain the remainders of the pockets of desperate addicts, only to throw them back on the street when the money runs out. Remember- these people have been the worst criminals and the best liars in history- do your homework before signing your name ANYWHERE.