McClendon Center is certified as a Day Services program through the DC Department of Behavioral Health. The Day Program identified different learning levels for clients, who are grouped according to their cognitive ability and degree of motivation. These learning levels, or tracks, include substance abuse recovery groups as well as early recovery groups for those individuals who are beginning to consider the process of recovery. The Day Program offers a morning session and an afternoon session.

The Day Program is staffed by a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Registered Nurse, a Art Therapist, a Certified Addictions Counselor, Peer Specialists, and other professionals with advanced degrees.

Individuals enter the Day Program for a variety of reasons. Some seek stability and routine in their lives, often as a stepping stone towards going back to work. Others seek to be a part of a community where they can focus on their wellness and recovery within a supportive environment, enjoying the social interaction that can be found here. Clients entering the Day Program hope to maximize their potential and develop the skills and self-confidence to achieve the goals that he or she sets.

The morning program has four tracks:

Clinical Skills Building
Consumer Empowerment
Expressive Arts Therapy
Substance Abuse Recovery

Through active discussion, clients are led by seasoned therapists in covering a variety of psychosocial and educational topics. A key part of their learning focuses on clients’ own uniquely designed treatment plans.

The afternoon program, Serenity ⬧ Transform ⬧ Achieve ⬧ Recover ⬧ Thrive (START) is geared toward clients who are ready for more advanced programming, have a wide range of needs and interests, or who have other commitments in the morning. A nutritious lunch is served each day and is free of charge for clients who attend their scheduled sessions. And for clients who do not use Medicaid vans or Metro Access, McClendon Center provides public transportation assistance.

START offers group sessions in three main areas:

Rebuilding and Recovery
Trauma Recovery
Expressive Arts