Sweet Dreams At Libertae

Most of the mothers here are victims of human/ sex trafficking and this place is supposed to help you with becoming more independent for you, the mother, along with your children to stop the cycle of substance abuse (jails. ins., death for many.) I was only making $15.50 at my job and even working full- time could not renew my lease without a co- signer, which I recently lost financial help from my grandfather, while waiting for LOW- INCOME HOUSING through MONTCO to get a voucher so I could put a roof over my childrens' heads. Before I went to Libertae, I was referred to numerous outlets that supposedly help people who are homeless, or on the verge of going homeless- (Your WAY Home, THE LAURELL HOUSE (Norristown PA), COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS, Brittan, from WOMEN IN TRANSITION, etc. referred by 211 in MONTCO) none of these non- profits helped when I was homeless. The constable locked me out of my apartment in July, Jodi L. Griffiths, the judge in CONSHOHOCKEN, PA told me there was absolutely nothing they could do to help me, and that I had to evict my apartment immediately, this is following me going to court to try and get my kids back, and I didn't get custody b/c of not having, "resources to provide for them.) I made only $15.50/ hr at my job, rent for my apartment was $1,450/ a month. I went to LIBERTAE voluntarily to try and get my children back, after hearing how this place helps mothers struggling w/ substance abuse who need help getting their children back on the Clean and Sober Podcast. They had two individuals by the name of Steve, and Denise Leckerman on the show representing LIBERTAE and I was very hopeful that they could help me, since I have struggled w/ substance abuse in the past. At LIBERTAE, we used an app called BASSCAMP to communicate with staff, and the 50 something girls we lived with. I had a roommate, Mary- Beth Grimaldi, who claimed to be from Connecticut, but was in treatment there to not lose her social worker licence. She supposedly was a social worker at Penn Medicine on the verge of losing her license, and her 3 year old son, and husband due to substance abuse. My other roommate Trisha Tonkin, was a single mother, married once before, and divorced, also adopted, and 4 children, 3 which were in foster care, and she was trying to get custody of her 4 month daughter. Mary- Beth had to complete a program so she could get CYS to close her case, and saw her son every weekend. Trisha had visits with her 4 month old a couple times a week, and should have been able to get housing, and CYS to close her case. Trisha and I are both living with men a lot older than us, and I was left with no help from Libertae at all after discharged. I was told by ANNA, the admissions coordinator that I would be here for 4- 6 months and would help me get my 4 year old daughter to come live with me at LIBERTAE on the unit where the children stay with their mothers. I realized I constantly was being drug tested, every weekend, even twice in one weekend. I was not allowed to leave the unit to go to outside meetings, or do anything other than go off the premises to look for a job, due to me being put on a, "probationary contract" within the first month I was here. My roommate, Mary- Beth Grimaldi was breaking all of the rules, meanwhile I was the one being written up for it, despite having cameras, they refused to play back to footage to prove it wasn't me doing what they were writing me up for. The day I was offered a job, was the day after she left, and the day I was discharged back to the street, without any option to stay accounted for by anyone. I watched numerous women be put back on the street who didn't break any rules, and I watched as this place LIBERTAE catered to certain minorities, and didn't 't help the mothers there voluntarily. Also, the staff discriminates towards the younger women who are here. They were really unhelpful with any questions, or needs they dragged their feet, and picked favorites to let break the rules right in front of the cameras. Yet, wouldn't review footage when asked.

I've never been to a halfway house before and the best way to disappoint yourself is to have an expectation. While on the phone with the intake coordinator I was told many things. And even though my gut told me I did not want to come here. Because of my new found Love for sobriety in my attitude of gratitude I packed up my things and came down to Bensalem. The very moment I got into the building and I got on their spotty Wi-Fi I was on my phone researching different halfway houses and it took me about 2 and 1/2 weeks to go through the process of a transfer. Which included transferring my insurance because the only reason I got stuck here in the first place was the choices that Magellan has to offer. Don't let anybody tell you that you can't transfer it can absolutely be done and there are also several grants available. I don't have the ability to speak for all the counselors but mine seems extremely uninterested in me and sort of rude with interactions. My case manager is friendly and nice enough. But I get the vibe that when it comes to getting shit done. Like the things that I was told on the phone that I would be able to accomplish while here. It pretty much all comes down to you doing it yourself. Which I'm sure gives you a great feeling of accomplishment if you're able to successfully do that.. however, they make it almost impossible there is a form for every single thing you have to do and you have to turn that in days prior to wanting to do it ..it is impossible to get to outside meetings to network.. there are meetings within walking distance however you are not allowed to walk there.. the groups that they have throughout the day are loosely about self-esteem and relapse prevention and most of the day we are sitting in a room just bitching to each other with miserable faces or trying to sleep standing up, because God forbid you just let us go to our rooms and do what we need to do when there are not group activities or counseling taking place. THE VIBE IS DEPRESSED I've seen girls get kicked out that needed to be here and I've seen women with children eating like cows and being extremely rude and disrespectful and seemingly using the system for a free place to stay and feed their kids.. CareerLink did come last week and I got a few things out of that. However they do not help you with rides anywhere so if you can't figure out the 3 1/2 hour bus route and you don't have the financial ability to take an Uber or sober supports in the area you're pretty much screwed. The techa here are nothing like those friendly techs that you had at the rehab you're probably coming from.. most of them are addicts just like us except they treat you like you're an inconvenience.. I appreciate the people that take their time to bring in the h&i meetings I do wish however that they would be longer speakers with relatable stories that take up the whole hour because the final 15 minutes is basically just girls sharing their clean time. And clapping like seals..There is not a whole lot of fire for Recovery here which is important to have along with sobriety otherwise like me you just lose your steam and your mind at the same time.. I would say there's maybe three or four girls out of 50 that actually have employment . The rest is just mainly rules that don't make sense and community issues that the staff could give a whoot about.. which is clear at our weekly Sunday meetings. If you're thinking of coming here, don't ..do your research and go somewhere else!

Libertae has your back when no one else does. That says everything. When the world gave up on me — when I felt like I had nothing left — Libertae didn’t turn away. They stood with me, they lifted me, and they showed me how to rebuild my strength and confidence from the ground up. They didn’t just help me survive — they showed me how to live again.. Libertae showed me how to be a woman in recovery — and how to be a mother again. Not a perfect one, but a present one. A grounded one. One with hope. To Nancy, Kinesha, Jessica, Maureen, Bobby, Jen, Alyssa, Ana (and more)— thank you for seeing something in me when I couldn’t see it myself.Truly. #TheyHadMyBack #LibertaeStrong #HealingIsReal #FromTornToWhole

Stuck it out. I wish their was more to offer far as daily programs need more, but wonder staff

Libertae is the worst place I've ever been. They do not help you with anything at all and the staff are all rude and disrespectful. Not to mention I've seen individuals get kicked out for virtually no reason at all. They have no problem leaving pregnant women and children with no place to go. It's all about the money. I'm mad that I even have to give them one star.