ABSTRACT
The Therapeutic Community (TC) is an important mode of treatment for the severely impaired chemically dependent individual. TCs are residential programs lasting as long as two years, where individuals live and work together, and try to develop drug-free coping mechanisms. These are self-contained communities with rigid rules that seek to rehabilitate, or in some cases, habilitate people. TCs have been termed a kind of "boot camp" for addicts. They are usually publicly funded, often by Medicaid. Through the successful experiences of living through an intense, structured, small community, the "graduate" of a TC is better prepared to reenter and function in the world.
