About Inland Empire Teen Challenge
Inland Empire Teen Challenge is a long term faith based residential substance recovery program for adult men in Riverside, California operated by Teen Challenge of Southern California.
The program combines structured community living, Christian discipleship, education and vocational preparation at no cost to the individual.
The two features I spotted right away are its home inside a historic Spanish style castle and its place as one step in a multi phase regional recovery pathway.
Teen Challenge Men's Program
The Inland Empire Teen Challenge campus is housed at Castillo Isabella. This is a Spanish style castle in Riverside that Teen Challenge purchased.
Rather than a conventional clinical treatment building this historic property serves as the men's Christian Life Center and long term training site.
For a prospective student the setting reflects the program's identity that it's discipleship centered residential living not a medical facility.
Teen Challenge's own admissions materials show you that it's not a medical or psychological care facility and does not provide medically approved detox.
For people who need supervised detox or clinical psychiatric care those services would be handled elsewhere first.
Those requiring services beyond the program's scope may be referred out.
Multi Phase Recovery Path
Riverside is not the entry point. You'll arrive at Castillo Isabella only after completing a three to four month induction phase at another regional Teen Challenge center.
Once completed you move into a four phase program lasting nine months at the Inland Empire campus.
Some students continue into an apprenticeship at a Southern California center before graduation and receiving a diploma.
What makes this Riverside location distinct is its function as the long term training and re entry stage with GED support, vocational training, work projects and reintegration planning.
They help you with employment, banking and independent living goals throughout the program.
The center offers its faith based services at no cost through donations and funding.
