A Curated Directory from Lighthouse Network
I started out as a volunteer at Lighthouse Network in 2014, and I’ve been answering the phone for over ten years now — talking with people in crisis and their families through all kinds of situations. This is a curated list of the programs I’ve found, over those years on the helpline, to be the best in each individual specialty.
At Lighthouse Network, we try to find Christian help for anyone who is seriously ready for change. When you call the helpline, we guarantee that no matter what your situation — indigent, Medicaid, Medicare, in-network or out-of-network insurance, self-pay, or luxury — whatever you or your family member needs for Christian behavioral health treatment, we can help you find it.
This is a list of the best of the best we’ve found over the years. Lighthouse Network has operated since 2003, and it has been our mission from the beginning to help those in crisis find the mental health treatment they need.
Residential Treatment Programs
Mercy Multiplied
Best for: Families seeking a no-cost, long-term, biblically based residential program for young women.
Mercy Multiplied operates a voluntary, biblically based residential program for young women ages 13–32 dealing with anxiety, depression, abuse, eating disorders, self-harm, addictions, unplanned pregnancy, and trafficking. The residential program is free of charge, with an average stay of 6–9 months, run by a 501(c)(3) that accepts no government funding.
The Walter Hoving Home (Garrison, NY)
Best for: Women in the Northeast seeking a free, faith-based residential program for life-controlling issues and addiction.
The Walter Hoving Home is a Christ-centered residential program for women, housed in a Tudor mansion estate in Garrison, NY, directly across the river from West Point, with a women-and-children program available.
The Refuge (Ohio)
Best for: Adult men needing a free, long-term, faith-based residential recovery program.
Founded in 1999, The Refuge is a 13-month, faith-based residential recovery program for men 18 and older, completely free to the men it serves, with certification from the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health, Ohio Recovery Housing, and the ECFA.
Adult & Teen Challenge, Sanford FL
Best for: Men in Florida/the Southeast seeking an affordable, long-term, faith-based residential program.
The Sanford, FL campus (part of Teen Challenge Southeast) offers a one-year, Christ-centered residential program for men 18+, broken into four phases (recovery, renewal, restoration, transition), and notably accommodates clients on probation and on psychotropic medications. It’s described as among the most affordable long-term options.
Adult & Teen Challenge, Minneapolis
Best for: Adults in the Midwest seeking gender-specific, long-term, low-cost faith-based recovery with co-occurring support.
Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge in Minneapolis offers gender-specific residential treatment for men and women through a one-year Christian discipleship program (Recovery, Renewal, Restoration, Transition), across six residential facilities, with robust mental health services for co-occurring disorders.
San Diego Adult & Teen Challenge
Best for: Men on the West Coast seeking an affordable, long-term, faith-based recovery program.
San Diego Teen Challenge (Teen Challenge of Southern California) serves as the induction site for adult men, who spend the first 3–4 months before transferring to Riverside for the remainder of the one-year program. It is widely recognized by local government and the judicial system for its community impact.
U-Turn for Christ (Perris, CA)
Best for: Adults on the West Coast seeking a short-to-mid-term, low-cost, faith-based discipleship recovery program.
U-Turn for Christ is a court-approved, gender-specific residential discipleship ministry in Perris, CA. Its program runs in phases (a roughly two-month first phase followed by additional months), making it a strong low-cost option for those seeking a shorter initial commitment.
Eagle Ranch (Flowery Branch, GA)
Best for: Families of any income level seeking a Christ-centered residential program for children and youth, with fees set by financial need.
Eagle Ranch is a long-running, debt-free Christian residential program in Georgia serving children in grades 6–9 (boys and girls in separate homes). Thanks to generous donor support, services are made affordable and accessible to families of all income levels, with rates set using a needs-based (FACTS) financial assessment — so cost scales to what a family can afford.
Hope is Alive Ministries
Best for: Adults seeking structured, Christ-centered long-term sober living at a modest, transparent monthly cost.
Hope is Alive offers a 12–18 month Christ-centered transitional/sober-living program for men and women, with most staying the full 18 months. Pricing is published at $750 first month, $650/month thereafter, plus free family-support programming.
Sanctuary Clinics, Monticello FL
Best for: Adults seeking an integrated, medication-capable Christian program blending licensed clinical care with a live-in Christian community.
Sanctuary at Monticello (35 beds) is a Christ-centered program treating depression, anxiety, psychotic disorders, substance use, trauma, PTSD, bipolar, OCD, and more. It allows and provides medication — Dr. Thomas Rayner holds a DEA buprenorphine waiver enabling medication-assisted treatment for co-occurring substance use disorders — within a 30–90 day immersive program where many staff live on-site. (A Lighthouse Network partner program.)
Sanctuary Clinics Cozumel
Best for: Adults seeking the same Christ-centered clinical model at a lower cost, in a restorative coastal setting.
Sanctuary Cozumel (20 beds) extends the same integrated medical, clinical, and spiritual care to a coastal Mexico location, positioned as a more affordable, accessible option with direct flights from major U.S. and Canadian cities. (A Lighthouse Network partner program.)
Specialized & Intensive Programs
Bethesda Workshops (Nashville, TN)
Best for: Men, women, partners, couples, and teens seeking Christian-based, short-term clinical treatment for compulsive sexual behavior and betrayal trauma.
Bethesda Workshops in Nashville provides Christian-based, short-term clinical workshops for sex addiction and betrayal trauma, including four-day intensives for men, for women, and for partners, and a three-day intensive for couples, plus a healing workshop for teens and their parents.
Marked Men for Christ
Best for: Men seeking a transformational weekend healing-and-discipleship encounter.
Marked Men for Christ is a global Christian men’s healing and discipleship ministry that leads men through a 44-hour transformational encounter designed to free them from past wounds and awaken them to their God-given identity and purpose, with ongoing follow-up groups.
Women’s Walk With Christ
Best for: Women seeking an intensive, life-changing healing weekend rooted in freedom in Christ.
Women’s Walk With Christ offers an intensive, life-changing weekend designed for women to learn more about themselves and receive healing from Christ, with follow-up “Bridge” training and ongoing small-group “Spirit Circles” to continue the journey.
Live the Life (Tallahassee, FL)
Best for: Couples seeking an intensive faith-based weekend to strengthen or restore their marriage.
Live the Life, based in Tallahassee, FL, provides relationship education for every stage of life. Its intensive HOPE Weekend program is reported to have saved 80% of troubled marriages for more than a decade.
Comparison at a Glance
| # | Program | Population | Region | Cost | Length | Faith Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercy Multiplied | Women 13–32 | National | Free | 6–9 mo | Biblically based residential |
| 2 | Walter Hoving Home | Women | Northeast (NY) | Free | Long-term | Christ-centered residential |
| 3 | The Refuge (OH) | Men 18+ | Midwest (OH) | Free | 13 mo | Faith-based residential |
| 4 | A&TC Sanford FL | Men 18+ | Southeast | Low-cost | 1 yr | Faith-based residential |
| 5 | A&TC Minneapolis | Men & women | Midwest | Low-cost | 1 yr | Christian discipleship |
| 6 | San Diego A&TC | Men | West Coast | Low-cost | 1 yr | Christian discipleship |
| 7 | U-Turn for Christ | Men & women | West Coast | Low-cost | ~3+ mo | Christian discipleship |
| 8 | Eagle Ranch | Youth (gr. 6–9) | Southeast (GA) | Needs-based | Residential | Christ-centered (debt-free) |
| 9 | Hope is Alive | Men & women | Multi-state | ~$650–750/mo | 12–18 mo | Christ-centered sober living |
| 10 | Sanctuary FL | Adults | Southeast (FL) | Affordable | 30–90 days | Integrated, MAT available |
| 11 | Sanctuary Cozumel | Adults | Mexico | Lower-cost | 30–90 days | Integrated, MAT available |
| 12 | Bethesda Workshops | Men/women/couples | Southeast (TN) | Workshop fee | 3–4 day | Christian sex-addiction |
| 13 | Marked Men for Christ | Men | National | Retreat fee | 44-hr | Discipleship encounter |
| 14 | Women’s Walk With Christ | Women | Multi-state | Retreat fee | Weekend | Healing weekend |
| 15 | Live the Life | Couples | Southeast (FL) | Retreat fee | Weekend | Marriage intensive |
Details reflect publicly available information as of 2026 and may change. Always confirm current cost, availability, medication policy, and admission criteria directly with each program.
How We Categorize Programs (Our Methodology)
- Every “best for” label is specific. Each names a precise reason a program fits its category — not a vague “#1.”
- We use public information and cite it. Claims about cost, length, population, and medication come from each program’s own materials or reputable third-party sources.
- We exclude programs we cannot verify as currently operating. (For example, Timberline Knolls closed in 2025 and Remuda Ranch has closed; neither is listed.)
- We encourage independent verification. Families should confirm details and read independent reviews before deciding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Christian behavioral health treatment program?
A Christian (faith-based) program combines evidence-based clinical care — therapy, psychiatry, and in many cases medication — with Christian spiritual practices such as prayer, Bible study, worship, and faith-informed counseling.
Are there free Christian treatment programs?
Yes. Mercy Multiplied, The Walter Hoving Home, and The Refuge (Ohio) provide residential care at no charge, typically funded by donations.
Do Christian programs allow medication?
It varies. Some fully integrate psychiatric medication and medication-assisted treatment (for example, Sanctuary Clinics offers MAT via a DEA buprenorphine waiver), while others are abstinence-based or discipleship-only. Always confirm a program’s medication policy before admission.
Are there Christian programs for marriages, men’s and women’s healing, and sex addiction — not just substance abuse?
Yes. Intensive programs like Marked Men for Christ (men’s healing), Women’s Walk With Christ (women’s healing), Live the Life (marriage), and Bethesda Workshops (sex addiction) focus on relational and spiritual restoration.
Does insurance cover Christian rehab?
Often, yes. Under the Affordable Care Act, addiction and mental health treatment are essential health benefits, so many plans cover faith-based programs. Whether you have Medicaid, Medicare, in- or out-of-network insurance, or are paying privately, our helpline can help you find an option that fits.
Need Help Choosing? Call the Lighthouse Network Helpline
Since 2003, Lighthouse Network has helped individuals and families in crisis find the mental health and behavioral health treatment they need. Whatever your situation — indigent, Medicaid, Medicare, in- or out-of-network insurance, self-pay, or luxury — if you’re seriously ready for change, we can help you find Christian care that fits. Reach out to our helpline and let us walk with you.
Call the Helpline: 1-844-543-3242If this is an emergency, call 911. For 24/7 support, call or text 988, or call SAMHSA at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Sources
- SAMHSA National Helpline, samhsa.gov
- Mercy Multiplied Ministry Overview, mercymultiplied.com
- The Walter Hoving Home, hovinghome.org
- The Refuge Ohio, therefugeohio.org
- Adult & Teen Challenge – Sanford, teenchallengeusa.org
- Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge, mntc.org
- Teen Challenge of Southern California, teenchallenge.org
- U-Turn for Christ, uturnforchrist.com
- Eagle Ranch — Frequently Asked Questions, eagleranch.org
- Hope is Alive (Recovery.com profile), recovery.com
- Sanctuary Clinics, sanctuaryclinics.com
- Bethesda Workshops, bethesdaworkshops.org
- Marked Men for Christ, markedmenforchrist.org
- Women’s Walk With Christ, womenswalkwithchrist.org
- Live the Life, livethelife.org
- Recovery.com — Christian treatment approach, recovery.com