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Overview

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Wells House – Gale House in downtown Frederick, Maryland, is a nonprofit residential program offering long-term care for individuals facing substance use and mental health challenges. The facility provides on-site medications for addiction treatment (MAT) and trauma-informed support for pregnant and postpartum women, veterans, older adults, and people managing chronic pain or HIV. Clients live in shared housing with essential amenities and take part in counseling, peer support, and daily routines. With a highly structured setting and targeted support, it serves individuals navigating both addiction and complex life challenges.

Address

124 East Baltimore Street
Hagerstown, MD 21740

Directions

Ages Served

  • Adults (Ages 26-64)
  • Young Adults (Ages 18-25)

Genders Accepted

  • Female

Languages Served

  • Sign language
  • English

Treatment

  • Long-term residential

Special Programs

  • Adult women
  • Court referrals
  • Past domestic violence
  • Past sexual abuse
  • Past trauma
  • Mental health disorders
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Pregnant/postpartum
  • Veterans
  • Pain management
  • Seniors
  • Young adults

Targeted Support for Complex Needs

The facility serves a diverse range of people, including pregnant and postpartum women, veterans, older adults, and individuals living with chronic pain or HIV. Programming is designed to address trauma and co-occurring mental health disorders, ensuring that treatment is relevant to each client's lived experience while providing a pathway toward long-term stability.

Medications for Addiction Treatment On-Site

Wells House – Gale House provides on-site medications for addiction treatment (MAT) for individuals recovering from opioid and alcohol use disorders. Integrating MAT with counseling allows clients to receive medical and behavioral support in one place, supporting consistent care and reducing barriers for those managing complex health needs during recovery.

Structured Routines with Peer Support

Clients participate in a structured daily schedule that includes individual and group counseling, 12-Step facilitation, and peer mentoring. The facility integrates Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings, offering peer-led support and accountability that help build community and reduce isolation, which can be critical in early recovery.

Programs That Support Real-Life Stability

Recognizing that recovery extends beyond treatment, Wells House – Gale House also offers transportation assistance and opportunities for vocational and life skills support through its broader organizational programming. These services can help clients address challenges like financial instability and lack of social support while working toward independent living and employment after treatment.

Mixed Feedback Reflects Individual Fit

Patient reviews reflect a mix of experiences: some praised the program’s structure and support, noting the role of 12-Step recovery and staff guidance. Others criticized the environment as overly strict or impersonal compared to peer-run sober housing. These perspectives suggest that Gale House may be most effective for individuals seeking a highly structured, no-frills approach to recovery, especially those needing specialized support not offered elsewhere.

Cost and Insurance

Insurance Accepted

  • Aetna
  • Other Private Insurance
  • Medicare
  • Medicaid

Disclaimer: Additional insurance plans may be accepted. Please contact the provider directly to confirm current coverage details, as this information may change.


Cost

$$ - Moderate Cost Facility

Cost ratings are our best estimates to help guide you, not guarantees. Actual costs may vary with treatment, insurance, and other factors. While we aim for accuracy, details may change.

Financial Assistance

  • Does not offer Free
  • Does not offer Payment assistance
  • Does not offer Sliding fee scale

Treatment

Treatment Setting

  • Long-term residential

Treatment Approaches

  • 12-step program support
  • Anger control support
  • Brief intervention
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
  • Incentive-based therapy
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Relapse prevention support
  • Substance use counseling

Additional Support and Services

  • Case management support
  • Help with transportation
  • Social skills training

Counseling and Education

  • General health education services
  • Group therapy
  • One-on-one counseling
  • Substance use education

Transition Support

  • Discharge and next steps planning
  • Overdose prevention and naloxone education

Testing & Pre-Treatment

  • Breathalyzer testing for alcohol
  • Oral fluid testing for drugs or alcohol
  • Urine testing for drugs or alcohol
  • Substance use screening

Amenities and Experiences

Amenities

  • Healthy meals
  • Library or reading room

Room Amenities

  • Bathroom essentials
  • Laundry service
  • Shared bathroom
  • Shared room options

Settings

  • City

Policies

  • Allows cell phones
  • Smoking allowed in designated areas
  • Vaping allowed anywhere

Ownership Type

  • Non-profit

Quality and Trust

A

Trust Score

A simple A–E grade that offers a quick view of how much confidence you might place in a facility. It’s not a guarantee of quality or outcomes, but a data-informed tool to help guide your search. More on our methodology.

Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities

CARF reviews rehab programs to make sure they provide respectful, effective, and personalized care. For addiction treatment, CARF uses standards developed with the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), so this accreditation shows the program follows trusted, evidence-based guidelines for treating substance use.

Learn more

Reviews and Ratings

(6)
  • User-friendly design praised by many
  • Offers a seamless experience
  • Reliable and effective performance
Wells House
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How we research treatment facilities

Across the site, our team has conducted over 1,000 pre-admissions calls to better understand the patient experience, interviewed facility clinical leaders, performed facility background checks, and compared our information against trusted public data sources.

Our research process begins with data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), accrediting bodies including The Joint Commission and CARF, government licensing agencies, and other trusted sources. From there, our team conducts significant original research, including:

- Pre-admissions calls: We speak with admissions staff to get a candid picture of patient experience.

- Background checks: We review complaints from past clients, media reports, actions taken by accrediting bodies, and positive recognition from notable organizations.

- Clinical interviews: We have in-depth conversations with clinical leadership, often lasting up to one hour, that give us a better understanding of clinical care.

- Data partnerships: We ingest and analyze exclusive data that provides information about in-network insurance status, cost, and more.

Research varies by facility. Each facility profile shows which research steps we completed and when each step was last performed. Learn more about our research process and background checks.

How we evaluate treatment facilities

These data help us develop a Trust Score for each facility—a simple letter grade that helps you assess how much confidence to place in a facility based on the information available to us. Trust Score considers accreditation, operating history, notable recognition, and concerns identified during our background check. Our Trust Score is an objective rating that is never influenced by advertiser payment. Learn more about our Trust Score methodology.

Important disclaimer

We cannot guarantee the quality of treatment at any facility. We cannot independently confirm the accuracy of every data point, and some information may become outdated or change over time. A Trust Score is a starting point, not a guarantee of treatment quality or outcomes. Please contact us if you would like to update or correct facility information.