Porter County, Indiana, in which Moraine House is located, had never had a facility for the treatment of alcoholism — none. Persons needing medical detoxification can be sent to the County hospital, Porter Memorial, or Porter-Starke Center. Medical detoxification requires only five to ten days, after which time the person is released from the hospital and is back “on the streets” – the most critical time of personal recovery from chemical dependency.  This critical time period can pose a severe problem for many recovering chemical dependents, especially in those cases where the individual is unable to return home or is without a home in which to return. In the early weeks and months of recovery it is vitally important for anyone struggling to find a new and chemical-free way of living to be supported in that  effort by an environment which offers understanding and encouragement. Particularly in the early period, a recovering chemically dependent person needs all the positive reinforcement he can get.  Therefore, in the spring of 1976, Moraine House, a non-profit organization, was incorporated to help recovering alcoholics in this critical time period, by providing them with a home in which they can more fully recover before returning to the  outside world.