The PAAR Center has been in operation since 1965. During the over forty years of our existence we have provided alcohol and other drug treatment services for over 30,000 individuals who suffer from the disease of addiction.
All of The PAAR Center’s programs utilize the Social Model Modality of addiction treatment and as such observe the following principles of the Social Model Practice: All programs are community based, peer group oriented, residential facilities that provide food, shelter, and treatment services in a supportive, alcohol and drug free environment for ambulatory and mentally competent recovering alcoholics.
Recovery services include individual and group planning, alcohol and other drug recovery education, participation in self help groups, family awareness and understanding, social activities, recreational activities, and information about and assistance in obtaining health, social, vocational, and other community services.
The PAAR Center's Non-Residential programs are also Social Model in modality: All program activities are peer group oriented and are designed to provide non-residential recovery services in a supportive, non-drinking/using environment.
Non Residential Recovery services include individual (treatment planning) and group planning (recovery plans), alcohol and other drug recovery education, medication awareness management groups, participation in self-help groups, family awareness and understanding, social activities, urinalysis testing, and information about and assistance in obtaining health, social, vocational, and other community services.
The board of directors is a group of caring citizens who gather every third Tuesday of the month to discuss how well the PAAR Center is acheiving its goals and ways the program can become more effective and efficient.
The original board of directors consisted of Clarence Barker (Chairman), Judge George Carter, Tom England, Francis Torigian, Bob Fields, John Moran, and Barney Richardson. Over the years the board has changed members, but not its purpose: to help those that are trying to help themselves break free from the bonds of addiction and lead a clean and sober life.
The PAAR Center was established on April 29th, 1965 under the name The Porterville Halfway House as a non-profit center for men who had been recently released from road camps looking to become sober and get their lives in order. The original location of the halfway house was at 367 N. Main. The driving force behind the opening was Clarence Barker, superintendent of the Terra Bella Road Camp. Mr Barker's dedication and determination inspired support from the community. Donations of cooking utensils, appliances, home furnishings, and money came in. From its inception The PAAR Center has been and will continue to be linked with the community at large.
The Porterville Halfway House started out with five residents. This quickly expanded to a maximum capacity of 24 men. There was often a long waiting list for men wanting to get in. It remained this way for nearly nine years. Then there were two events that changed the course of The Porterville Halfway House in dramatic fashion. In January 1975 operations were moved from Main St. to its current location on Belleview Ave. (aka. the Main House) caddycorner from Belleview School. And in May 1976 the new director Clark Murray was hired.
There was now more room for more residents. However, Mr. Murray was not satisfied with this. He envisioned an even larger center to help an even greater number of people. With a new direction and an expansion of the Main House came a new name: The PAAR Center. It took a few years to get the necessary funding for expansion. In 1980 two new locations were opened, the long-term recovery house and the drop-in center/sobering station. In 1982 the women's facility was established. In 1990 the residential drug program began, this was the first of its kind in Tulare County. In 1993 the concurrent diagnosis program was established and in 2002 the men's trasitional living center was opened. Today there are seven separate locations with 79 beds available.
