SELF, Inc. is a minority non-profit organization, founded by Dr. Sylvester Outley.

It grew out of the original state-licensed outpatient drug and alcohol program begun in 1985 by its predecessor agency, Outley Professional Services, Inc. In response to the City of Philadelphia's critical need to address the substance abuse problems of its homeless people, SELF, lnc. was formed in 1989 to deliver on-site drug and alcohol counseling in City shelters.

SELF's unique "Clean and Sober" Program, featuring the principles of a therapeutic community of peers, transformed the shelters from havens for addiction into bases for recovery and became the model for Philadelphia's entire shelter system.


Philosophy

SELF, Inc.'s mission is based on Dr. Outley's philosophy developed throughout 35 years of professional work with people, personal study and meditation, and most importantly, through his own efforts to understand his amazing transformation from one of Texas "Ten Most Wanted Criminals." The message is one of HOPE -"IF HE CAN DO IT, SO CAN I."

Outcomes

The successes of SELF, Inc. have been recognized repeatedly in articles and editorials in the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News and in a commendation from Robert Casey, the former governor of Pennsylvania, who cited SELF, Inc. for being "able to reunite families, combat drug and alcohol abuse and promote the dignity, self esteem and self-sufficiency which are vital if people are to break the hold of dependency." Two independent studies by Villanova University found that the self-esteem of the SELF, Inc. program participant advance significantly as a direct result of their program involvement, and that the "supportive milieu provided by SELF, Inc. enables people to become productive, self-sufficient, and to decrease their personal problems by 50%!"

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