Our published reports, (which you can look at and study, or download by clicking on the links below) independent research companies have conducted three separate surveys of our retreat graduates to ascertain the abstinence-based success rate of The Saint Jude Retreat graduates. In the survey, Freedom Model Program graduates are selected at random by an independent firm, (i.e. Clearwater Research Inc., in 2008,) and are then surveyed by phone interview as to the status of their substance use. A second and separate call is placed to the graduate’s family and they, too, are surveyed to validate or invalidate each graduate’s response. The survey consists of a single inquiry pertaining to the alcohol and drug use of the individual. The answers are gathered from the graduate and the family combined. The survey is set up to include only two categories: “using” and “not using”. Those who may have successfully moderated their use must be included in the “using” category for research purposes to eliminate the gray areas that many facilities use to bolster their claims of success. In other words, Saint Jude’s does not bias the research in the “not using” category by using this parameter.