A faith-based rehabilitation center has opened in Bismarck.

The North Dakota Teen Challenge Adult Women's Center opened July 3. It is the first women's center for the program. It has men's facilities and has a women's section at its facility in Mandan, spokeswoman Wendy Boyer said.

The program serves 50 men and six women with the capacity to serve 200 men and 100 women. It is a 13-month residential program and costs $883.97 a month.

It is behavior change by applying biblical principles, Boyer said.

The new Bismarck facility is in the old Prince Hotel, which also had housed the Kensington, an assisted living facility. The Teen Challenge facility in Mandan is in the former Heartview Center.

People must first apply to the program. Participants are screened through an application process. For example, to participate, a potential participant must be able to read, write, speak and comprehend English.

Teen Challenge is a nationwide organization that began in 1958. There are about 180 centers nationwide, Boyer said. Faith-based programs, such as Teen Challenge, were given priority by the Bush administration in 2001 as a way to tackle drug and alcohol abuse.

Operators of faith-based programs contend they are more successful than other types of treatment programs.

A 1995 study by the University of Tennessee says the program's graduates have been successful, but it is not significantly different than the success of a person completing a one- to two-month hospital program and following up with Alcohol Anonymous support groups.

Once a person is accepted to the program, it is voluntary to continue, Boyer said.

The North Dakota Teen Challenge will announce plans today for additional facilities.

The press conference is at 10:30 a.m. at 114 N. Third St. A tour of the facility follows the press conference.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)