Drug and alcohol addiction is a chronic and dreadful disease that wreaks havoc on the whole family. Fortunately, it is a preventable and treatable condition and there are several addiction treatment facilities across the country that are dedicated to helping individuals with substance use disorders get on the road to recovery and helping them stay sober. Every year, millions of people enter addiction treatment facilities. A study conducted in 2014 revealed that among the estimated 20 million people, aged 12 and older, who suffered from substance use disorder, 14.4 million people were alcoholics, 4.5 were addicted to drugs and 2.6 million suffered from both alcohol and drug addiction.
People with addictions are different from one another. So, the right treatment for one recovering addict may not exactly work for another. For a family making their choice from a confusing selection of different addiction treatment programs, research and having the right information about what to look for in a rehab center can save you and your addicted loved one time, money and heartbreak. However, finding the right rehab center for a loved one can be difficult and overwhelming. The ongoing opioid epidemic and alcohol crisis have spawned bogus treatment centers and deceptive marketing for monetary gain. This leaves many families battling addiction distrustful and confused about finding reputable rehab centers.
To help you make an informed decision, Stonegate Center has gathered this list of important factors to consider in choosing the right rehab center for your loved one.
Location
According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse’s report on drug addiction treatment in the US released in 2018, there are about 14,500 drug and alcohol treatment centers in the country. Where you live and where the rehab center is located will likely influence your choice of rehab center. While there are numerous pros and cons of choosing a rehab center that’s close to or far from home, most find that the right answer really depends on your loved one, their circumstances, level of commitment, and the availability of addiction treatment centers.
Local Rehab Center
Selecting a local rehab center that’s near home is definitely more cost-effective than an out-of-state rehab center. The added cost of travel can be a prohibitive factor for you, as well as for your support network of family and friends. Health insurances that cover addiction treatment don’t usually cover travel expenses. With family therapy session included in most treatment programs, travel can be limiting. Effective treatment programs address the dysfunctions or issues in families that are battling addiction. However, choosing a local rehab center is not for everyone.
Remote or Out-of-State Rehab Center
There are some who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction who find it unbearable to be around the addiction triggers, such as surroundings and people, during treatment. This makes choosing an out-of-state or remote rehab center a better solution. Not everyone who suffer from substance abuse are surrounded with a healthy and supportive network of family and friends. It’s advantageous to choose an out-of-state rehab center as there are fewer distractions and offers a change of surroundings and perspective that can aid in their pursuit of recovery. The distance also affords your loved one the safety of entering a rehab center and leaving an abusive relationship. It takes them away from fellow users, enablers or bad influences. It also gives them the space to successfully complete their treatment program as it makes it harder to abandon it mid-way through. Moreover, selecting a rehab center away from home allows your loved one to undergo treatment with a certain level of anonymity.
Faith-Based Addiction Treatment Program
Rehab centers with faith-based treatment program approach alcohol and drug addiction from a spiritual perspective and help strengthen and harness spiritual foundation to encourage your loved one to quit or abstain from alcohol and drugs. Rehab centers with faith-based programs provide the very same therapies and tools as non-spiritual rehab centers. The only difference is that faith-based rehabilitation centers teaches spiritual principles and encourages faith as an important aspect of healing and recovery. Faith-based rehab centers don’t necessarily require a singular belief or perspective, just the willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves. If your loved is looking for a spiritual connection, but isn’t sure what to believe in, a faith-based rehab program might be a good option as it offers the chance to explore spirituality while working on recovering from substance abuse.
Gender-Separate
Men and women are inherently different. As such, they can have different experiences while in recovery and have different rates of success. There are rehab centers that offer gender-separate facilities so men and women can focus on their recovery in a safe and distraction-free environment. Men and women respond differently to addiction treatment. Relationships, intimacy or romance can be distracting and can complicate recovery. Your loved one has one less distraction and can focus better in a single-gender rehab center.
Long-Term
Most people opt for short-term addiction treatment of up to 30 days. This often meets most health insurance coverage, but short-term treatment doesn’t fit the needs of most individuals with drug and alcohol addiction. A month is simply not enough time for someone to recover from the damaging consequences of alcohol and drug addiction on the body and to learn the necessary life skills that will enable one to stay sober. In most cases, the your loved one may relapse within days of release. Long-term treatment, which can range from 45 to 90 days to even a year, affords your loved one the time to recover from the damage that alcohol and drugs have done to your and learn all the relevant life skills needed to recover and build a new sober life. Life skills restore lost self-confidence and broken relationships. When your loved one is armed with these like skills, then you know he/she is well-equipped to stay sober.
Credentials
It is important to know the qualifications of the people you’ll be entrusting your loved one to for addiction treatment. Choose a rehab center that is manned by a experienced team of certified master-level counselors and caring staff that understands substance abuse through personal experiences and specialized professional trainings. They must meet all the qualifications and certifications required of staff members who handle substance abuse disorders. Having the right credentials is a critical aspect that ensures high-quality rehab care and patient safety.
Accreditations
Make it a top priority to find out if a rehab facility is accredited and licensed before deciding which facility is right for your loved one. Accreditation is a rigorous process that, once achieved, certifies delivery of ethical and effective treatment for substance abuse. These are the top types of accreditation to look for in a rehab center:
The Joint Commission
The Joint Commission is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare facilities through unified set of national standards that ensures rehab centers deliver high-quality treatment and provide a safe rehab environment for your loved one.
LegitScript
In answer to the rampant proliferation of sham rehab centers and exploitation by third-party middlemen, Google and Facebook tapped LegitScript to certify addiction treatment facilities before allowing them to advertise on their platforms. LegitScript evaluates treatment providers on various criteria–including license, insurance, policies and procedures–to ensure ads and facilities are compliant and meet industry standards.
State Licensing
Most importantly, the rehab center you are considering must be compliant and licensed to operate by the state where it is located. In the state of Texas, where Stonegate Center operates separate rehab centers for men and women, there are strict licensing requirements and regulations. These are outlined on the Texas Department of State Health Services website.
Choosing a rehab center or treatment program is a deeply personal choice. This is why it’s important to do a thorough research before deciding where and what program in which to commit your loved one’s time and recovery journey. Contact us by calling our helpline (817) 993-9733 to learn more about Stonegate Center, the efforts we have taken to become a leading drug and alcohol addiction treatment center in Texas, and how we can help your loved one overcome addiction.
Date Published: May 19, 2019 Last Updated: May 1, 2023
Allison Johnson is the Director of Compliance for Stonegate Center. She is a recovered alcoholic and addict with over 7 years sober. Her experience in residential treatment extends to her love of all things compliance and quality assurance.