1.
How does the treatment
center define success and what is their success
rate? Many drug treatment facilities
will have had independent reviews of their success.
However, success can be measured in many ways. One
treatment center may say they have a 74% success
rate, but only be considering clients who remain
sober for 6 months; another center may claim a 68%
rate based on the results of clients after one year.
Whatever their claimed success rate you will want
to know how they measured it and what they consider
success.
2.
Are they accredited
by and if so by whom? There are
a handful of national accreditation organizations
including JACHO and CARF,as well as, others. Organizations
accredited by these bodies frequently have undergone
site reviews and have measured up to national standrds.
3. What
are the credentials of their staff?
Most states have a system for credentialing drug and
alcohol counselors. These individuals may be Certified
Addictions Counselor (CAC) or Certified Alcohol and
Drug Counselors (CADC). These are minimum certifications,
lead counselors should hold be MSW or LCSW level or
higher.
4. Do
they provide detox? With some drugs
proper deotxing can be a matter of life or death.
If the treatment center does not have a detox center
can they recommend one for attendance prior to treatment.
5. What
does a typical week in treatment look like?
There should be a balance of group and individual
therapy. Education sessions, opportunities for reflection
and support groups along with other components.
6. Can
the provide testimonials? True, no
treatment center would put on display their failures,
but they should be able to tell you about their successes.
7. How
do they assist in setting up aftercare?
Aftercare has been found to be crucial to the success
of long-term recovery. A good treatment center should
either offer aftercare of be able to assist you in
locating aftercare in your community.
8. Do
they have a diverse group of counselors, and how will
you be matched up? One of the primary
determinants of treatment success is a good client-counselor
relationship. Therefore a match between counselor
and client should be worked towards.
9. What
is their treatment modality or philosophy? Find
out if they are 12-step oriented, use motivational,
cognitive or behavioral therapies, and then ask them
to explain any terms you might not understand.
10. Do
they work with your insurance company or can they
set-up a payment plan? Make
sure you ask if they can work with your insurance
company, or if your insurance does not pay for treatment
work out how payment is to be handled.
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