When you or a loved one is fighting addiction, choosing an addiction recovery center may seem daunting; however, armed with the knowledge of what to look for, you can find one that’s right for you.
Learn the top 10 questions you should be asking a rehab center.
Questions for a Recovery Center
Checking the internet, you can find most of these questions answered, and if not, contacting the recovery center directly will answer the rest. Here are the top ten questions to assist in your search.
1. What Type of licensing or accreditation does your facility have?
Reputable addiction recovery centers are accredited by The Joint Commission or the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF®). Both are independent, nonprofit organizations that base accreditation on industry performance standards and demonstrated results, quality, and value. Accreditation is different from state licensing since states vary in their licensing requirements.
Recovery centers should also be certified to advertise their programs and services on Google and Facebook, which is done via a third-party provider called LegitScript.
2. What Credentials or licenses does the clinical staff hold?
According to the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, individuals who provide drug rehab programming and services must meet nationally recognized standards for professional practice. This ensures they have the training and experience needed to treat people and give the most effective care. Addiction and treatment professionals should have these credentials:
- LADC (Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor) or,
- LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) or,
- CAC (Certified Addictions Counselor) or,
- CCDP (Certified Co-occurring Disorders Counselor)
3. Does a multidisciplinary team conduct treatment?
For addiction recovery to be the most effective, it’s necessary to have a multidisciplinary team to address all aspects of addiction, which include mind, body, and spirit. A multidisciplinary team should comprise the following:
- Medical doctor
- Nurse
- Chemical dependency counselor
- Psychologist
- Psychiatrist
- Nutritionist
- Spiritual care counselor
- Wellness specialist
4. What is the patient-to-counselor ratio?
Patients must have the undivided attention of a counselor, so their needs are met in the best way possible. A recovery center with several patients per counselor may not have the adequate staff to treat patients in addiction recovery successfully, so keep that in mind.
5. Do you use evidence-based practices?
Treatment programs that are based on proven science-based research make for the most effective programs. These practices include 12-Steps, Cognitive-behavioral therapy, Medication-assisted therapies, and more.
6. Do you have gender-specific programs?
Depending on if patients have trauma related to the opposite sex, in terms of sexual assault or abuse, they may want therapy sessions to be gender-specific. Women may feel more comfortable with their sex, vice versa with men, and may even harm their recovery if forced to be in the same room with the opposite sex when they feel uncomfortable, unsafe, and threatened.
7. How successful is your treatment program?
When asking, be wary of recovery centers who say they have a 100 percent success rate or “the cure.” If they make such a claim, they should be able to back it up with research-based methods or be published in peer-reviewed journals.
8. Are you in-network with my insurance?
Rehab can be expensive, so be sure the rehab facility you’re interested in takes your insurance. Being in-network means the program has met the quality standards required by the insurance company. Check with your insurance provider if you’re not sure and keep in mind that if rehab facilities say they work with your insurance, that’s not the same as being in-network.
9. Do you provide mental health services?
Often, someone in rehab has a co-occurring mental illness that needs addressing, so ensure the recovery center provides mental health services and addiction treatment. For accurate treatment, a dual diagnosis is necessary. If the rehab center does not offer mental health services, ask how the services are coordinated with other community providers.
10. How long is the rehab program?
Rather than specify the number of days, the length of recovery should be measured by a patient’s progress. You can count on the estimated time a recovery center may state, but if progress isn’t made after that time, an extension may be needed. Look for a recovery center that provides multiple rehab levels so that you can step down into a less intensive level of care.
Contact Ardu Recovery Center for Answers
We understand when choosing an addiction recovery center, you want the best treatment for your investment. We invite you to call us with any of the above questions and more, and we will answer them to the best of our ability. Our goal is to ensure you, or a loved one has the best care taken when recovering from addiction and/or mental health disorders and reclaim an addiction-free life.
