Finding the right alcohol rehab center could be the deciding factor in your long-term recovery. A rehab center should do more than provide a safe place for detox. The facility you choose should offer a comprehensive set of recovery services, a qualified addiction treatment team and a full range of follow-up resources to help you maintain sobriety after you complete the program. Take the time to find a center that will give you the support you need from the first days of rehabilitation through your graduation and beyond.

Licensing and Credentials

Each state has licensing requirements for programs that provide addiction treatment services, and licensing authority is assigned to a specific state agency. In the state of California, for instance, the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (ADP) licenses alcohol rehab centers and monitors their safety and quality. The center you choose should be licensed by the appropriate agency in your state.

In addition, a substance abuse center may be accredited by a national organization like the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) or The Joint Commission (now TJC, formerly JCAHO). National accreditation may not be mandatory in your area, but achieving accredited status indicates that the facility has met high standards for safety, quality and efficacy.

Tracking the effectiveness of a program isn’t always easy because of confidentiality issues and the high rate of relapse among recovering addicts. However, most treatment centers can provide statistics on the recovery rates of their graduates.

Personnel and Services

The personnel at an alcohol rehab facility will play crucial roles in your recovery, so it’s important to look into the background and credentials of your recovery team. The facility you choose should be staffed by licensed or certified professionals who have extensive experience and training in addiction treatment. If you need specialized care for a dual diagnosis, such as anxiety, depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder, the staff should include counselors or therapists who are trained in treating alcoholism and co-occurring disorders.

When you enroll in an alcohol rehab facility, you should expect to receive a comprehensive set of recovery resources, so that you’ll have a diverse set of tools at your disposal. Ask a facility these questions about its services:

• Will treatment be tailored to my needs? A cookie-cutter approach to rehab probably won’t give you the results you’re looking for, especially if you have a co-occurring mental health disorder or you’re struggling with multiple addictions.
• Are treatment plans flexible enough to be adjusted if my needs change? If you experience a relapse during treatment or you’re diagnosed with another medical or psychiatric condition, your team should be able to modify your treatment plan accordingly.
• Are the level of treatment and the duration of the program right for me? The type of care you receive and the length of treatment should accurately reflect your needs. If you have a chronic problem with alcoholism, you may need a long-term residential facility, while a problem drinker in the early stages of addiction may benefit from a shorter outpatient program.
• Do you offer pharmaceutical therapy to help me stay sober? Medications like naltrexone, acamprosate and disulfiram can be instrumental in helping you maintain abstinence.

Aftercare Support

Aftercare services provide continued support for your sobriety after you graduate from an alcohol rehab facility. According to the journal Addictive Behaviors, participating in aftercare programs can make a significant difference in your chances of staying abstinent. In a study of substance abusers who participated in an intensive addiction recovery program, 76 percent of the participants who attended aftercare group therapy were still abstinent, while only 40 percent of those who didn’t attend group therapy had maintained their recovery goals.

Individual and family counseling, mutual support groups, medication therapy and 12-step programs can all be important components of aftercare. Make sure the services you receive after graduation are as complete as the treatment you receive within the facility.

Here at Axis, we offer our patients aftercare assistance to ensure they have the absolute best chance at sustained sobriety. Contact us for more information.