Inpatient Drug Rehab
Inpatient drug rehab
centers offer a safe and controlled environment for you or your loved one to
address drug and alcohol addiction problems. In most cases it is difficult for
someone to be trying to handle their addiction and still perform duties "in the
outside world," as that is what got them to this point in the first place.
Most inpatient rehabs are only 28-30 days long. This is usually not enough time and the relapse rate for such services is very high. The month-long programs are now largely based on what insurance will pay for, not what actually works. If you are looking for a successful program for someone, then you have to be prepared to invest more time (and as a result more money) into a long term residential program.
A long term residential rehab program
is usually classified as anything over 30 days inpatient, but ideally it needs
to be 90 days or more. Some long term programs can be 6 months, 12 months or
even longer. While it is a general rule that longer is better, the type of
program plays an equally important role, if not more important. Someone going
to spend 9 months in a program that sits around in groups working the steps
probably won't do as well as someone spending 3-4 months in a biophysical rehab
facility applying things to their lives and repairing themselves mentally and
physically.
Drug Rehab Questions
Different rehabilitation programs have different outlooks on what addiction is and how to treat it. There are some questions that you need to ask when looking for a successful program.
The first question should be, "What is your success rate, and how is that determined?" While a lot of programs may claim certain success rates, it is important to ask them how that is figured and what their retention rate is as well. If someone has a 90% success rate for those who complete the program, but only 25% of those who enroll actually finish, then that success rate doesn't mean nearly as much.
Another question, which is a little more obvious, is, "How much does the program cost?" Drug rehab programs aren't like hospitals, in that they do not have to accept patients who cannot pay. There are programs that contract with state and federal governments to be able to provide services at no cost, but those usually have long waiting lists. A general rule of thumb we've found is that inpatient drug rehab programs cost about $7,000 per month on average. Therefore, a longer-term residential facility can easily jump into the 20K-40K range. It is also important to ask them, though, if there are any additional fees or costs associated with that facility.
A very important question also needs to be, "What is your philosophy and method of treatment?" Many programs now days simply offer some counseling and some medications, and 30 days later all you have is someone who is drugged in a different way with no new life skills. A program that expects results and works to rehabilitate the individual as a whole, not just treat the symptoms of drug use, will have a better overall outcome.