5 Qualities to Look for in an Addiction Treatment Center

5 Qualities to Look for in an Addiction Treatment Center

Drug addiction and alcoholism are chronic conditions that affect each aspect of an individual’s life. Many people suffer from job losses, interpersonal relationship issues, worsening mental health, and even life-threatening medical conditions without treatment. As a result, deciding to go to rehab is one of the most important choices an individual will make.

Unfortunately, not every drug and alcohol rehab program is created equally. While many facilities offer patients well-rounded care from experienced and motivated professionals, others lack the necessary qualities of a reputable treatment program.

Here are the top 5 qualities to look for when choosing an addiction treatment center.

1. Rules and Regulations that Promote Safety and Aid Recovery

Addiction treatment is an essential service that provides individuals with the opportunity to improve their quality of life. To properly provide patients with safety and access to recovery, reputable treatment centers will have rules and regulations to follow.

Common rules that most addiction recovery programs in California have include:

  • No weapons, drugs, or alcohol in the facility
  • Dress codes that keep patients safe, comfortable, and free of triggers
  • Required therapist approval for visitors
  • Adherence to random drug and alcohol screening
  • Requiring patients to remain on campus at all times or requiring them to sign out/receive approval to leave and enforcing a curfew

2. Individualized Care

Addiction treatment should never use a one-size-fits-all approach to recovery. Everyone struggles with different issues and benefits from varying forms of treatment. Just as some individuals learn better from a hands-on approach, each person recovering from addiction will benefit from individualized addiction treatment.

Individualized treatment planning works best when patients undergo a full biopsychosocial assessment upon arriving at a rehab facility. These assessments are used to determine the patient’s needs for treatment and goals for recovery. While one patient may benefit from 12-step addiction recovery services, another patient might require dual diagnosis treatment and trauma-informed care.

As a result, it is extremely important to choose an addiction treatment center in California that offers individualized treatment.

3. Qualified and Experienced Staff Members

When someone is receiving treatment for a medical condition like cancer or diabetes, they look for a medical professional that is an expert in that specific field. The process of choosing a substance use disorder treatment provider is no different.

Reputable and trustworthy addiction recovery facilities will employ staff members who have the required credentials, training, and experience to provide patients with the treatment they need.

For example, the therapists or counselors employed by an addiction treatment center should have one of the following credentials:

  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
  • Nationally Certified Addiction Counselor (NCAC)
  • Licensed Social Worker (LSW)
  • Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)
  • Master’s Level Certified Addiction Professional (MLCAP)

The nurses, doctors, therapists, nutritional counselors, and any other medical professional working in a facility should have the proper licensing and educational degrees for their specialty.

4. Program Accreditation

While most people would assume that opening an addiction treatment facility would require accreditation, that is not the case. Almost anyone could decide to open up a mental health or addiction treatment program, making it extremely important for individuals to check the certifications and accreditations a specific rehab program has acquired.

Most reputable addiction treatment programs use the Joint Commission Accreditation for Addiction Treatment (JCAHO) or the Commission on Accreditation of Rehab Facilities (CARF) to prove that their program is safe, effective, and qualified.

When programs have accreditation, the facility is operating per the standards of care for quality substance abuse recovery services.

Accreditation provides proof of the following important qualities of reputable addiction care facilities:

  • Trained, qualified staff members
  • An effective set of safety standards for staff and patients
  • HIPAA compliance
  • Inclusivity and sensitivity training for cultures and ethnicities
  • Evidence-based mental health and addiction treatment approaches

5. A Continuum of Care

Last, but not least, most quality addiction treatment programs offer their patients a continuum of care.

A continuum of care is a treatment system that allows patients to begin treatment at the level of care they need, gradually stepping down to less intensive care as they progress in recovery.

A continuum of care in an addiction treatment facility might include:

  • Medical detox
  • Residential or inpatient treatment
  • Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
  • Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
  • Outpatient treatment
  • Sober living programs or halfway homes

Addiction treatment centers provide different levels of care to ensure that patients receive treatment during early addiction recovery, learn how to maintain sobriety, and successfully transition back into everyday life as sober individuals.

Get Connected With a Top-Rated California Addiction Treatment Facility

Addiction and alcoholism are progressive diseases that worsen over time. When left untreated, many individuals suffer from life-threatening overdoses and adverse effects in other areas of their lives. The good news is that help is available.

At Arise Treatment Center we believe that recovery is possible because we have experienced it in our own lives and the lives of others. We understand that addiction affects everyone differently, which is why we offer comprehensive individualized plans of care that are tailored to meet each client’s specific needs.

For more information on our individualized drug addiction and alcoholism treatment programs, contact us today.

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