11 Ways To Identify A Good Drug Rehab

It can be a difficult and scary time.

You or a loved one are looking for an addiction treatment facility and you’ve been scared by all of the news coverage and tv stories about drug rehabs.

You should know that the country has made many changes to addiction treatment and passed many new laws to make sure patients seeking treatment are safe. Even with the changes, it’s good to check out a facility and identify whether it ‘s a good fit for you.

Here are 10 ways to identify a good (or even great!) substance abuse treatment facility:

1. Check out the website!! A good website will answer some of these questions:
2. Does the website have actual images of the offices and facilities?
   Stock photos are a red flag, why wouldn’t you want to show off your facility?
3. Does the website have a staff list with background information?
   A substance abuse treatment facility should have educated, trained, and experienced healthcare professionals. Not only should there be qualified staff, but qualified managers and executives.
4. Does the website have the right list of services?
   You want to make sure the facility shows the services that match your needs. It may seem nice to see equine therapy or physical therapy, but if you really need a facility for something like trauma and medication-assisted treatment, you want to make sure the facility matches with your needs and don’t get swayed by the amenities.
5. How much will treatment cost?
   Insurance benefits can vary by provider, having a clear understanding of your financial responsibility can help avoid any surprises.
6. How long is the program?
   Longer treatment is associated with better outcomes, how long could I expect to be in treatment?
7. Does the facility use medication or is it abstinence-based?
   This is preference and depending on the type of drug addiction, but ultimately you want to know if the facility uses evidenced-based treatments and whether you’ll be assessed to see if you’re a candidate for medication-assisted treatment.
8. Is the facility accredited by the Joint Commission?
   Accreditation is a signal that the facility abides by a standard of care. In some states it is optional, but high performing facilities should most certainly have this accreditation.
9. What is the aftercare plan?
   You can’t expect to have life-changing results in 30 days, not for drug addiction or any chronic disease. Does the aftercare plan make sense for the long term plans of the addict?
10. How often are drug screens performed? 
    For opiate addicts, do they use fentanyl strips? Normal cups won’t catch fentanyl and laboratory testing results may come back too late. Does the facility demonstrate best practices towards safety?
11. Are there any bad reviews on Google? 
    Always check for reviews by typing in ‘facility name’ and ‘reviews’. Do your homework!