Vetting Treatment Centers

You are an alcohol and drug counselor working with a family in Massachusetts. You have been working with the 22-year-old son, Nate, at an outpatient program and have met with the parents several times. They have been very receptive to your help. The outpatient program has decided that due to Nate’s refusal to come to the program on a regular basis and his recent overdoses while using heroin, meth and alcohol that he requires an inpatient program. The parents believe he is suicidal, but he has not admitted to any recent attempts or a plan. He was on medication for a bi-polar disorder but no longer takes his medication. They have a Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO insurance and are not opposed to an out of state treatment center if it suits his needs. They would also like information on Section 35 civil commitment if he refuses to go to the treatment center you suggest. The family would also like a facility that has a family program.Please recoomend a facilty and give your reasons why.
Using the information I have given you about Nate and his family please find a treatment center in Massachusetts that you think would serve his needs as well as the needs of his family. In an email to the family describe your choice, the reasoning for this choice, and also give some basic information on what they will need to do if they need to implement a section 35. Reading otr studeve you an opportnity to learn about other facilites. Resources are a very important part of working in this feild.
PLEASE USE THIS INFORMATION AS A BASIC GUIDE FOR HOW TO CHOOSE A TREATMENT CENTER:
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSAhttp://www.samhsa.gov/),it is approximated that at least 20 to 23 million Americans age 12 or older needed treatment for substance abuse and addiction. Unfortunately, only about 4 million out of those 23 million received it. It is also estimated that alcoholism causes 500 million lost work days a year. Treatment Centers for Drug and alcohol abuse is a blossoming industry. While there are many exemplary facilities, there are also facilities that are ill equipped at best and dangerous at worse.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) created a brief guide containing these initial inquiries:
1. Does the program use treatment backed by scientific evidence? Ask the facility what the scientific rationale for their programs is. Do they utilize medical management, medications or other types of interventions? You will find that there are a number of different treatment modalities and each one needs to be analyzed separately and on its own.
2. Does the program tailor treatment to the needs of each patient? Specifically, is the treatment “one size fits all”, or do they have different programs or tracks. Does the facility address the needs of patients with “dual diagnosis”or “co-occurring disorders”; such as, eating disorders, or hypertension, and other medical or psychiatric conditions.
3. Does the program adapt treatment as the patient’s needs change? How does the treatment facility do these assessments and make these referrals. For example, if it becomes evident that a patient is in need of additional medical services, how do they ensure that happens in a timely and appropriate manner?
4. Is the duration of the treatment sufficient? Specifically, different programs have different ideology regarding this issue. There are some programs that are many months in duration. Others are much more short term. This again will depend on the specific needs of the specific patient and needs to be discussed and addressed.
5. How do 12 step or other similar recovery programs fit into drug addiction or substance abuse treatment? There are different programs that have different ideologies and philosophies as to what best works. These are general overview questions that will hopefully educate the prospective patient and/or family member. Once you have gotten to this point, if the facility is well run and above aboard they will answer these questions…
1. Has the facility had any complaints lodged against them? The reporting agency in Massachusetts is BSAS. Always check yourself as well.
2. Where are the patients going to stay? While the marketing brochures may look fabulous the reality of the facility may not match.
3. Who are the patients going to stay with? Meaning is the facility co-ed and how does the facility maintain boundaries.
4. Ask what the “success rate” of their program is? According to the SAMHSA National Survey onDrug Use and Health estimates that relapse rates for addictive diseases usually range in the range of 50 to 90% and there are numbers of different factors relating to this. So you want to ask what this particular facilities follow-up studies are, follow-up information is and how they base it.
5. Ask about the staff. How many professional licensed staff members are there versus non-professional? Specifically, who are the people that are going to be interacting with your loved one on a day to day basis? In Florida, as well as other states, there are certifications and license requirements for para-professional and professional staff members who work in this filed.
6. More about the staff… Do not be afraid to ask the hard questions,what the backgrounds of these people… Have any of these individuals had any complaints, felony charges, criminal complaints and the like.

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