Top Three Things to Consider When Choosing a Drug or Alcohol Treatment Facility for Your Teenager or Family Member

Do you suspect that your teenager is caught up in the wrong crowd and experimenting with drugs or alcohol? As a parent if our children end up getting caught up doing things that we don’t approve of, we automatically wonder what we did wrong and ponder if there was anything else that could have been done differently. However, even the best parents in the world have children who experiment with drugs (including prescription and over the counter medication) or alcohol. I know that you probably want to go off and confront them immediately but doing it when you are upset can cause further problems.

Disclosure: This post is for informational purposes only. If your child or family member is in immediate danger, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

If your child ends up having a serious addiction to drugs or alcohol, you might have to send them off to a rehabilitation center to help them overcome their problem. If you’re looking for a drug and alcohol rehab center, there’s thousands of them and there are plenty of options available to help your child. You want to find the right treatment and increase their chances of a full recovery.

Today, I wanted to share with you some tips on how to find the right drug and alcohol rehab center for your teenager or another family member.

Choose the Right Type of Treatment Program For Your Teenager

The first thing that you need to determine is whether your child needs to go to an inpatient rehab center. Sometimes it is beneficial for your child to get out of their current surroundings and be placed in an inpatient treatment center. Your child will have to live at the treatment facility while they are going through the treatment program. This gives them the chance to focus on their recovery without any distractions. This type of program is usually more successful.

Outpatient rehab centers are a bit less intensive but they allow your child to continue to live at home during their recovery period. They will meet with counselors and get any medical treatment for their addiction. An outpatient rehab program also has some of the same treatment practices and uses a variety of settings including individual therapy, group therapy, and attend life-skills workshops. Since your child is still living at home, they will be subject to random drug tests to ensure that they are staying clean during the duration of their treatment program.

Research the Reputation of the Facility

Before deciding on an facility, I highly suggest that you tour the facility and meet the staff. They will be working with your child for the next few month and you want to ensure that they are professional and caring. Be sure to ask any questions that you may have about the facility, staff, and program. Here is a list of questions that you can ask the facility that you are considering:

• do they offer individualized programs
• can they accommodate teenagers
• what type of program do they offer: 12 step program or non-12 step program
• what type of education does the staff have that will be working with your child
• can they treat any mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, ect that attributed to their addiction
• what is the success rate of the clients who have already been through the program
• are you nationally accredited
• what type of after care or follow up care do you offer once someone has completed their treatment program
• do they offer gender specific programs
• do they offer faith based programs for devote Christians
• ask for references if possible

Also, don’t be afraid to research the facility on the Internet. Chances are you will be able to read testimonies and reviews of the facility.

Does the Treatment Facility Accept Your Health Insurance?

Many treatment center’s will accept your health insurance and it is very important that you find a facility that allows you to use your insurance plan. This will help reduce your overall out of pocket costs. However, you need to make sure the facility and staff are in network when they bill your insurance. Talk to your insurance provider if you have any questions regarding inpatient or outpatient treatment programs, they will be able to tell you what is covered and what isn’t so that you don’t have any surprises when the treatment facility bills you for their services.

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If you had to put your teenager or another family member in an drug or alcohol treatment facility, what is the most important thing that you would consider before choosing a facility?

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