Seek help from a qualified clinician who specializes in addiction and can help you identify your needs.
Find a treatment setting — inpatient, residential, or outpatient — that will meet your needs.
Ask for program information to narrow down your options to a few that would work for you.
Once you’ve made the decision to seek treatment for a problem with alcohol or drugs, you’ll need to choose a rehab program that will meet your needs and circumstances.
There are lots of different treatment options, but how do you find the best alcohol or drug rehab center for you? Here are some key things to consider.
Before selecting a rehab program, seek help from a qualified clinician who specializes in addiction and can help you identify your needs. To find a clinician who can advise you, click here.
Rehab programs differ by where care is given, how long treatment lasts, and how intensive and structured the program is. The health care provider who assesses your condition can help you choose the treatment setting that will meet your specific needs.
After identifying the best treatment setting for you, you will want to narrow down which program best meets your needs. Ask the staff of each program you are considering to provide the following information.
Treatment approach
Find out if the program provides a wide range of effective treatment methods. Rehab programs that offer only one or two therapy types may not be able to customize care to your specific needs. In addition, a program that offers a variety of evidence-based therapies — therapies that have proven to be effective in practice and scientific studies — may be able to meet your changing needs as you continue in your recovery.
If you are experiencing mental health challenges, it’s also important to find a program that can provide treatment for those specific conditions. Mental health challenges can contribute to substance misuse problems, and vice versa.
Measuring effectiveness
To help you compare rehab programs, get a sense of whether and how the program tracks its patients’ progress and recovery. Ask:
Handling relapse
Just as in the treatment of other medical conditions, relapse is common and can be part of the recovery process. It’s important to understand how the program responds if a participant begins using drugs or alcohol again. Ask:
Patient and family expectations
Understand your rights and responsibilities and what will be expected of you and your family during treatment. Ask:
It’s important to know that some programs offer features that are not proven to effectively treat addiction. Review the quality care checklist below from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse with your qualified addiction professional to determine if the rehab program you are considering meets the following basic standards:
These credentials show that the program meets standards set by a state, if it has licensing standards, or a professional organization. However, licensing and accreditation don’t necessarily mean the program offers effective treatments. So it’s important to also look for other indicators of quality.
Ultimately, the question isn’t “What’s the best rehab?” but rather, “What’s the best rehab for me?” Work with a qualified clinician to use the guidance here to make the right treatment choice for you and start your recovery today.