If you or your loved one is considering treatment for substance addiction, choosing a suitable inpatient treatment facility and program is a critical topic. There are many factors to consider, such as treatment approach and accessibility to supporting programs. Maybe there are many treatment facilities near where you live. What criteria should you use in order to choose the right one?

Criteria of Effective Treatment

Good treatment programs offer individualized assessment and treatment plans. They need to have a diverse team of staff members trained to assess your physical, emotional, and mental health issues related to substance use. Because addiction often co-occurs with other disorders, effective plans address them simultaneously.

You also want to choose a facility with a range of evidence-based therapies that match your type of drug or alcohol use history. Ideally, a treatment facility should offer medically-assisted intervention, behavioral therapy, individualized counseling, group therapy, and coaching on coping skills.

Having aftercare or continuing care programs in place also adds value to a treatment center. This means that the facility has a full continuum of care, including inpatient and outpatient programs. If a local treatment facility has a strong alumni program, that is also a significant factor to consider. Intensive, short-term detox treatment can help you achieve sobriety, but a strong support system is needed for long-term recovery. The alumni network can provide you with that kind of peer support.

Benefits of Community-Based Treatment

You may know of a good treatment facility, but it is not within reach. Is it still an option? There are certainly advantages of seeking treatment close to home. First of all, locally-based or community-based treatment centers are often more affordable. Second, because distance and the cost of travel time remain barriers to addiction treatment, researchers find that people who travel less than one mile for treatment are 50% more likely to complete treatment programs.

Choosing a high-quality locally-based treatment center can also increase participation in aftercare services near where you live. Proximity can also allow for more family engagement which is essential for sustainable recovery. When treatment is close to home, it is easier for family members to get involved, including accessing coaching about relationship skills.

Locally-based treatment programs also effectively encourage people to use their new skills for long-term recovery. For example, some outpatient programs offer coping skills training and relapse prevention techniques. If an alumni lives close to the treatment center, that facility can serve as a rescue line in the event that relapse or overdose happens.

Online Resources for Locating Local Programs

Many resources on the internet help people find local treatment centers that best address their particular needs. For example, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) maintains a website that shows the location of residential, outpatient, and hospital inpatient treatment programs for addiction throughout the country. Other online resources include the following:

• The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mental Health America (MHA) have state and local offices across the country and can help people find treatment options.
• The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has a nationwide directory of addiction medicine professionals on its website.
• The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) provides information on the localized treatment of alcohol-related problems.

Entering a Locally-Based Treatment Facility

If you have decided on which local treatment facility to enter, there are still expectations you should manage. Expectations guide your progress towards long-term recovery, and unrealistic expectations can set you up for failure. Some common misconceptions include expecting to immediately feel better in treatment, expecting it to be a quick process, and thinking you can handle detox on your own. When you operate with unrealistic expectations, disappointments and relapses can follow.

Some local treatment facilities are good at explaining the process to you and helping you prepare and adjust your expectations. This helps avoid surprises, reduces the stress around uncertainty, and begins a trust-building relationship between the client and medical staff. At this point, you should ask as many questions as you can think of. This is an excellent way to clarify expectations and show your active participation.

Treatment is a journey of learning and unlearning. You should expect local treatment centers to coach and teach you how addiction affects both the body and the mind and how to design recovery and prevention plans according to your personal journey. It would be wise to set realistic goals that help you stay on track on a day-to-day basis. When you feel stressed about uncertainty or lack of clarity, you should always ask for help.

Did you know that the distance between your treatment facility and where you live matters? Researchers find that people who travel less than one mile for treatment are 50% more likely to complete treatment programs. Therefore, it may be in your best interest to look for a high-quality locally-based treatment center. At Capo Canyon Recovery near Mission Viejo, CA., we have experience treating addiction and can help get yourself or your loved ones through drug or alcohol detox. We are invested in the long-term recovery and well-being of our clients. That is why we do not give up. You can benefit from both our inpatient residential care and outpatient, long-term care programs. With an in-house chef, luxurious beds, and an onsite organic garden, we’re here to help you on your journey to sobriety. With Capo Canyon Recovery, you can rely on us to help you achieve long-term sobriety. Call us at (800) 804-8714 today.