Levels of Care

Are you or a loved one considering addiction treatment options? If so, one of the first things you’ll probably wonder is what to expect in treatment. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t very simple, but we’ll give it our best shot to inform you of the broad expectations you should have. The first thing to know is there are several different types of addiction treatment. Upon contacting each treatment facility, they’ll conduct an intake assessment to understand where your needs are. After completion, the clinical team at the facility will either recommend a treatment approach for you at their organization or refer you to another facility. 

 

What To Expect In Treatment

After a clinical team decides what level of care best suits your needs, you’ll experience one or more of the following types of treatment. The first type is a detox program. This program includes medical oversight to help ease withdrawal effects from drugs or alcohol. Whether you’re in your own private room or a large room filled with strangers, you’ll almost certainly feel awful. The goal here is to provide medical stabilization and it typically lasts for 2-7 days.   

The next type of treatment is a residential treatment center (RTC) or sober living home. Both programs can vary greatly in the comfort and amenities they provide. RTC’s can last from 14-90 days and vary in luxury. At the bare minimum, you should expect to receive stabilization, psychoeducation and discharge planning for when you leave. A lot of programs include basic living essentials, gym access, peer and staff support. On the other hand, sober living homes can last for as little as 30 days to a year or more. Almost all programs will provide basic living essentials, peer/staff support, drug and alcohol testing. Some programs will require you to have a job, attend outpatient treatment or school, and/or volunteer. Because sober living homes only take cash payments, programs will vary greatly in the amenities they provide and personalization of their program.

Additionally, there’s various types of outpatient programs you can expect to receive while pursuing treatment. All of these programs can allow you to live at home while attending treatment. The first type of treatment is Day Treatment or PHP. This includes 5 hours of group therapy 5 times per week for roughly 2-4 weeks. It should provide access to medical staff, individual therapy and case management/recovery coaching. The second type of treatment is Intensive Outpatient Programming (IOP). This included 3 hours of group therapy 3 times per week for approximately 90-180 days. Lastly, there’s Outpatient Programming (OP). OP is the last step down and provides less than 9 hours of group therapy per week and lasts as long as one needs it to. 

At a minimum, all of these outpatient programs should include drug and alcohol testing, individual therapy, and some amount of group therapy. Below are some questions you should consider to better understand what might be included in your level of treatment care.

 

Questions To Ask When Looking For Treatment

  • How long is treatment?
  • Do I need to pay for my own food?
  • Are you in network with any insurance policy’s?
  • Can I receive access to medical doctors? If so, at what level of care would you stop offering that service? 
  • What, if any, amenities do you offer (i.e. gym access, community events, etc…)
  • Do I get my own room or do I have to share?
  • Do you provide case management or sober coaching?
  • Does your program provide coffee or snacks?
  • Do I need to find my own doctor or individual therapist?
  • Am I responsible for managing my own medications?

Our team of addiction treatment professionals knows what to expect in treatment programs. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction and wants to receive support, contact us today to learn how we can help.