Four Important Questions To Ask When Choosing A Substance Abuse Recovery Center For Your Son Or Daughter
If your son or daughter is battling a substance abuse problem and you are looking for a treatment center, then you should have a list of questions prepared before looking at each center. There are all sorts of treatment centers, but they might not be a perfect fit for your teen. So, it's good to know what to ask the intake counselor when you speak with them so that you don't waste time navigating the bureaucracy of a treatment facility that might not be the type of place you are looking for.
Do They Treat Teens?
The first thing you need to do is check to see if the treatment facility handles teens. Some substance addiction centers will only admit persons over the age of 18. They are not designed to handle youth populations. So, you should check the treatment center's website or preferably, call the intake counselor and ask if they handle youths. Some treatment centers handle both teens and adults, while others are designed solely to address youth substance issues.
Do They Have Inpatient or Outpatient Facilities?
The next thing you need to decide is if you want your teen to stay at the facility (be an inpatient) or if you prefer them to remain at home and attend treatment during the day. Often times inpatient facilities are desirable for teens who will have to go through physical withdrawal during their rehab.
If you are having a hard time keeping track of your teen at home (for example, they are leaving in the middle of the night), then you might prefer the lockdown style inpatient facilities. Note that not all inpatient facilities are "lockdown," so this will be something you need to ask the intake coordinator.
Is There Medication Treatment Available?
If your son or daughter is dealing with heroin or prescription drug abuse, then it is important to make sure that the facility has the ability to prescribe medication. Some facilitates are geared towards alcohol, marijuana, or even food problems, and their primary mode of treatment is counseling, therapy, and 12 step philosophy. With substance abuse issues such as heroin, medications like buprenorphine are a vital process of helping the teen recover from the addiction.
Are There Education and Vocational Programs Available?
Finally, you need to find out how the treatment program will help your teen reestablish themselves as a functioning young adult. Part of the process of recovery is obtaining educational opportunities (a GED, for example) and vocational training. This is especially important if your child has dropped out of school and is currently adrift without any sense of direction.
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