At this very moment in many cities and towns across the United States individuals are compiling lists of numbers, making calls, leaving messages, and searching for the best possible care for themselves, a loved one, or friend. Unfortunately, what they will find a majority of the time is no one on the other line, a voice message system, or a referral to another number because the program is not what they need or what they are looking for. It has been this authors experience that the majority of individuals seeking alcohol or drug treatment for the first time, even those who have been in treatment before, do not entirely know what types of resources are available for their particular needs. The purpose of this article is to shed light on the differentiation in treatment and is merely opinion; is not meant to suggest one type over another or degrade any treatment option.
For purposes here I will break down treatment into two linear tiers. On the first level we have the option of residential versus outpatient treatment; note that there are grey areas such as recovery communities and transitional living but for now only a general overview is given. Tier two consists of state funded facilities, facilities that are insurance based and private facilities. It is important to understand the both tiers correlate in that a combination from either tier can be found dependent on geographic location.
Residential versus outpatient treatment; this is pretty self-explanatory as far as construct of these programs. Residential treatment requires that the client stay within the facility either by their own will or mandated by some other source of authority. These treatments can run from five days to six months; some even longer. The benefits of these types of treatment are control of the client and structure; treatment modalities and practices vary among each program. Outpatient programs are designed to allow the client to come and go as they receive treatment and are conducive to work, school, and family obligations in some settings. It has been shown that a treatment program is much more successful when finished in an outpatient setting; whether transition from a residential program occurs or not.
The second tier consists of programs, residential or outpatients, that receive state funding for their services, accept private and state insurance as a source of payment, or are privately funded by clients. State funded programs are able to offer free services to clients but are limited in doing so by the amount of funding they receive. There is often a wait list for treatment, something that can be detrimental when an individual finally realizes they need help. Many individuals in these programs are mandated by courts or other authorities to attend and often this affects the mean level of motivation throughout the program. They have less funding for overhead costs and this can be reflected in the quality of facilities, therapies, and even staff.
While insurance bases programs are higher in quality than that of the state funded they are often limited by what insurance will cover. Often residential treatment is cut short of ideal duration based on what insurance will cover. Because of the allotted amount paid per day in outpatient settings many programs require a minimum amount of therapy per week to off-set higher cost services such as doctors' visits which can interfere with client's outside obligations. Often in this setting it seems the patient's insurance is treated more than the patient.
Private programs can be a burden to individuals with limited funds but often are reasonably priced. Many of these programs are able to get clients reimbursed through their insurance and have financing available both internally and through third-party lenders. The benefits of private facilities are the level of care and investment into each client that occurs. They typically have the ability to provide comprehensive and cutting edge treatments and therapies and do so in a positive, motivated, and comfortable environment. These facilities tend to offer the highest level of care available.
Resources and needs are ultimately what drive the decision on treatment for anyone. And hopefully reading this article will at least help you categorize as you do your research and find the best treatment for yourself or a loved one. Just remember treatment for alcohol and drug addiction is not something to be taken lightly and investing in a life is no small matter.
Scott McKinney is the Vice President at Midwest Institute for Addiction; a state liscensed medically assisted treatment center in St. Louis, Missouri. MIA is committed to providing quality treatment and education in the area of chemical dependency and process addictions in our society. http://www.midwestinstituteforaddiction.org/
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