Evaluating a drug treatment facility for your teen

Evaluating a drug treatment facility for your teen
is essential before they enter one

Choosing the right drug treatment facility for your teen is a decision parents would rather not have to make,. but the fact remains many will. Knowing what to look for in a facility may mean the difference between success and failure.

There are 2500 teens who wake up each day and get high on drugs for the first time, and it isn't getting any better with the prescription drug epidemic. Fact is, these teens will use prescription drugs in that first forray into substance abuse.

National Prescription Drug Threat Assesment 2009

How do you know which drug treatment center is right for your teen? There are 5 questions you need to ask when evaluating a facility that will be entrusted with your teens treatment, and well-being.

Before any of this can take place, whether you have medical insurance that covers substance abuse or not will be a factor in what facility your teen will be able to enter. If you lack the insurance, agencies that refer and place people with substance abuse problems have specific facilities in their network and this will limit where your teen can go. If insured, then you have more say on where your child is placed. In any event, you need to ask, and discover the following about the treatment facilities programming.

• Is there some type of academic program?  Teens with a substance abuse problem are usually behind academically, and the treatment center should offer this education.
• Is the family involved?  Family participation in the treatment process is important, and a facility that focuses on family participation in the process helps them to better understand addiction, and learn how to deal with the teen in recovery.
• Is treatment geared toward younger persons?  Adult facilities may claim they can deal with teenagers in their setting, but adults have different problems. A facility that strictly handles young people will be better geared toward handlng the unique problems associated with teens.
• What treatment methodology is used?  Check to see if the treatment center uses cognitive behavioral training. This method teaches teenagers how to change their thinking and behaviors. It is effective with adults as well as teens.
• Are there therapists onboard in recovery?  Not a hard and fast rule for selection of a center, but a benefit for your teen. Younger people, as well as adults can find that speaking with a therapist who has been there, and done that, lends credibility to their treatment. People usually respond to recovering addicts who turned their lives around and are now counselors.
• Is the facility dual-diagnosis capable?  If your teen is suffering from a co-morbid mental health problem you will want the treatment center to be able to handle the substance abuse problems as well as the mental health problems. Your teen may need certain medications for a mental health disorder, like ADHD, and need medication. The facilities with the ability to handle dual diagnosis patients are few and far between, however, but they are around.
• Is there follow-up care?  Aftercare is a very important part of the recovery process, and can keep the teen focused on recovery. Groups such as Narcotic's Anonymous, and Alcoholic's Anonymous, and other group settings can provide the teen with a sense of belonging, focus, and be around others with the same problems. In addition, these groups give the recovering addict a place to vent frustrations, learn about ways to cope with stresses in recovery, and offer feedback to support other addicts.

Don't be afraid to ask questions, and do some research on these agencies who you will be entrusting your child's life to.  

 Parents GUide to Teenage Drug Abuse and Prevention

Drug Rehabs

If you need help in making a decision about treatment for a loved one, or yourself, contact me at crashtestaddict@gmail.com.

If you or a loved one needs help with any type of drug problem, contact these sites depending on where you live. SEMCA (Wayne County residents), CARE (Macomb County residents), PACE (Oakland County residents), Drug Free Detroit (City of Detroit residents). For those residing outside the State of Michigan, contact SAMHSA for assistance.

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Evaluating a drug treatment facility for your teen by Michael Velardo is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

(Photo by Phoenix House)