Confronting the disease of addiction is a daunting task riddled with emotional strain and strife. It seems every time you turn around there is a commercial for another “recovery” center. Ads are eagerly encouraging those who are suffering from addiction to call, or beckoning a distraught and desperate family member to reach out for support and guidance to help the loved one who has the disease. How do you know which establishments are legitimate? What are the facts, and what are just tactics to lure the vulnerable into a quick sale?
We have put together a checklist of what to look for in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation to help maneuver the murky waters of modern-day addiction treatment services.
Credentials
Be careful of potentially deceiving terms used by the company. For example, some overzealous providers advertise “helplines” for addiction, which can sound as if they are benevolent non-profit organizations, when in fact, they are not. Another popular red herring is the use of patriotic feel-good terms within the company name such as “American” which can give an impression the entity is part of a government organization when it has no such affiliation.
In today’s world, it seems as if every business has a badge or award about which to boast. It may sound obvious, but don’t automatically assume a company is properly and currently licensed by the state(s) in which it provides services. Be sure the recovery center has a website that is secure (look for the lock icon and “https” in the browser bar) and has fresh updates such as recent news and social media posts. With all that said, how do you know what credentials really matter? Look for the following:
- The Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission
- Better Business Bureau (BBB) Accreditation
- LegitScript Certified
- Chamber Of Commerce Member
Longevity
Has the company stood the test of time, and most importantly, the test of changing legislation to filter out the bad apples? Addiction rehabs have evolved over the years in many ways, and there were, no doubt, some dark days where ethics and legality were tremendously abused. However, in one of the biggest ever reformations of the industry, in late 2018, Congress passed the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act, which imposes huge fines, penalties, and even imprisonment for violators who engage in prohibited predatory rewards and incentives related to rehab candidates and enrollees.
Treatment Program Specializations
Addiction spans a wide range of conditions, from eating disorders to alcoholism to gambling problems. Wavelengths specifically treats drug and alcohol disorders and also addresses the mental health issues that often accompany substance abuse. In addition, while not every provider offers such services, In-patient Residential Treatment and Transitional Supportive Living Homes (with staff living on-site) are critical in achieving long-term success in the battle with addiction. Finally, few drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers provide a one-on-one weekly meeting with a Certified Counselor and with a Licensed Clinician; Wavelengths is one of the rare ones that does both.
Experience
Another good characteristic to research is whether or not the original owner of the company is still involved, and if so, in what capacity. No one can understand what it takes to overcome addiction and live a clean and sober life more than those who have gone through it first-hand, and are living, breathing examples that recovery is not only possible but sustainable. Not only has our founder exemplified such success stories, but several of our staff members have as well, and they use their personal experience and professional expertise to help guide and coach others on the difficult, yet attainable, goal of sobriety.
Making the right choice for a reputable, responsible, and results-driven rehab can literally be the difference between life and death. Choose wisely. Contact Wavelengths 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 844-392-8342, and find the trust you need and the help you deserve.
