7 Ways to Find a Safer Rehab Facility

“How is it, amid the most lethal overdose epidemic in American history, that such a medically advanced nation has such all-over-the-place drug treatment?” An article in Mother Jones outlines the new and evolving challenges that people face when seeking recovery. “Patient brokering” is a money-making scheme that targets those in addiction and recovery by offering them incentives to relapse. Read on for some eye opening stories and ways that you can protect yourself and loved ones during a search for help with substance use disorder.

7 Ways to Find a Safer Rehab Facility:

• Figure out who you’re talking to. When you call, confirm that the person who answers actually works at the facility and isn’t just a hotline operator.
• Ask for a list of full-time staffers. Many rehabs have medical providers who come in for just a couple of hours per week. Seek out an organization with a published, complete list of its full-time providers, including a medical director, nurses, and licensed counselors.
• Check with state regulatory agencies. Look online to see if complaints have been filed against the facility or its staff members.
• Beware free stuff. It’s illegal for a rehab or patient recruiter to offer perks such as flights, rent, food, cash, or drugs to potential patients.
• Go big. Seek out treatment centers associated with large medical institutions, such as a local hospital chain.
• Find out whether the facility offers opioid medications. Drugs like buprenorphine and methadone can facilitate recovery for opioid users, whereas programs based on an abstinence-only model tend to have high relapse rates.
• Make sure the facility is accredited. A seal of approval from CARF or the Joint Commission isn’t a guarantee of quality, but not having one could be a red flag.

https://www.motherjones.com/crime-justice/2019/02/opioid-epidemic-rehab-recruiters/