How to Determine What Level of Care Is Best for My Client

Substance abuse disorders, like any other illness, come in many forms. Some addictions are severe and have drastic impacts on a person. Others are mild or moderate, and individuals suffering from a milder substance abuse disorder can go about their daily lives.

With a broad spectrum of illnesses comes a wide range of care options, and sometimes it can be hard to determine what level of care your client needs. 

What to Consider When Determining Care

As a provider, you must provide appropriate care to your client to ensure a full recovery. There are three main things to consider when determining the level of care that your client needs:

#1. How Severe Is Your Client's Addiction?

To understand the severity of your client's substance abuse disorder, it is crucial to look at how addiction affects their life. People with severe addictions usually let self-care go by the wayside and damage their physical and mental health. Their lack of self-care will also impact their ability to hold down a job or school.

The biggest red flag for determining intensive care is whether or not your client has or is currently facing criminal charges for drug possession or use. 

In cases like these, an inpatient treatment facility will be paramount to providing your client with the care they need to recover. In an inpatient facility, your client will be in an environment where they will not have access to drugs or alcohol, removing the chances of using while going through detox.

Additionally, they will be given medications to ease withdrawal symptoms. They will have 24/7 access to health care professionals that will provide them with the tools and resources they will need to detox successfully. 

If your client is dealing with a mild to moderate addiction that is not catastrophic to their life, an outpatient treatment center will be ideal. Outpatient treatment centers are part-time programs that allow your client to continue their daily lives while still providing them with the treatments and therapies necessary for recovery. 

#2. Does Your Client Have a Support System? 

People with severe addictions often damage their relationships with friends and family if they have not wholly isolated themselves -- outside of the people they are abusing drugs with, that is.

If your client solely surrounds themselves with people who enable their drug usage, an inpatient treatment center will be ideal. 

In an inpatient treatment facility, your client will not be able to interact with people promoting an unhealthy lifestyle. Instead, they will have the opportunity to rebuild positive relationships that they have damaged through their addiction by getting clean and participating in family therapy. Family therapy is crucial for many people suffering from substance abuse as it allows the patient to reconnect with loved ones and learn how to work through conflicts together. 

If your client still has an active and loving support system, an inpatient treatment program will likely not be necessary. They will have people in their lives that they will trust to share their struggles and who can help support them through detox and recovery. In this case, an outpatient treatment facility will be a better fit for your client. 

#3. Does Your Client Have a Dual Diagnosis? 

When your client is simultaneously suffering from a mental health and substance abuse disorder, inpatient treatment is usually advisable. This combination is called a dual diagnosis. When treating two conditions simultaneously, your client must seek treatment to ensure that neither condition becomes exacerbated during recovery.

In an inpatient treatment facility, your client will be offered dual diagnosis treatment and have the additional support they need as their recovery will more than likely be a difficult one. 

Suppose your client suffers from a substance abuse disorder and only has mild to moderate health concerns. In that case, an outpatient facility will provide them with these resources while allowing them to enjoy the things they love and connect with people who support them. 

Finding the Proper Treatment Facility

Whether you determine that an inpatient or outpatient facility is necessary for your client, finding a facility that meets your client's needs is crucial. Too often, people fall victim to rehab schemes. When picking a facility, ensure that its staff members are licensed professionals who practice scientifically based treatments and therapies to combat substance abuse disorders. 

It is also important to consider the preferences and values of your client and other resources they have available. For instance, if you know your client has a certain religious preference and struggles with their finances, sending your client to an expensive treatment center out-of-state that does not value their beliefs will do more harm than good. 

Addiction Treatment Isn’t One Size Fits All at The Forge Recovery Center

Not everyone's circumstances are the same when it comes to their journey to recovery, and they must be given the correct levels of care to ensure they stay on a path to a life filled with health and happiness.

At The Forge Recovery Center, treatment is never a one-size-fits-all approach. Our expertly trained staff are well-versed in treating patients with a wide array of needs, preferences, and values from a scientifically backed and compassionate approach. Provider to provider, we want to help you determine the best level of care for your client, as their recovery is just as important to us as it is to you.

If you have questions about what level of care will be necessary for your client to ensure they detox safely and successfully, please contact us today.