When it’s time to reach out for professional help for a substance use disorder, your first interaction is likely to be a phone call. Treatment providers are well aware that the moment when someone decides to enter recovery could occur at any hour of the day. That’s why most providers offer 24-hour phone support for admissions. These calls often include a pre-admission assessment and an insurance review.
After a brief discussion about your SUD, you will be given an appointment for you to tour the center and meet with the clinical team for a thorough assessment of your SUD. If the program isn’t in your area, this meeting can be conducted via a digital telehealth platform.
This meeting will include an in-depth interview about the details of your SUD, a review of your medical and mental health history and diagnostic tools that help the clinician create an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
What is treatment admission?
When you reach the point that you feel compelled to pick up the phone and ask for help, you are ready to tackle the SUD. During this pre-screening, you will be asked to provide some basic information that allows the support team to guide you through the admissions process.
These are the topics addressed during the admission process:
- Insurance plan review
- Tour the facility or arrange travel plans
- Interview with clinician
- Clinician defines level of care and treatment plan
Treatment admission process
Treatment centers do their best to make the admissions process as smooth and comfortable as possible. The primary goals of the admissions process include:
- Insurance or other payment options: While many people have health insurance, the differ in regards to coverage options. The admissions team works with your insurance provider to determine the maximum covered benefits available under your plan. If you don’t have insurance, most treatment centers will work with you to come up with a payment plan or other forms of payment.
- Evaluation: A comprehensive intake assessment allows the clinical team to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. During this conversation, you will be asked about the specific nature of your SUD, such as the duration of the SUD, which substances are involved, consumption levels, and any prior recovery attempts. You will also be asked to share about your medical and mental health history. The more open and detailed you are during this interview, the easier it will be for the clinicians to create a treatment plan that more closely matches your needs.
- Customized treatment plan: The clinicians will create an individualized treatment plan based on the information provided during the intake interview and evaluation. This becomes a kind of recovery blueprint, customized to address your specific treatment needs and recovery goals. They will make recommendations for an appropriate level of care and treatment duration, as well as aftercare planning.
Next steps in treatment
Once the admissions and intake process is completed, you will arrive at the treatment center to initiate the detox and rehabilitation phases of recovery. While there are variations in the specialties and services offered among treatment centers, most will provide the following treatment elements:
Detox: This is the first step of recovery. During these first days, you discontinue any substance use and begin to experience withdrawal. Withdrawal management support helps reduce the symptoms as you adjust to the absence of the substance.
Therapy: Various forms of individual and group therapy form the backbone of the treatment program. These include cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical-behavior therapy, group therapy, and family group sessions.
12 Step: The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is integrated into the treatment program.
Holistic elements: Rounding out the program are holistic activities, such as yoga, meditation or art therapy.
The admissions process opens the door to receiving the support and care needed to begin a new life in recovery. From that point on, the possibilities are endless.
Ashley Addiction Treatment, formerly Father Martin’s Ashley, is a nationally recognized nonprofit leader in integrated, evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders. Our programs are accredited by The Joint Commission, and result in frequent publications of ongoing research into effective treatment methodologies. We offer holistic care that encompasses the mind, body and spirit through inpatient and outpatient treatment, provide drug detox, relapse prevention plans, family wellness programs and a variety of other services tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Our driving principle — “everything for recovery” — reinforces our mission to transform and save lives through the science of medicine, the art of therapy and the compassion of spirituality, and is complemented by our philosophy of healing with respect and dignity. For information about our comprehensive programs, please call (866) 313-6307.
