It wasn’t all that long ago that drug and alcohol rehabs would limit the range of treatment options to which their clients could get access. Most treatment programs revolved around residential or inpatient treatment. Inpatient treatment was usually limited to one on one counseling with a little group therapy thrown in for variety.
A lot of things have changed in the addiction community over the last 10 to 15 years. Gone is the cookie-cutter approach to treatment. That has been replaced by a much wider range of treatment modalities that revolve around the following:
- Holistic therapy
- Evidence based therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- More focus on outpatient treatment
By offering a wider range of treatment options, rehabs have successfully opened the door for more people to get the treatment they need.
If you are contemplating getting treatment for a drinking problem, you might be interested to know that many of the nation’s top rehabs offer a choice between inpatient and outpatient treatment. The change in approach came about because Americans live busy lives with lots of stress and responsibilities. Not everyone who needs treatment can afford to spend the time or money needed to go through a residential treatment process.
It’s important to note there are still rehabs that specialize in either inpatient or outpatient treatment. However, the number of these facilities are starting to dissipate. The current trend in the addiction treatment community is to allow more clients to have access to a treatment option that best fits their circumstances.
What is Outpatient Treatment?
There is a lot of tradition built into the concept of inpatient treatment. Clients live in the rehab facility 24/7 for at least 30 days and up to as many as 180 days. During their time in rehab, they participate in individual and group therapy sessions. They also learn how to better live with structure and cope with their triggers.
Outpatient treatment is far less restrictive. Clients report to therapy as scheduled but spend the majority of their time at home.
While inpatient treatment is generally more effective, it costs more and prohibits clients from attending to their outside responsibilities. Because of these restrictions, not everyone is willing or able to submit to inpatient treatment. Without an available outpatient option, people might choose to neglect treatment altogether. That benefits no one.
Here are some of the reasons why some people prefer outpatient treatment:
- Too many ongoing responsibilities at home, work, or school
- Can’t afford inpatient treatment
- Have primary responsibility for the direct care o others (children, parents, employees)
- Missing work would create a financial burden
There are three types of outpatient treatment. You can differentiate them by the amount of time clients have to spend in the rehab facility.
The three types are:
- Standard Outpatient Treatment (OP), 1 to 2 hours a day for a couple of days a week
- Intensive Outpatient treatment (IOP), 4 to 6 hours each day for up to 5 days a week
- Partial Hospitalization Treatment (PHP), full time of 6 to 8 hours a day for at least 5 days a week
The rules are very simple. All outpatient clients must abide by their treatment schedules. There is zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use. Rehab administrators will perform a random drug test. All clients must fully commit to the process.
As long as clients follow these rules, they should be able to get what they need from treatment. If they continuously fall short of expectations, they might have to choose between moving into the inpatient facility or leaving the program altogether.
The ability to easily move from one level of treatment to another is one of the reasons more rehabs offer both options. It’s a matter of convenience and the benefits that come from the continuity of care between departments.
Based on the above information, you now know there are lots of rehab facilities that offer inpatient and outpatient treatment options. If that’s what you are looking for, we would like to inform you we offer both options. If you enter our facility, we will work with you to create a treatment program that fits your needs. If you would like more information about our services and facility, you should give us a call. Our representatives are available 24/7 by calling 833-820-2922. This one phone call might be all you need to save you from the grips of addiction.