Treatment works; and long-term recovery for addicts and families is more available today than any time in history. Central Recovery Treatment (CRT) and its family of treatment providers have developed a comprehensive continuum of care designed to help both our clients and their families to Discover Recovery. Addiction is a devastating disease that is difficult to identify and almost impossible for families to deal with on their own. We understand addiction still carries with it an undeserved stigma, so coming to terms that your loved one is an addict is an emotionally charged process that we will assist you with in every possible way. We are here to provide a solution to your problem.
According to Dr. Alan I. Leshner, Ph.D., former Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, (NIDA), "Three decades of scientific research and clinical practice have yielded a variety of effective approaches to drug addiction treatment. Extensive data documents that drug addiction treatment is as effective as treatments of most other similarly chronic medical conditions."
Addiction is a chronic disease that is progressive and lasts a lifetime. The good news is that treatment works, and recovery can also last a lifetime. Very simply, it requires work to not only find recovery, but to maintain recovery. This work does not stop with the addict. Family members must find their own program of recovery and maintain it. An addict with a family working a program of recovery is much more likely to maintain long-term abstinence.
Research by The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) states, "Remaining in treatment for an adequate period of time is critical for treatment effectiveness." NIDA further states that "research indicates that for most patients, the threshold of significant improvement is reached at about three months in treatment. After this threshold is reached, additional treatment can produce further progress toward recovery."
As stated by NIDA research, three months of treatment is the threshold of significant improvement. LVRC's twelve-week Discover Recovery Program was designed for this purpose. Our program is broken down into three phases with specific goals and objectives for each phase. Twelve weeks allows sufficient time for both the client and family to experience significant improvement. Addressing addiction in a comprehensive way provides the foundation of successful long-term recovery. In order to provide the services required for long-term recovery, CRT and its family of companies have developed a full continuum of care to effectively treat addiction as a family disease. For those clients who access our full continuum of services from medically managed withdrawal through continuing care, we are able to effectively assist clients - and their families - for a lifetime. For those clients and families who participate in our alumni program and family support meetings, we can continue to provide support and have a positive impact for the remainder of their lives. Our continuum of care is designed to provide solutions to the disease of addiction and its affect upon the addict and his or her family for a lifetime.
Our programs are designed to assist clients and families in navigating a very confusing and emotionally-charged process - making the decision to enter treatment. Included in our programs are robust educational, counseling, and support components. The client and his or her family must fully understand that addiction is a brain disease and must also acknowledge the part codependency plays in the disease of addiction. Only with this understanding is a successful outcome possible for both the client and his or her family. Our message is simple - clients and their families need to enter a parallel process if both are to recover. We believe that addiction is a no-fault disease. No one is to blame; however, we do recognize that addiction affects the whole family and treatment works for everyone involved. Personal responsibility and ownership of the recovery process is critical in the rebuilding healthy and whole lives.
Addiction cannot successfully be treated in a vacuum. The addict is part of a larger family system. If the client needs treatment, so does the family Providing treatment for only the addict is not enough - healing must take place within the family system. Our treatment programs are designed to treat the client and to provide the structure and support required for the family to recover as well. Experience shows us that when our clients and their families are in a parallel process of recovery outcomes improve dramatically. No one is to blame for addiction, but everyone should be part of the solution. Recovery is a team effort, and we are invested in providing solutions that work.
Leverage
According to NIDA, "Since successful outcomes often depend upon retaining the addict long enough to gain the full benefits of treatment, strategies for keeping an individual in program are critical."
CRT's family of treatment providers spend the time needed with clients and family members to establish what we refer to as "leverage." Leverage is a collaborative process between CRT and the client's family. Leverage refers to the dynamic of how we work with the family to keep the client in treatment long enough for treatment to do the rebuilding work. There are no guarantees; however, our experience has shown, and we feel that such a collaborative effort on the part of CRT and the family, will improve the client's chances of success. We assist the family in determining what consequences the client will incur if he or she does not participate in the treatment plan. This accountability is a necessary reminder of everything that is at stake as clients confront doubts and do the hard work associated with full change. While establishing leverage we support the family by empowering them to carry through with the leverage they establish. Establishing leverage is an extremely effective brief intervention that works. Most clients do not enter treatment willingly. Addiction is a chronic disease that resists treatment and is characterized by denial. It "tells" a person he or she does not have a disease. It "tells" addicts that they can stop on their own; they don't need help. Regardless of how awful life gets, the addict still feels he or she can manage without any help. Only with leverage and family assistance are we able to successfully engage and retain a client in treatment. It takes a team effort to break through the resistance and denial addiction brings. All too often we see families support their addicted family member in "half measures." Families are not able to provide healthy boundaries with their loved one in treatment. This is not a time to barter or just being happy their loved one has admitted him- or herself into detox. The disease of addiction is life-threatening and should always be considered deadly. Half-measures perpetuate sickness and are really the beginning of unrealistic treatment outcomes.
It is our experience that not only is the addict confused when entering treatment, but the family is also at a loss and unsure of what to do. Everyone at that point is looking for a solution to a problem that may not be well defined to them. The addict may have other issues that need attention in addition to his or her substance problem. Even if the addict agrees to undergo treatment the decision should not be left to him or her as to the proper course of action. Typically, addicts will seek the path of least resistance. They are not looking at a long-term solution to their problem. Their goal is to get by with as little effort as possible in order to satisfy their family, friends, employer, etc. They may actually believe that one meeting a week will be sufficient. Treatment professionals know better. This attitude is the norm regardless of how far addiction has progressed. Our experience in dealing with many clients has shown this approach is simply not effective.
What we recommend to families and clients are those services we believe will work to treat the problem sufficiently and with the best likelihood of finding recovery the first time. Convincing someone that he or she needs help and finding the proper course of action is not easy. We understand the challenges clients and family members face when entering treatment. Our continuum of care was specifically developed to find solutions.
Expectations
In spite of scientific evidence that establishes the effectiveness of drug abuse treatment; many people believe that treatment is ineffective. In part, this is because of unrealistic expectations. Many people equate addiction with simply using drugs and therefore expect that addiction should be cured quickly, and if it is not, treatment is a failure. Since addiction is a chronic disorder, the ultimate goal of long-term abstinence often requires sustained and repeated treatment episodes." According to NIDA, "Recovery from drug addiction can be a long-term process and frequently requires multiple episodes of treatment." NIDA also states "As with other chronic illnesses, relapses to drug use can occur during or after successful treatment episodes."
Expectations initially can be unrealistic because clients and families do not fully understand the disease of addiction. Often they don't even believe addition is a disease, but rather a moral weakness or lack of willpower. This fallacy leads a person to think that if he or she became more moral or stronger, they would stop using and everything would be okay. The family may seek treatment or even detox as a quick fix or feel we can "cure" their loved one. It is not that easy. In fact, it is not easy at all. The journey through recovery requires work and ongoing participation on everyone's part. Addicts face many issues when getting clean that they may not want to address. A strong commitment is needed from the family to ensure the client stays in treatment and follows through with further treatment recommendations. This will require a clear understanding about addiction on the part of the family. To assist with this process, we go to great lengths to educate families and also to offer support and encourage them as they discover and then pursue their own individual recovery. If the addict chooses to continue on his or her path of addiction, the family can choose to detach with love and move on in their own recovery.
Continuous Monitoring & Support
In all phases of treatment we continuously monitor clients and hold them accountable for their behavior. One tool we use is random drug testing. Objective testing provides valuable information for families and us. We have found that by doing so we are able to deal with relapse in a quick and effective manner. We track progress in measurable goals and objectives that are established early in treatment and are known as a treatment plan. This plan will follow a client and family throughout treatment. A treatment plan is always evolving; as new problems are discovered, a new solution must be found. If goals and objectives are not measurable, there is no way to gauge what exactly someone did while in treatment.
Safe, Confidential Environment
Our residential program is twelve weeks in length and is divided into three phases. Each phase of treatment is designed for a specific purpose.
Maintenance of boundaries, consistent with a structured environment, is an important aspect of the treatment we provide. For some clients, this may be their first opportunity to experience limits placed upon their behavior. We understand this and in fact, anticipate it. A boot camp-style environment is not required to treat a chronic disease. Our clients are in a structured environment, away from his or her using environment and every day stressors. We believe that a safe and nurturing environment is essential where clients are held accountable for their behaviors while being encouraged to feel their feelings. As the drugs are removed, feelings emerge that may have been buried for years. This is often a scary time; no longer is the cushioning effect of substances available. It is important to understand that addicting drugs change mood and feelings. Once you take the drugs away, different behaviors will emerge. Typically these behaviors are not healthy and are used in lieu of drugs to cope. This is often not a conscious action - it is the addicted mind doing its best to avoid or alter reality. It can be as simple as not following rules, creating drama, manipulating staff, anger, gossip, and the list goes on and on. It is CRT and its family of companies' mission to identify and bring to light these issues to help our clients and families see that addiction goes much deeper than the chronic use of substances. Most feelings can be involved as reasons one uses. For those accustomed to taking a pill or using to address uncomfortable thoughts and feelings this process can be a rude awakening; our staff are experts on walking our clients through this difficult period.
Based on a thorough clinical assessment that determines the length of stay and level of care a client requires to adequately treat their disease, we offer all of the programs listed on the left.