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How to Assess a Facility’s Long-Term Success Rates
In addiction recovery, "success" is more than a percentage. To find a facility that actually works, you must look past graduation rates and evaluate the depth of their long-term support systems.
How to Assess a Facility’s Long-Term Success Rates
The first thing you or a loved one will probably ask when you are ready to get better is, “Does this work?” It’s a normal reaction. You want to know the “success rate” of the place you’re thinking about because you’re putting a lot of effort, money, and emotion into a decision that will change your life.
But in the realm of addiction treatment, “success” isn’t just a number. You need to look beyond the marketing figures when you evaluate a facility since rehabilitation is a lifelong process, not a one-time event.
We at Casa Leona believe in complete openness. Here is how to correctly judge a facility’s long-term success and what questions you should ask to assist you make a smart choice.
1. Don’t only look at graduation rates; look at “Alumni Engagement” as well
A lot of establishments say that 90% or 100% of their clients finish. Completing a program is a terrific start, but it only tells you who stayed for the entire 30, 60, or 90 days of inpatient care. It doesn’t say how they’re doing six months later.
A facility that is really effective has a strong and active alumni program. Ask the facility: Do they have a special person in charge of alumni? How often do they talk to people who used to live there? Is there a group of people that graduates can turn to for help once they leave? The community that forms once the first therapy phase is over is what makes long-term success possible.
2. Look at the “Continuum of Care” Plan
Patients have the best chance of success when they go smoothly from residential treatment to the “real world.” While Casa Leona focuses on high-level inpatient care, we understand that the transition is where the real work begins.
Look at the facility’s discharge planning to see how good they are. A good facility like Casa Leona focuses on the “Warm Handoff.” This means providing quality Sober Living Resources and trusted Outpatient Referrals to ensure that the support system maintains the same even when the level of care varies.
3. Ask About Family Participation
Studies regularly demonstrate that familial involvement in the recovery process markedly enhances the individual’s long-term success rate. Addiction is a “family disease,” and the best way to get better is as a family. You can read more about the impact of family therapy on long-term recovery here.
It’s a bad sign if a facility doesn’t let family members in or treats them like an afterthought. A center that stresses long-term success will offer family therapy sessions, educational workshops, and resources for loved ones to rehabilitate alongside the resident.
4. Quality Over Quantity: The Evidence-Based Method
Lastly, see how they deal with addiction. “One-size-fits-all” programs don’t usually lead to long-term success. Look for a mix of holistic wellness and evidence-based professional therapy, such as CBT or DBT.
The person’s ability to establish a life they don’t want to leave is what success means. This means that the institution should be helping with more than just the substance use. It should also be helping with trauma, mental health problems that happen at the same time, and life skills.
Finding the Right Fit
The most honest thing a facility can say regarding success rates is that rehabilitation is a team effort. We don’t simply think about the days spent at Casa Leona; we also think about the lives that were rebuilt after that. When you look at a facility, check out how deep their support is and how long their community has been around. That’s where real success lives.