Expert: Crystal - 7/19/2009

Question
How effective is out-patient drug rehab verses in-patient rehab? Our 17 year old daughter is addicted heroine and meth is currently in a detox facility, we need to move her soon to a rehab. Insurance does not cover in-patient just out-patient and we have heard out-patient is not that effective.

Answer
Karen,
I am so sorry to hear that you are facing this, it is never easy to do and I have a 17 year old so I feel for you a great deal.
Residential (inpatient) treatment is always the best option for someone who has just detoxed off of any substance but particularly for those adddicted to heroin because they are still very raw. What I mean by that is when an individual has just gone through detox their bodies are not yet able to focus and cope at the same time without the substance so they are at a huge risk for relapse. So being able to be out of the life they usually live in allows them the time to learn about their addiction,why they use and it helps them to be able to focus themselves and build tools to maintain sobriety which is a huge part of success. Usually, the protocol would be to do the inpatient therapy and then follow-up with outpatient therapy as well as weekly NA meetings so she can get a sponsor to give her more support and unlimited access to someone who as been where she is right now.
If you have to do outpatient therapy because of the insurance issue I would take to NA and get her a sponsor right away for support and I would make sure her therapy is at least three times a week or even all week with a wide variety of groups which the counselor can put in her treatment plan.
Good luck.