When you have a loved one who is ready to seek treatment for an addiction, they will have a long road ahead of them. During the detox and rehab phases of their recovery, there won’t be much you can do to help them beyond offering emotional support. However, you can help them rejoin normal society by finding them a good halfway house or recovery home. These tips can help you find the best place for your loved one’s transition from recovery to normal society.
Check With the Treatment Center
One of the first things you should do is to check with the treatment center where your loved one is undergoing addiction rehab. They may operate their own recovery house, which will be separate from the addiction treatment center. If that’s the case, you should still visit their recovery house, but you can usually trust they will provide the same quality of care in both facilities.
Check Credentials and Policies
If you need to expand your search, be sure to limit the search to those recovery houses with valid licenses, insurance, and accreditation. You should also find out about the policies they have in place to maintain the facility as a sober living home. Do they do drug and alcohol testing? Find out about how they enforce sober living rules and what happens if someone violates the rules. If they work in conjunction with an area treatment center, ask if board certified therapists will continue to work with residents in an outpatient basis.
Explore Available Services
Each sober living community will offer a different range of services, but each facility should be focused on helping residents build new lives for themselves. At a minimum, they should offer outpatient group support meetings, housing assistance, and job seeking resources. Some facilities may also work with area churches and nonprofit organizations to provide spiritual counseling, free or low-cost therapy, and other community resources.
Your search for a good recovery house may take time, so it’s a good idea to get started early. This can help you find the best place for your recovering loved one. It also gives you an opportunity to talk to your loved one about the recovery house you have chosen for them. If you’re prepared in this way, your loved one can transition more smoothly as they leave the addiction treatment center.