In a crisis, family members panic. They want help for their loved one now. Sometimes they reach out to family members or friends, anyone who is willing to listen, and as good-hearted as these people may be, they are not professionals and may not be the best ones to offer the best help. Reaching out to family and friends for support for yourself is another story. We all need a person to talk with in a crisis. Most people will lend a listening ear. Watch out for those who seem to have immediate answers and run from those who insist they know what’s right for your family member.
If you have a family counselor, he or she may direct you to someone you can call. If you know someone who works with a treatment center, they can provide good information about the treatment center they work with, but that center may not be a fit for your family member’s clinical needs. So, what do you do? Who can help?
In the child and adolescent world, there are Educational Consultants. Typically, they are independent or they have a few treatment programs (some wilderness, some therapeutic boarding schools, some treatment programs). They charge a fee to work with the family over a period of time – 6 months, 1 year – sometimes longer. The fee varies according to the length of contract time.
In the adult world, there are Independent Clinical Consultants. I’m biased toward this group. Typically, they have been in the treatment industry for a long enough time to have learned about many treatment centers and how to distinguish them from one another based on the focus of their treatment and level of care they provide. For the most part, this small group of independents hold contracts with a few treatment facilities and refer not only to them but also outside the scope of those programs. Ideally, they are the most open and transparent in the treatment options they refer to. Usually, they refer outside the scope of their own clients. This group of consultants will ask a lot of questions in their effort to assess the client’s clinical needs and level of care. Beyond that, they will take into consideration the milieu, appropriateness of fit for the client, and even further beyond that, they will look at insurance, cost, and location.
So, if you are seeking help or helping someone seeking help, here are some of the questions you should be prepared to answer:
- What is your relationship to the client?
- Know the legal name, age, and gender of the client.
- Describe symptoms and behavior – be specific.
- Has the client experienced negative consequences from the symptoms and behavior: legal, domestic, work?
- Have symptoms appeared abruptly or worsened gradually over time?
- Are you aware of any traumatic event or experience that might have contributed to the client’s condition?
- Do you know if there has ever been a diagnosis?
- Has this person ever been to treatment? If so, where and when?
- Was there any effective change?
- Is the client willing to get help?
- Is the person covered by insurance? If so, who is the provider? Does the client or family have additional financial resources to cover the cost of treatment not covered by insurance?
Good to Know:
- Just because you run benefit verification does not mean you are making a decision about that treatment center.
- When thinking about treatment options, it’s good to consider more than one. Priority consideration should be given to clinical excellence and fit. Does this treatment consideration actually address the client’s issues? Is this a safe setting for the client, and will he/she fit in?
Disclaimers:
- Be wise in your research.
- There are treatment centers that tell you they treat mental health issues along with addiction. Look at staff credentials on their website. Ask someone who has had experience with that treatment center before you decide. If you call Admissions, ask if they can give you the name and number of a person who has experienced successful treatment there.
- Some marketing people who work for a single treatment center over-promise on their treatment center’s capabilities. They are paid for admissions to that treatment center. Not all are like that and accurately represent the center they work for, offering referrals to other treatment options when indicated.
- If the person you are concerned about is resistant and unwilling to seek help, don’t waste your time and money trying to convince them. Treatment requires a person to engage and do the work of healing in an environment that offers resources and modalities to facilitate that. “You can lead a horse to water, but…..”
- Seek help from consultants or treatment industry experts with experience with multiple treatment facilities. Some, like Educational Consultants and Interventionists, charge for their service; others do not. Vet your sources of information. How long have they been in the industry? What are their credentials? Will they give you access to clients they have referred?
Dr. Sherry Young, PhD, CSAT, Founder of Right Fit Collaborative (rightfitcollaborative.com), has been committed to recovery for twenty-seven years and has worked in the treatment industry for 18 years. She does not charge individuals or family members for treatment consultation, assessment, referral, or placement. She does not receive any payment for admissions. RFC’s business model is based on collaboration and the highest ethical standards of referral and placement. She receives a monthly consulting fee from her clients for education and consultation with individuals and families. She often refers outside the scope of her clients and is transparent with them about referrals to other programs. This has resulted in the creation of a trusted network of relationships that can be trusted to refer to one another when the fit is not the best for them.