Keeping the Family Together During Drug Treatment

April 30th, 2015

One of the things that holds many people back from committing to an in-patient or long term residential program is wondering what will happen to their families while they are away. Unless you have other family members, or a spouse or partner that is willing to step in and assume all the responsibilities, it can seem like a better choice to not get focused treatment to keep stability for young children. That can make recovery a much harder process. Fortunately, more and more treatment centers are offering special programs that are designed to help you remain involved with the family, help children to understand what is going on, and work to support creating a stronger family structure.

In-Patient or Long Term Residential Program

Some centers have special long term residency programs that include partial or full housing for young children and pregnant women. The opportunity to combine learning how to live in recovery, while also learning how to manage parenting without drug use can help you be a better parent. It also helps children to understand and accept the process of residential recovery because they are not isolated from the parent.

Social Workers and Case Managers

As part of your treatment team you will have a case manager and social worker. The case manager will work to coordinate care from the varying agencies and clinicians to promote a holistic recovery program for you. The social worker is there to help you identify and connect with resources outside of the program so you have continued support as you come back into life after drug treatment.

Getting started

One of the best ways to find out what is available to you in regards to also providing support for your children while in drug treatment is to ask when you call to talk to a drug counselor. They can outline your options clearly.