The recovery journey is rarely smooth. It requires facing your demons, fighting urges, addressing temptations, and reconciling your emotions. But the end result is well worth it.
While difficulties will arise, finding the right treatment center in New Jersey can make all the difference. BlueCrest is that recovery partner. Beyond providing comprehensive treatment, our staff has lifed through drug and alcohol addiction, and can put ourselves in your shoes when it comes to offering the support you need.
But let’s take a step back. This article will explain what to look for in addiction treatment to ensure you get the best care wherever your journey leads you.
Accreditation and Licensing
All facilities in New Jersey must be liscensed by the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). Licensing means the facility has been reviewed and approved to provide a certain level of care.
There are also two accrediting bodies you’ll encounter when researching substance abuse treatment plans. They include:
- Joint Commission Accredited: Accreditation means the facility has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation to assess its protocols and practices, ensuring it provides a high level of service. Reviews are ongoing, and accreditation may be lost if the center’s standards drop.
- CARF International (Commission on Accreditation of Rehab Facilities): Evaluates programs against standards specifically set for rehab centers. This accreditation is especially valuable in the recovery space, as it caters to addiction treatment, beyond general medical standards.
Beyond quality, health insurance providers are more likely to work with accredited facilities, increasing the likehood that your services will be covered.
Evidence-Based Practices
Evidence-based practices are clinically proven treatments that guide successful recovery journeys and support relapse prevention. They include:
- Medication-Assisted Treatment: Medications are often administered during the initial detox process to control cravings and withdrawal symptoms and may be integrated in ongoing care for emotional regulation and to address continuing urges. Medical detox professionals work with clients to assess their needs and guide detox prescription expectations. Research published on Pew.org reveals that MAT is effective in successfully treating drug addiction, especially when combined with therapy.
- Clinically Proven Therapies: After patients are stable, they move on to mental health treatment that addresses the underlying cause of addiction. The best clinics will use evidence-based approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and trauma-informed care. A chapter from SAMHSA’s Facing Addiction in America shows “treatment programs that offer more of these evidence-based components have the greatest likelihood of producing better outcomes.”
Dual Diagnosis Approach
Substance use disorders are often attributed to mental health. People use drugs and alcohol to cope with symptoms. While substances can provide temporary relief, they often take people on a downward spiral, interfering with emotional regulation and causing issues in personal and professional relationships.
A dual diagnosis recovery process addresses substance abuse and underlying emotional disorders, ensuring long-term sobriety. Evidence-based approaches are integrated to treat dependecy issues at their root. They teach patients coping skills so they can deal with their emotions in a healthy manner without turning to drugs and alcohol.
Continuum of Care- Levels of Treatment
The recovery journey is a process, guided by different levels of care as clients meet certain milestones. BlueCrest offers a continuum of services, as follows.
- Partial Care: We understand how difficult it can be to balance recovery with daily life. At BlueCrest, partial care is our primary model, allowing clients to schedule treatment around childcare, work, and other responsibilities. It typically involves 5-6 hours of therapy five days a week; evening programs are available.
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): After clients complete partial care, they move on to IOP, attending shorter therapy sessions 3-5 days a week.
- Traditional Outpatient Services: During this final stage of therapy, clients continue attending sessions once a week or as needed.
- Aftercare Planning: We understand recovery is an ongoing process. We continue to support our clients by recommending 12-step support groups and healthy habits that are conducive to sober living.
Costs and Insurance Plans
Cost is a concern for people entering drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs, as they tend to be expensive. It’s advisable to find a facility that accepts your ensurance or offers payment plans to spread costs over time and make them more affordable.
BlueCrest offers a transparent approach, allowing you to verify insurance directly on our website to prevent surprises. We work with most insurance plans. And based on our caring approach, we take it a step further.
We will go out of our way to find affordable solutions for our clients, ensuring they find an effective drug or alcohol rehab solution.
Staff Credentials and Ratio
The staff may be the most important part of the recovery journey. A compassionate, experienced team can make all the difference in your success rates. Here are some things to look for:
- High Staff-to-Client Ratio: Ensures more individualized, focused care and greater attention to ongoing needs.
- Licensed Credentialed Professionals: An addiction recovery facility staff should include medical doctors, a licensed clinical drug and alcohol counselor, and a licensed clinical social worker, alongside other trained professionals. This approach ensures effective medical treatment aligned with evidence-based therapies.
- Compassion: Most facilities will say they offer compassionate staff, but you can truly assess this through interactions. Additionally, a staff like BlueCrest’s, which consists of members who have experienced recovery firsthand, will truly understand what treatment entails and will be capable of a deeper level of empathy.
Family Involvement
Family education is essential in long-term recovery. Relatives are often brought into therapy sessions to learn:
- Stressors that may have contributed to their loved one’s dependency issues, including their own behavioral patterns
- Warning signs that may indicate their loved one is relapsing
- How to create a supportive environment for their loved one
This approach guides aftercare and is essential in relapse prevention.
Understanding the Regulatory and Legal Landscape in New Jersey
New Jersey’s evolving drug policies have shaped how facilities in the state address substance abuse in the following ways.
- Marijuana Legalization Impacts in New Jersey: Like many states, cannabis is legal in New Jersey. While some individuals find that cannabis improves their physical and emotional well-being, addiction rates have increased. Clinics in the state must understand cannabis addiction and how to treat it.
- Prescription Drug Misuse as a Driver of Addiction: With prescription drugs contributing heavily to the opioid epidemic, New Jersey has adopted several laws to ensure safe usage. One of these is safe prescription drug disposal in NJ, allowing residents to drop off drugs safely and anonymously. The state also limits supply for first-time prescriptions.
Questions to Ask Before Deciding on a Treatment Facility?
Here are some key questions you may want to ask before deciding whether a facility is suited to your needs. They address most factors covered in this article:
- Are you licensed by the NJ DMHAS and accredited by the Joint Commission or CARF?
- What evidence-based modalities does your clinical team use?
- What credentials do your counselors and therapists hold, and what is your client-to-counselor ratio?
- Can you verify my insurance before I commit to admissions?
- What levels of care do you offer, and can I transition between them within your program?
- What does aftercare look like once I complete treatment?
Get the Care You Need at BlueCrest Detox Recovery Center
At BlueCrest, we are deeply familiar with the difficulties individuals face when seeking treatment. We offer support through medical supervision, evidence-based therapy, and ongoing treatment in aftercare. Our personalized care meets patients where they are, ensuring their recovery aligns with their goals and lifestyles.
Contact us to learn more about our offerings.
FAQs
Does insurance cover treatment centers in NJ?
Yes, New Jersey has mandated that all insurance plans cover six months of substance abuse disorder treatment. However, coverage can vary by provider.
What’s the difference between detox and rehab?
Detox is the initial drying-out stage, addressing the physical aspects of addiction. Rehab occurs when clients have stabilized, and therapy is applied to address the underlying cause of dependency issues.
How long does treatment typically last?
The duration of treatment varies based on the severity of the addiction and the individual’s underlying mental health needs. However, most programs last 30-90 days before the aftercare stage goes into effect.
What happens if I need a higher or lower level of care mid-treatment?
Treatment plans typically adjust to patient needs and can be more or less intensive depending on the client’s progress.
What is a family’s involvement in the recovery process?
Family support is essential in long-term recovery. Families are typically brought into therapy sessions to learn more about their loved one’s needs and to determine how to create a supportive environment conducive to healing.
