Can you trust that commercial interest will not influence the recommendation of the center?

Is it possible that staff is put under pressure to get heads on pillows or just feel the financial imperative that unwittingly influences their decisions?

Would it not be better to have an independent assessment that you can take as your reference?

Would you feel more secure with an independent recommendation to a substance abuse treatment center from a specialist who knows the field?

These questions and many other such concerns arise in one mind when it comes to finally contacting a substance abuse treatment center in order to get rid of the underlying issue. In fact, choosing the right treatment center is not as straightforward as you might think. Thus, instead of employing guesswork, you need to make an informed decision if you can trust a treatment center. In this regard, consider the following questions to ask:

Will you carry out a full qualified assessment and recommend counseling, inpatient or outpatient help as necessary, or are you likely to insist upon a 28-day residential program.

Will the assessor be a qualified and registered psychiatrist, psychologist, nurse, or counselor with specialist training in addiction treatment?

If you recommend inpatient treatment, do I have to be resident for 28 days, or can I do a combination of inpatient detoxification followed by some time on a day program followed by individual addiction therapy sessions?

How long has your substance abuse treatment center been running, and how experienced are your main staff?

Are your therapists trained only in Addictions, or have they qualifications in psychology, counselling, or psychotherapy as well?

Is your program rigidly 12 steps, or do you cater to people who are not comfortable with this approach?

Do your Counsellors insist that their way is the only way, that AA/NA meetings are compulsory, or do they acknowledge the importance of other approaches like Rational Recovery and are able to integrate them into my program of care?

If I begin your course of treatment but find that I am unhappy with the regime, will you immediately refer me to a more suitable clinic or therapist?

If I have paid money in advance and subsequently get transferred to another facility, will you refund the balance and transfer it to the new substance abuse treatment center?

Are you willing to accept the Clinical Assessment from an independent Specialist as a recommendation for my Treatment, and will you carry out their recommendations; If not, why not?

By asking the ten questions mentioned above, you will quickly get the measure of whether the substance abuse treatment center you are looking at has a sufficient degree of flexibility to do what they all say they will do, and that is to treat you like an individual; or whether they will try to squeeze you through the same box that everyone else is forced through and if you fail, blame you for your lack of readiness or willingness.