Private Drug Rehab Research Paper

Government Funded Versus Private Drug Rehab

When I started on this journey I really had no idea what rehab was. I thought that rehab was a place where drug addicts went to detoxify their bodies and then they went home magically all better. Well on my road to discovery I found out they really are so much more than that. While there are some things that I consider negative effects, I believe I now have a full understanding of just what a rehabilitation center is and the invaluable services they provide.
The first facility I decided to research was government funded (free) rehabilitation clinics. What I learned is that most of the facilities that the government funds are very straight forward. They offer a 12 step program and generalized counseling
in group settings and that’s about it. There usually understaffed and over worked. These types of facilities are often bought and paid for by major pharmaceutical companies so that there treatments, “drugs” will be used. This is a big business in drug rehab for pharmaceutical companies to fund these facilities so that they can prescribe drugs to "treat" the addiction. While any treatment seems better than none I found myself wondering what the long term effects were.
Are these companies truly helping people? Government funded rehabs are creating a breed all their own. These people go to them for help and come out having traded up one addiction for another. They prescribe drugs like anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, sleep aids, muscle relaxers, and opiate blockers in turn causing the addict to become dependent on the drugs that they used to get off the ones they were addicted to. The only difference is this one is legal and nine times out of ten cost more. Another problem plaguing these types of facilities is trying to get in. Addictions don’t have schedules so if you are an addict and want to get clean the last thing that you want is to be put on a waiting list for weeks sometimes months. Although there are a lot of them out there addicts outweigh the available space almost 4 to 1. Most of these facilities don’t offer one on one therapy sessions so you are stuck in a group atmosphere as well. Now obviously not all government funded treatment facilities are this way but a great deal of them are. The upsides to government facilities are there free based on your need and the extent of your addiction. They will try to get you in as soon as possible. These facilities
also provide different types of rehabilitation such as the different length of treatment, 30 day in patient, 60 day inpatient, 90 inpatient and live in, Live in treatment is for those who have brain or body trauma that leave them needing constant in patient treatment.
There are also 30, 60, and 90 day out patient treatments as well. Inpatient treatment consists of your basic 12 step program based on your specific addiction, counseling sessions, in group meetings, and frequent family interaction where applicable. Outpatient sessions are pretty much the same but with no overnight commitment. One of the most common used facilities I researched was called On Track; they offer three locations, Grants Pass, Medford and White City. There waiting list is out 4 months out. They offer a simple 12 step program for AA and NA both. There treatments also consist mostly of group meetings located throughout the valley that individuals must attend as part of their treatment. At each meeting you are to have a paper signed by the person the meeting is being held by, as well as a token sometimes a button or keychain. Other programs available through On Track are as follows: HOME Program, DADS Program, DUII Treatment Program, Domestic Violence, Treatment Program, Outpatient Drug & Alcohol Programs, Bilingual and Bicultural Services and Gambling Treatment Program. Youth Services, Intensive Outpatient Treatment, Minor in Possession
Education, School-based Counseling and Treatment Services, Teen Residential Program, Parenting Program, Family Therapy Program, Healthy Babies Program. Housing for Special Needs, Stevens Place (low cost and second chance housing), Stewart Avenue (low cost and second chance housing), Alan's House (HIV/AIDS residence), Transitional Housing (http://ontrackrecovery.org/index.shtml). Though this is not a free “Fees for most programs are calculated on a sliding scale based upon the client's gross monthly household income. A few programs, including the Domestic Violence Re-education and DUII Treatment, are operated under statutes that require the client to pay the full cost of services. On Track accepts and bills Oregon Health Plan, Medicare, and most private insurance plans” (http://ontrackrecovery.org/payment.shtml Feb 18, 2011). With all the services offered it’s a shame that only not even half of the people who need can wait the amount of time it takes to get in. Is there a better solution?
Private facilities or “self-pay” facilities are not paid for by the government so do not follow the same set of rules. These facilities might follow the same 12 step programs; however that is where the similarities end. Private rehabs are paid for by the residents, but they offer so much more then government facilities in that the individual care is much more hands on. In my research for this I found that though more expensive there are treatment facilities that will allow you to make payments as well as in some cases work off you room and board as a form of therapy.