To pick a rehab is a awesome task. Whether it’s for you or a loved one. The stakes are high.The pressure is great. You want to select a good one. It’s a major choice. The results can be enormous.

So how do you pick a rehab? We have concrete suggestions for selecting a good one. They’re specific. And concrete. 

Is a prospective rehab interested in only your money? Or in helping you? Or your loved one? For excellent clues, look at minimum standards for excellence. 

At the very least, pick a rehab that has all of these.

1. Licensed by the state for all purposes.
2. Accredited by one of these.

• • Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).
  • Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
  • Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP).
  • Joint Commission.

To get a license, most states require Joint Commission accreditation. If they don’t have a license, rehabs can’t get Medicaid or Medicare payments. 

3. Led by professionals. At least some should have a doctorate: M.D., Ph.D., or Psy.D. 

4. Licensed to provide detox. Even if you don’t need it, it’s an important sign of quality. See Know about Alcohol Detox.

5. Able to get insurance reimbursement. Virtually all rehabs meet the minimum standards to accept health insurance. So failing to do so would be a major red flag.

6. Staffed by licensed and credentialed counselors. Every counselor on staff should have earned at least one of the following. Usually each has multiple credentials.

[Add = Addictions. Alc = Alcohol. As = Associate. Cert = Certified. Clin = Clinical. Coun = Counselor. Lic = Licensed. Prof = Professional. Sub = Substance]

• • CAC  (Cert Add Coun).
  • CAC-AD (Cert As Coun – Alco and Drug).
  • CADAC (Cert Alco and Drug Abuse Coun).
  • CADC (Cert Alco and Drug Coun).
  • CAP (Cert Add Prof).
  • CAS (Cert Add Specialist).
  • CASAC (Cert Alco and Sub Abuse Coun).
  • CCADC (Cert Clin Alco and Drug Coun).
  • CCDP (Cert Co-occurring Disorders  Coun or Cert Chem Dependency Prof). 
  • CGP (Cert Group Psychotherapist).
  • CMAT (Cert Multiple Add Therapist).
  • CPC (Cert Prof Coun).
  • CRADC (Cert Reciprocal Alco and Drug Coun).
  • CSAC (Cert Sub Abuse Coun).
  • ICADC (Internationally Cert Alco and Drug Coun).
  • LAADC (Lic Advanced Alco and Drug Coun).
  • LAC (Lic As Coun).
  • LADAC (Lic Alco and Drug Abuse Coun).
  • LADC (Lic Alco and Drug Coun).
  • LAPC (Lic As Prof Coun).
  • LASAC (Lic As Sub Prof Abuse Coun).
  • LCADC (Lic Clin Alco and Drug Coun).
  • LCADC (Lic Clin Alco and Drug Coun).
  • LCAS (Lic Clin Add Specialist).
  • LCDC (Lic Chem Dependent Coun). 
  • LCDP (Lic Chem Dependency Prof).
  • LCPC (Lic Clin Prof Coun).
  • LPC (Lic Prof Coun).
  • LPCC (Li Prof Clin Coun).
  • MAC (Master Add Coun).
  • NCC (Nat Cert Coun).
  • NAADAC (Nat Cert Add Coun).
  • RAS (Registered Add Specialist).
  • SAP (Sub Abuse Specialist).

You might choose only a fully qualified rehab. You wouldn’t go to an unlicensed hospital. Nor an unaccredited one. Nor one that’s not qualified to receive insurance payments. And so on.

And it may be very unwise to select an unlicensed, unaccredited rehab. One that can’t accept Medicare, Medicaid, nor insurance. Nor one that’s not led and staffed by qualified professionals.

That’s no way to pick a rehab.

Notes

• • Know of any other ways to pick a rehab? If so, please contact hansondj [at sign] potsdam [dot] edu/. And thank you for your help!
  • This site is for information only. It does not give advice.