Council Post: How Addiction Treatment Industries Can Provide Successful Long-Term Outcomes

Paul is the Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Sana Lake Recovery Center. He is passionate about helping others acheive recovery for life.

This past year has been a tough one for everyone. Communities, government bodies, businesses and individuals have all dealt with the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and continued civil unrest that have gripped the country for much of the year. 

While statistics have been coming out en masse for months regarding the impact of 2020’s events, the conversation around substance use and addiction rates can’t take a back seat. I believe it is every bit as much of a crisis and, left unfettered, it will continue to inflict prolonged damage on the country on both a sociological and economic level.

Even before Covid-19 hit, death rates from drug overdoses, suicide and alcohol were at an all-time high, with 71,000 overdose deaths last year. 2020 is expected to easily surpass those numbers, according to initial data regarding emergency responses to reported drug overdoses. With this burgeoning crisis now exacerbated by a worldwide pandemic, facilities need to create a permanent solution for those in need now more than ever.

Substance use treatment in our country is currently combated with an acute care approach. This means that once the intervention occurs, facilities treat the patient for 30 to 60 days then send them back out into the world. In my opinion, it’s a Band-Aid.

This also creates economic ramifications for insurance providers. Recidivism rates for substance use have been reported as high as 91% for some individuals. This leads to a perpetual cycle of individuals who want and need a permanent solution instead of just ping-ponging between sobriety and rehabilitation clinics, which many times leads to the worst of outcomes.

Bottom line: Addiction is a chronic disease and needs to be treated as such. Unfortunately, the current model doesn’t incentivize long-term outcomes. In fact, it could be argued that a patient who relapses is worth more future value to the facility. It also creates an environment where insurance companies attempt to squeeze care providers on costs, which results in compromised treatment plans. While this may support the business and industry of addiction treatment in its current model, it amplifies the epidemic taking place in our society. 

Relapse doesn’t have to be a byproduct of profit. Rehabilitation and addiction facilities don’t have to make the choice between optimal outcomes and optimal revenue, and it won’t take an overhaul of the industry to get there. It simply means that facilities need to concentrate on a recovery-for-life approach where the goal is sustained sobriety. Here are the first two steps that treatment organizations can take to get there:

Institute a member-first culture.

Every member has individual needs. There’s no cookie-cutter approach that will get everyone where they want to be. Recovery facilities need to start treatment by determining one thing: What is this member’s goal? We all know the overall goal is sobriety, but why they want to be sober is the key question. “I want my quality of life back,” “I want to get my family back together” and “I want to get a job” are all common goals I hear from people. The resources and approaches utilized for the members that want to re-establish their bonds with their family and friends are going to be considerably different than those who want to get their career back on track.

Facilities also need to focus on their members’ needs by staffing an array of specialists like therapists, clinicians and leaders who have addiction experience. They need adjunctive therapies like yoga, meditation and exercise so that they can deal with the physical aspects of recovery. They need someone to focus on spiritual wellness and inner peace.

Lastly, housing is a massive piece of successful recovery. Supportive housing is generally not in the best areas and may have 15 people in a six-bedroom home that is in close proximity to a drug house. At our facility, we have established a residential facility on a 55-acre campus as well as a network of supportive housing centers equipped with an office for people to see counselors, a community lounge, recreational activities, a coffee bar, meditation and step work areas and a space for local community meetings.

Strive toward recovery for life.

Medical students have to be in the care of experts and professionals for half a decade before it’s determined that they’re fit to be on their own. While the goal of a medical doctor program is considerably different than that of addiction treatment, the approach should be the same. Why do we assume that after 30 to 60 days of treatment, people are able to take on the challenges of being reintegrated into society? 

Full recovery happens long after a member is discharged from an inpatient program and progress needs to be monitored and augmented by ongoing support. Are these individuals attending regular meetings still or are they falling off in frequency? Have they gotten a job yet or have they been unemployed after leaving the facility? Are they visiting red flag zones? Knowing and reacting to red flags adds an extra layer of accountability that helps ensure that members stay the course.

Lastly, those in recovery need resources to navigate their journey through a sober life. Access to 24-hour urgent care, a community space to connect with peers and counselors and safe, sober living facilities post-treatment are all essential to maintaining progress.

At the end of the day, it’s possible for treatment facilities to do well by doing good. When the focus is on outcomes — not inputs — the addiction treatment industry can maximize both its profits and its social impact.

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?