Outpatient rehabs in Kentucky provide addiction treatment services based on a flexible schedule that lets clients get expert care without neglecting daily responsibilities.
The Division of Behavioral Health under the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) licenses and oversees the activities of outpatient Kentucky rehab centers in Kentucky. The CHFS also ensures that all outpatient substance abuse treatment facilities comply with Kentucky’s law regarding operating an outpatient drug and alcohol treatment center.
Clients report to the facility several days a week to receive counseling, therapy, or medication from an addiction treatment specialist and return home. This flexibility makes outpatient rehab treatment suitable for persons who have ongoing commitments to work, family, or school.
Generally, outpatient rehab is suitable for persons diagnosed with mild substance dependence, drug abuse caught in the early stages, or persons with a short history of drug addiction. Nevertheless, people outside these categories can benefit from outpatient rehab, albeit with an increased level of support to achieve a good recovery outcome.
Generally, the types of outpatient rehab centers in Kentucky fall into three categories: day programs, Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs), and Continuing Care.
Day programs typically require clients to commit to treatment at the outpatient facility five days a week for a weekly total of under nine hours.
During scheduled sessions, the client participates in group and individual counseling, group and individual therapy, and life skill training. Day programs also incorporate medication-assisted treatment, especially for clients who have completed detox. At the end of the daily session, the client returns home.
IOPs are more structured and intensive than day programs. Here, clients start with a treatment plan that involves at least nine hours of addiction treatment per week, three days a week.
The program's intensity tapers as the client achieves measurable milestones in their sobriety. IOPs are a great alternative for persons who previously concluded an inpatient treatment or partial hospitalization program but still need intensive and supportive care.
Continuing care is step-down care for persons who have concluded an Intensive outpatient program treatment but require long-term support to maintain sobriety.
The client gets assigned an addiction treatment specialist whom they meet weekly, biweekly, or monthly to receive expert care. Treatment typically involves group meetings, vocational training, and treatment for mental health disorders.
There are several reasons why addiction recovery specialists recommend outpatient rehab and why clients choose this non-residential style of treatment.
Outpatient rehab is more affordable than inpatient rehab majorly because clients do not reside in the facility. Inpatient rehab programs are expensive as patients have to pay costs associated with lodging, feeding, round-the-clock care, and support.
Most outpatient rehab centers run in the evenings allowing their clients to maintain a regular job during the day, report for treatment after work hours, and return home after treatment. Unlike inpatient rehab service, where the patient stays in the treatment facility, the client can fit the treatment program into their schedule.
Outpatient rehab actively promotes clients’ family involvement and support in recovery. Family support significantly improves the recovery outcome for young people struggling with addiction. Also, outpatient rehab centers provide access to peer support from individuals faced with similar substance abuse challenges.
Outpatient rehab treatment allows the client to promptly apply the skills and strategies learned from their daily sessions in the real world. Also, clients can discuss any challenges faced in the next outpatient treatment session.
Most outpatient facilities work with professionals such as therapists, counselors, and psychologists. The law requires these professionals to maintain confidentiality in their patients' treatment and Kentucky outpatient rehab centers protect the identity of their clients. Clients can receive treatment without fear of unauthorized disclosure.
Per Kentucky state law on non-hospital care, outpatient Kentucky rehab centers may provide the following services to clientele:
Outpatient rehab centers in Kentucky provide weekly alcohol and drug abuse counseling sessions to each client. Some treatment facilities offer additional supportive counseling with the client's family members.
Most Kentucky outpatient centers also provide additional therapy to their clients. Therapy may include giving medication prescriptions under medical supervision to help the client recover, also known as medication-assisted therapy (MAT). Also, clients may receive complementary therapies such as art, dance, music therapy, or expressive therapies to aid communication and dispute resolution.
Outpatient Kentucky rehab centers enlighten their clients by providing training sessions. Training support includes health consequences of substance abuse, the diseases of substance abuse, family issues, substance abuse disorders, and relapse prevention.
Where necessary, outpatient rehab centers may refer their clients to more intensive levels of care for addiction recovery, such as an inpatient facility. Also, treatment centers may provide recovery support services specific to the individual addiction needs. Recovery support services include support groups, recovery housing, peer support, community support, supportive employment, and co-occurring mental health disorders.
Some outpatient drug rehab has a designated medical practitioner on-site responsible for managing all medical services. Most Kentucky outpatient rehab facilities provide medical detox, mental health, and drug screening services to their clients.
The Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) report for 2019 puts the median stay for Kentucky outpatient rehab at a month and a half. Although, persons can receive treatment for months or even years in a Kentucky outpatient rehab. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) stipulates that treatment below 90 days has limited effectiveness and recommends 12 months to several years for certain types of drug dependence.
Meanwhile, it is important to note that some factors can affect the length of time a person spends receiving treatment in an outpatient center. These circumstances include the type of substance abuse, history of prior treatment, support system, multiple medical conditions, and complexity of the addiction.
The substance of abuse may determine the length of outpatient treatment. For instance, heroin detox takes four to 10 days, while detox for benzodiazepines can take up to eight weeks.
History of Prior Treatment
Persons who relapse during an outpatient treatment may stay longer receiving treatment should the individual choose to withdraw from addictive substances. Typically most Kentucky rehab centers view a relapse as an indication for increased professional treatment, frequent appointments, and a higher level of care.
A financially and emotionally stable person surrounded by a dependable support system may require a shorter period in an outpatient rehab center than a person with limited income living in an unsupportive and chaotic environment. However, sober living homes can fill this gap for persons with limited income or support systems.
The treatment duration for someone with a mental or medical illness alongside substance addiction takes a lengthier period than one without medical conditions. Outpatient treatment for multiple medical conditions starts from three months and may last up to 12 months.
Clients addicted to multiple substances are likely to stay longer in an outpatient treatment facility than persons dependent on one addictive substance. Generally, persons with milder addiction may commit to three hours of weekly outpatient treatment for at least three months. Persons with multiple substance dependence may commit to nine hours of treatment weekly for a minimum of three months.
Inpatient and outpatient treatment aim to help persons struggling with substance dependency achieve and maintain sobriety. However, knowing the difference between the two types of drug treatment rehab can help clients decide on the best pathway to sobriety, given their circumstances.
In inpatient rehab, the patient lives within the rehab facility receiving 24 hours medical care and supervision. Inpatient rehab treatment offers an intensive, undistracted, and highest level of care, best suited for persons with severe substance abuse disorder or with multiple medical conditions. However, inpatient rehab treatment is expensive as the facility provides the housing, feeding, surveillance, and support the patient needs to attain sobriety.
Conversely, outpatient rehab is a non-residential program. The client receives treatment daily and returns home, making it flexible. Thus, clients can fit rehab treatment into their daily schedule. This type of rehab is also less intensive and best suited for persons with mild to moderate addiction. The rehab center is also several times more affordable as the treatment cost does not include the cost of living within the treatment facility.
If you or your loved one is struggling with substance abuse disorder, you can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA's helpline helps you locate the nearest recovery clinic to you. Call SAMHSA’s helpline at (800) 662-4357. SAMHSA provides 24 hours daily service all year round. All conversations with the SAMHSA representative are free and confidential.
SAMHSA also has a treatment facility locator to locate rehab clinics assessed and rated by independent specialists. The locator displays the location of all rehab facilities and their contact information. You can also find a list of various amenities, therapies, and payment options. SAMHSA is a federal agency that provides treatment, referral, and information services to persons and families dealing with drug and alcohol dependence.