When someone is struggling with an addiction to a substance, whether drugs or alcohol, or they have a mental health disorder, it is common a family member or loved one will reach out to us for an intervention. Helping a loved one struggling with an addiction can be extremely taxing. Many times, the individual can be in denial or if they are aware they have a problem, they do not want to get help. A highly trained interventionist will ease the difficult decision-making process regarding how the individual takes the next step toward recovering from an addiction or mental illness.
Safe Transportation Services
Following an intervention, it is quite common the individual needs to be driven or flown safely to treatment. Dedicated and highly trained recovery companions can supervise and support an individual with addiction and/or mental health problems when they travel. Our safe transports include:
- Encouraging and motivating the person to ensure that they successfully arrive at their destination
- Making sure the travel is successful, with a timely arrival, to a home, treatment facility, hospital, or any other requested location.
- Ensuring the coordination of all written and verbal communication between all relevant parties
- Remaining with the client until they have been properly received at their destination
Stabilization
The next step after an intervention, depending on the situation, is getting the individual to stabilize, either via a treatment facility, such as detox treatment for alcoholism, a rehab treatment facility for drug misuse, or a mental health treatment center that is an expert in the type of mental illness the person has. With substance dependence, the withdrawal part of the recovery journey is the most physically dangerous. This is why getting the individual to a medical detox in a controlled environment is vital – it allows the substance(s) to exit their system. For many, it’s the first steps to a clean and sober life. Here, they will eat, sleep, and learn new ways to cope with life without drugs or alcohol.
Crisis & Rapid Response
When we receive a call for help, there is usually only a small window of opportunity. Our nationwide and global network of addiction and mental health consulting services allows CiR to respond quickly to the client in crisis, whether a client in need of an intervention, safe transportation, a sober/mental health companion, coaching, and/or personalized case management. We will effectively assist you in coordinating care among multiple treatment providers in time-pressured or emergency situations.
Or, perhaps the individual doesn’t need a live-in treatment facility but rather an outpatient program to help them navigate life. An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) or outpatient facility offer classes, therapies, and other drug, alcohol, and mental health-related services.
Aftercare Services
Aftercare helps a person stay in recovery by providing them with a roadmap to maintaining sobriety after time spent in residential or outpatient programs.
Aftercare helps people transition into their life following treatment. “They work with clients to develop a recovery plan that continues after they leave the facility or an outpatient program,” says Philip Hemphill in his book, Integrated Care in Addiction Treatment. “Part of this involves connecting them with resources in the community, such as 12-step meetings and finding a sponsor.”
Recovery Coach or Companion
One of the most requested services Connections in Recovery receives is for aftercare services, including recovery services, which is also known in the industry as sober coaching and sober companion services, or mental health coaching and mental health companion services. For individuals struggling with mental heath, or if they have a dual-diagnosis, a mental health coach/companion is put in place to help them function better in their daily life.
A recovery coach is (an integral) part of a clinical team (i.e. sober coach, sober companion, mental health coach, mental health companion). They help guide an individual in maintaining a clean and sober life – similar to how life coaches help people achieve goals or fitness coaches train individuals, showing them how the tools to achieve their fitness goals.
“Often, recovery coaches/companions are themselves in recovery, so they are able to use their own experiences to help others who are new to recovery. Some coaches work in the community while others are associated with treatment centers. Those at treatment centers serve a connection between former patients and the center.”
Hemphill describes a sobriety or recovery coach must have core competencies, including:
Recovery oriented: Peer workers hold out hope to those they serve, partnering with them to envision and achieve a meaningful and purposeful life.
Person-centered: Peer recovery services are always directed by the person participating in services. It is personalized to align with specific hops, goals, and preferences of the individual served.
Relationship-focused: The relationship between the coach and the peer is the foundation on which the coaching services are provided. It’s a relationship of respect, trust, empathy, and collaboration.
Trauma-informed: The coaching support utilizes a strength-based framework that emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety and creates opportunities to survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.
Connections in Recovery (CiR) is proud to offer educational tools and guidance via CiR and UCLA‘s Quarterly Educational Series. This public series has been a tremendous asset, especially with more complex cases.
