PG's post today got me thinking about being prepared and knowing what options we have when our difficult children either finally decide they want help or someone decides for them. Two years ago I was in the same place PG is today. difficult child had hit bottom and was ready to go to rehab. The problem is I had no idea what was available and what we could afford. She was as ready as she would ever be. She had come home at 4 am and urinated on our carpet thinking she was in the bathroom. She was delirious and had no idea where she was.
I spent hours that Sunday morning calling our insurance company, hospitals, rehab centers and detox units trying to find someplace we could take her. I was desperate. We ended up taking her to a substance abuse hospital to have her evaluated. Over the next week we went from outpatient treatment to inpatient at another treatment center to sober house. We maxed out our insurance, paid out of pocket what we could, and negotiated the balance. The sober house was by far the most reasonable at only $400 a month but in our case I believe she needed the inpatient stay first to detox and to educated her that she was an alcoholic and start the process of recovery.
If I had it to do all over again I would have researched all my options before we had the crisis that brought us to that point. I now have a complete list of treatment centers and sober houses in our area, what they cost and which ones will take you in a crisis. We also took the steps of taking her off our insurance so she would be eligible for any assistance programs. I'm not suggesting that anyone follow what we did, just that you think it through so that when this day comes you have a Plan A, B, and C. Since I have been involved in my support groups I have built up a good source of reference for the next time.
Getting help for our addicts should not be so difficult but it is. I remember sobbing into the phone that day when place after place turned me down either because she was not addicted to the "hard stuff" or we couldn't afford it or there was no bed. Do whatever you can to have your resources ready.
Nancy
I spent hours that Sunday morning calling our insurance company, hospitals, rehab centers and detox units trying to find someplace we could take her. I was desperate. We ended up taking her to a substance abuse hospital to have her evaluated. Over the next week we went from outpatient treatment to inpatient at another treatment center to sober house. We maxed out our insurance, paid out of pocket what we could, and negotiated the balance. The sober house was by far the most reasonable at only $400 a month but in our case I believe she needed the inpatient stay first to detox and to educated her that she was an alcoholic and start the process of recovery.
If I had it to do all over again I would have researched all my options before we had the crisis that brought us to that point. I now have a complete list of treatment centers and sober houses in our area, what they cost and which ones will take you in a crisis. We also took the steps of taking her off our insurance so she would be eligible for any assistance programs. I'm not suggesting that anyone follow what we did, just that you think it through so that when this day comes you have a Plan A, B, and C. Since I have been involved in my support groups I have built up a good source of reference for the next time.
Getting help for our addicts should not be so difficult but it is. I remember sobbing into the phone that day when place after place turned me down either because she was not addicted to the "hard stuff" or we couldn't afford it or there was no bed. Do whatever you can to have your resources ready.
Nancy