When families consider their drug and alcohol rehab choices, they may ask questions concerning cost, availability, and treatment procedures. These questions are vital, of course, but issues of accreditations and licenses may be just as important. After all, facilities that have undergone the proper procedures likely have qualified staff members capable of handling any addiction issue. Facilities like this are also more likely to provide care that insurance programs would cover.
Read on to find out how licensing and accreditation works and how families can determine whether or not the facilities they’re considering meet basic requirements. To learn more about Skywood Recovery’s accreditations and licenses, call 269.280.4673 to speak to someone from the staff at the Augusta, Michigan, facility.
Variations in Accreditation and Licenses
by Location
In the past, drug and alcohol rehab facilities were allowed to set their own rules and provide care as they saw fit. However, in 1970, states were asked to create a State Alcohol Authority and a Single State Authority for drug abuse. These entities would supervise the care given within the state and ensure that all the services provided met reasonable standards of professionalism and safety. The states were allowed to set their own guidelines under this system, so the care could be tailored to meet the needs of people in a specific geographic region.
While the requirements can vary, a state authority’s licenses are typically required for an entity to open its doors and provide services. However, some states make accreditation completely voluntary. Other states require facilities to accredit only specific parts of their programs, such as their inpatient programs, while other parts of care they provide might not be subject to these stringent requirements.
An Example of How State Accreditation and
Licenses Work
Looking at a specific state’s requirements might be helpful. To license a drug rehab center, administrators need to follow a variety of steps, including:
- Obtaining a certificate of need
- Demonstrating compliance with zoning ordinances and building codes
- Complying with fire laws
- Providing statements regarding ownership and operation
- Obtaining insurance
- Providing an organizational chart
The facility might also be required to provide detailed information about how it provides care, and it might need to outline how its facility is staffed and how that staff is treated. The list of regulations is long and detailed, but it’s easy to see how this kind of oversight might improve the quality of care. When the facility is required to go through so many hoops, it’s less likely that vital issues will be overlooked.
The Bottom Line
No one would expect family members to become experts on addiction care and the law. In fact, families like this likely have many other important things to attend to, so they may not have the time to delve into the specifics of the laws in their states and the laws that govern faraway facilities they might also be considering. It’s best, however, to ask facility representatives to provide information on how their facilities comply with local laws. It might be helpful to compare the answers given by one representative to those offered by an opposing facility’s representative. Careful comparisons like this can help families to make good choices.
Learn More About Skywood Recovery
Please call 269.280.4673 if you’d like to find out more about Skywood Recovery’s treatment programs.