Is 30 days of residential treatment enough, or should we push for 60 to 90?
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RH
RecoveryHome team Team
asked 3 months ago
Insurance approved 30 days of residential treatment, and the counselor hinted that longer might help but could not promise anything. How should a family think about length of stay?
RH
RecoveryHome team Team
answered 7 days ago · general information, not medical advice
What comes after residential often matters as much as the number of days. Research generally finds that staying engaged in treatment longer is linked to better outcomes, but that time doesn't all have to be residential.
A strong plan is a continuum, for example residential, then partial hospitalization (PHP), then intensive outpatient (IOP), then ongoing counseling, mutual support such as AA or NA, and stable housing. Thirty days that ends with no plan is the riskiest version.
What to do now:
- Ask the program in the first week: "What is the step-down plan, in writing?"
- If your loved one isn't stable as discharge nears, ask the program to request more days from the insurer, and appeal if needed.
- Line up the next level of care before discharge, with real appointments, not just a list of names.
Read more: Levels of care · The first 90 days: a relapse prevention plan
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