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When it comes to substance abuse treatment, it’s important to get the level of care you need to recover. After detox, many people find success in joining an inpatient residential treatment facility. Here, they receive a high level of care as they progress through early recovery in substance abuse treatment.
Learning more about inpatient residential treatment can provide you and your loved ones with the information you need to get help for substance abuse and start your journey to recovery.
What Is Inpatient Residential Treatment?
Inpatient residential treatment provides intensive services for people who struggle with severe cases of addiction, multiple relapses, or co-occurring disorders. These can be another mental health issue in addition to addiction or a comorbid medical condition.
Inpatient residential treatment centers are available all over the country. You can find inpatient treatment near you by accessing your state’s health department. You can also contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for referrals, or talk to your primary care provider.
However, it’s important to note that inpatient residential treatment programs may provide different levels of care depending on the type of provider. Understanding the difference between inpatient vs residential treatment programs can help you choose the right one for you.
Inpatient vs Residential Treatment
inpatient and residential treatment”? People often use the terms “inpatient” and “residential” interchangeably. This makes it challenging for people to understand what, if any, the differences are in terms of care.
While these two terms can refer to the same form of treatment, that isn’t always the case. Inpatient and residential treatment may provide different levels of care depending on where the services are provided.
In general, two types of facilities provide inpatient and residential treatment which include:
- Hospitals
- Facilities
Typically, the term “inpatient” refers to hospital-related services, whereas the term “residential” describes facility-related services. However, many hospital systems and treatment facilities, healthcare providers, and clients use these terms interchangeably.
Similarly, the terms are more commonly associated with the length of time a person remains in treatment. For this reason:
- Inpatient treatment normally involves a short-term, intensive stay where individuals receive focused medical care for severe conditions
- Residential treatment often refers to a longer-term stay in a supportive, home-like setting, emphasizing rehabilitation and recovery
Once again, people often treat the terms “residential” and “inpatient” as synonymous. So it is important to note the setting of a program.
Residential Inpatient Treatment in a Hospital
In the context of hospitalization, inpatient and residential treatment is for individuals experiencing acute physical and/or mental health-related crises. This type of residential treatment provides immediate and intensive care for those who require the high level of care found in a hospital ward.
People may receive residential treatment in an inpatient hospital setting due to the following:
- Emergency circumstances: People may stay in an inpatient hospital setting following a life-threatening event such as an overdose or psychotic break. However, staying the night for “medical observation” typically does not qualify as inpatient treatment.
- Conditions that require an acute level of care: Acute inpatient services are provided at hospitals for those in need of a high level of care to manage life-threatening conditions. Those receiving inpatient care at a hospital typically stay overnight for one or more nights to monitor the person’s vital signs nonstop and prevent fatalities.
- Doctor referral: Outside of emergencies, your doctor will decide whether or not inpatient treatment is right for you. They can assess whether this level of care is necessary for your situation.
According to the Journal of Internal Medicine, 1 in 11 emergency department visits and 1 in 9 hospitalizations involve individuals with alcohol use or substance use disorders. Around half of the people who visit the hospital for a drug or alcohol-related incident receive a referral to an inpatient treatment facility afterward.
Residential Inpatient Treatment Centers
In the context of addiction treatment, inpatient and residential treatment refer to a type of care where the individual lives on-site at a treatment facility for a specific timeframe. This can range from 30 days to several months, depending on the individual’s needs and progress.
People may join a program at a residential inpatient treatment center due to the following:
- Voluntary admission: Inpatient mental health treatment centers and addiction rehab facilities offer voluntary treatment programs. In some cases, treatment may be mandated by a court order, but typically clients elect to join.
- Inpatient detox: Detoxification is usually a requirement before starting intensive residential treatment. Some inpatient facilities offer detox on-site, while others may require you to go to a separate detox facility before starting residential treatment.
- Living at the facility 24/7 for the duration of treatment: Typically, you are not allowed to leave the facility grounds at any point during treatment without staff present. Some facilities may allow people to leave temporarily toward the end of treatment for a clinician-approved reason.
- Intensive therapy and counseling services: Individual and group therapy are key components of a recovery program and are usually held every day. Addiction therapies will dive deep into whatever is causing your substance abuse issues and help to get rid of them. Sometimes individual and group therapy will be supplemented by other types of therapies.
- Aftercare plan. Relapse is likely with addiction, so a strong aftercare plan is needed to minimize the chances of it happening. The specifics of your plan will vary, depending on what you and your therapist feel is best for your needs. It can include checking into an intensive outpatient program, regularly attending 12-step meetings, seeing a therapist every week, or moving into a sober living home. Aftercare will better prepare you to be a productive member of society and help you stay sober once you leave the structure of the residential treatment program.
All successful rehabilitation facilities will incorporate the above items into your treatment. Treatment amenities, such as the type of room you stay in, additional elective activities, and luxury services, such as massages, are available in some inpatient residential treatment centers.
What Should I Expect When It Comes To Staff and Setting?
Inpatient residential treatment facilities are staffed by a variety of professionals, such as:
- Doctors and nurses
- Psychiatrists
- Therapists
- Social workers
- Case managers
- Behavioral health techs
- Support staff
Residential facilities can vary in terms of their level of care and the amenities they offer. Some are simple camp-style facilities with bare-bones amenities. Others, like luxury facilities, may be located in beautiful or exotic locales, such as the beach or even in the mountains. They may offer well-appointed services like full spa treatments, gourmet meals, and private suites.
Do Inpatient Residential Treatment Facilities Provide Aftercare Programs?
Eventually, you’ll need to transition out of an inpatient or residential treatment center and re-enter the outside world. An aftercare plan can ensure this transition is smooth and set you up for success in recovery.
The primary form of aftercare is often ongoing outpatient treatment, such as regular therapy sessions. A complete aftercare plan can include many other features that support a sober lifestyle, such as continued use of medications, attending peer support group meetings, and regular exercise and sleep.
Virtually all addiction treatment programs, both residential and outpatient facilities, offer aftercare planning help to promote life-long recovery.
How Do I Know What Level of Care I Need?
An inpatient residential treatment center is a step up from outpatient treatment such as a partial hospitalization program or an intensive outpatient program. For this reason, it is often the most recommended treatment method by doctors and other specialists.
Residential treatment is usually recommended for the following types of people:
- Those with severe addictions that cannot be adequately addressed in an outpatient program.
- Those with co-occurring mental health or medical disorders.
- Those who have an unstable or unsafe home environment.
- Those who have experienced a relapse.
- Adolescents can benefit from living in a place that allows them to wholly focus on their recovery, free from peer pressure.
Residential inpatient treatment allows for around-the-clock support. There are few to no opportunities to relapse, so you’re more likely to stay sober during this vulnerable time.
While some forms of outpatient care can offer a similar level of treatment intensity, the 24/7 nature of residential treatment makes it the highest level of care.
Can I Use My Health Insurance to Pay for Inpatient Residential Treatment?
The cost of residential treatment can vary based on the type of treatment facility and the services that they provide. Some of the biggest factors when it comes to residential treatment costs are:
- Point of entry: Depending on your health insurance, you may need to request a referral from a hospital, the VA, or a healthcare provider to qualify for inpatient treatment.
- Treatment needed: Depending on the type of treatment, there may be additional costs. For example, those who are in treatment for opioid abuse may incur additional costs if they need medication-assisted treatment. In addition, some facilities may provide specialty therapies that may not be covered by insurance, such as adventure therapy.
- Length of stay: The average length of stay in residential treatment is 28 days, but this varies depending on the individual. Longer stays can result in higher costs, and your insurance plan may have a limit on the number of days that are covered.
- Location: The location of the treatment facility can impact the cost greatly. Usually, residential treatment programs are more expensive if they are near the beach, in the mountains, on a lake, or in another picturesque setting.
- Amenities offered: A residential program with only basic services will always be much cheaper than one that offers luxury amenities.
Insurance usually covers residential and/or inpatient care for a set amount of time. If a person needs additional services or needs to spend more time than is covered by insurance, then there might also be some out-of-pocket expenses.
Per the Affordable Care Act (ACA), all insurance plans must cover treatment for mental health and substance use disorders at the same level they cover other medical issues. The exact coverage will vary depending on your plan, but insurance can greatly offset the cost of residential treatment. Some insurance plans may require that you first attempt outpatient treatment before they approve coverage for residential care.
Does Medicare Cover Residential Treatment?
If you meet the requirements, you may be able to use Medicare to cover qualifying expenses for substance abuse treatment. While Medicare does not have a specific section dedicated to covering residential treatment for substance abuse, it does cover outpatient services through Medicare Part B. It also covers certain services such as counseling, screenings, and specifically IOP.
Can I Pay for Inpatient Treatment Without Insurance?
If you don’t have insurance or your insurance plan doesn’t cover as much as you need, there are some other ways that you can reduce your out-of-pocket costs for treatment. Some states may even provide disability insurance benefits if you reside in a qualifying treatment facility for drug or alcohol misuse.
Are You Looking For Inpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Centers?
At Footprints to Recovery, our number one priority is getting you the help that you need in your fight against drug and alcohol addiction. Whether that be in detox, inpatient residential treatment, or one of our outpatient programs, we don’t think you should go another day suffering from addiction. Contact us today to learn more about our treatment programs.
- Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN): Findings from Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits, 2022
- National Prevalence of Alcohol and Other Substance Use Disorders Among Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations: NHAMCS 2014–2018
- FastStats – Emergency Department Visits
- Does the Affordable Care Act cover individuals with mental health problems? | HHS.gov
- Does Medicare cover substance use treatment? | medicareresources.org
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