Navigating the details of life after rehab can be difficult. You may need to locate a safe place to live and find physicians or therapists to continue your care. Now that you’re clean and sober, you’ll want to make new friends who share your commitment to recovery. Case management is the key to helping you get through this challenging period.
A case manager is a therapist, social worker or counselor who has specialized training and certification in this complex field. He or she will act as your guide as you rejoin the community after rehab. By the time you finish treatment, you should be assigned a case manager who will work with you on a one-on-one basis to help you find the resources you need to stay on track with your recovery program.
How a Case Manager Can Help
The role of the case manager is to help you make the smoothest possible transition as you move from rehab back to the world outside of your treatment center. This process is even more complicated for individuals who suffer from a co-occurring psychiatric illness. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a large number of substance abusers can benefit from mental health services — up to 56 percent of individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis also meet the criteria for a substance use disorder. In the aftercare phase of rehab, a case manager can help in the following ways:
- By helping you find a professional who can take on your mental health care
- By helping you find a physician who can manage your psychiatric medications or anti-addiction drugs
- By referring you to outpatient support groups and 12-Step meetings in your community
- By providing connections to sober living homes and other transitional living centers
- By referring you to family therapists or marriage counselors who can help you mend broken personal relationships
- By giving you access to vocational counseling or job placement services
Substance abuse touches every aspect of your life, from your mental and physical health to your finances, career and legal status. Likewise, case managers must have the training, knowledge and flexibility to help you fit all of these pieces of your life together after you complete a rehab program.
Finding a Case Manager
How can you find an experienced, compassionate case manager? Case management services are available through community health centers, hospitals, detox facilities and the criminal justice system. Comprehensive addiction treatment programs provide access to case managers as part of your aftercare. When you’re searching for a rehab program, look for a treatment center that includes this valuable service.
At The Oaks at La Paloma, we recognize the important role that case managers play in our patients’ recovery. That’s why we connect you with a case manager who can guide you through the complexities of life in the real world. From helping you schedule follow-up appointments to referring you to sober living houses and alumni programs, case managers assist you in bridging the gap between addiction and sobriety.
Case management is extremely useful for anyone who is recovering for drug and alcohol addiction, but it’s especially important for those who are also learning to cope with the symptoms of depression, anxiety or another psychiatric disorder. Contact our admissions coordinators to learn more about how you can use case management as part of a comprehensive recovery plan.