What is Drug Rehab Accreditation

What Does Drug Rehab Accreditation Really Mean When Choosing an Addiction Facility?

If you or someone you love is considering drug rehab, you will come across many tips online regarding how to choose the best facility for your needs. One of these tips will most likely be to find an accredited facility, and you might be wondering what does drug rehab accreditation really mean.

When it comes to drug rehab accreditation in the United States, this type of designation means the treatment program sought accreditation through a third party agency. Two of the most common accreditation agencies are JCAHO, now called The Joint Commission, and CARF, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. The Joint Commission is the largest accreditation agency of health care services in the U.S. and the second largest accreditor for addiction and rehab programs. CARF is a nonprofit known for being the largest accreditor for addiction programs in the United States and works on accreditation for both addiction centers and dual diagnosis treatment programs.

What is Drug Rehab Accreditation?

In order to receive accreditation, the facility and its programs must adhere to the highest of standards. Approval for accreditation means the facilities have met the agency’s stringent requirements in the areas of safety and health of patients, business practices, governance, and corporate compliance. In addition, the drug rehab facility assures it is committed to continuously improving the level of its programs and services to improve the satisfaction and success of the people it is serving.

Currently, there are over 14,000 addiction facilities and programs in America. The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services collects data to help the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. A recent survey in which addiction facilities responded voluntarily showed 21.8 percent of facilities being accredited by CARF, and just over 19 percent being accredited by The Joint Commission. This leaves almost sixty percent of addiction facilities without accreditation.

So what does drug rehab accreditation really mean to you? When you research numerous treatment facilities and determine which centers are indeed accredited, you can rest assured that objective, third-party agencies have deemed these centers to offer the highest level of patient care and facility function.

When you have made a commitment to give drug rehab a try, you want to be in the safest and most effective atmosphere possible in order to be successful in your recovery. Now that you are more aware of what drug rehab accreditation is, you can add this to your list of things to look for in an addiction recovery center. There are many other aspects in addition to accreditation that should be considered in your search for the best rehab centers. Things such as cost/insurance, location, types of programs, length of program, atmosphere, type of counseling, alternative therapies and more should be measured.

Each drug rehab facility is unique and offers patients distinct options. In addition to third party drug rehab accreditation, you may also want to read reviews from patients who have entered into programs at the specific facilities you are researching.

To learn more about areas to contemplate when looking for an addiction facility, in addition to drug rehab accreditation, read our article on things to look for when choosing a drug rehab center.

Entering rehab can be a life changing and potentially lifesaving experience. Choosing an accredited drug rehab facility gives you peace of mind that the facility staff is committed to excellence in their treatment of patients and the programs they offer. If the process of researching numerous drug rehab centers seems overwhelming, ask a trusted friend or family member to help you.