Online Outpatient Alcohol Treatment—A New, More Convenient Approach
So, you’ve decided to start outpatient treatment, but what’s next? With the advent of COVID-19, just as many medical treatments have changed to telephone and online meetings, the same has happened with addiction treatment. Recovery Centers of America has not missed a beat in these changing times.
RCA’s outpatient services are offered entirely in-person, online, or a combination of the two via telehealth. Whether you’re completely new to an outpatient alcohol treatment program or you’ve used one before, you likely have a few questions on how this process works.
Filling the Gap in a Time of Need
The benefits of outpatient alcohol treatment programs are well documented. It’s important for people in recovery to have continued access to support as they battle addiction. Studies show that telehealth care has promising potential to fill existing gaps in current recovery needs due to limited in-person access. RCA telehealth services provide the same consistent, evidence-based treatment you would receive in person from our healthcare professionals trained in addiction treatment.
How to Connect to Online outpatient Treatment Programs Through Zoom
RCA’s telehealth brings patients the same experience they would receive with in-person outpatient treatment through Zoom. RCA utilizes both traditional phone and HIPAA compliant, secure video conferencing to provide telehealth services. Patients can connect online to talk with a healthcare professional, participate in an assessment, or attend group therapy sessions.
All you’ll need is one of these devices to connect:
- Android mobile or tablet
- IOS Apple iPhone and iPad with current OS
- Microsoft PC running Internet Explorer Version 8 and 9; Google Chrome latest version; or Firefox latest version
- MAC running latest operating system and same version Safari browser; Google Chrome latest version; or Firefox latest version
In order to utilize video conferencing, you will need to connect from a device with a camera and a microphone. If you can’t connect via video for a group session, you can always dial in via the telephone. However, video is always the preference because it provides another level of personal contact.
Benefits of Telehealth
Telehealth provides more access to outpatient services, flexibility in scheduling your appointments, access from a comfortable place of your choice, and no traveling or waiting.
Additionally, mobile phones provide patients and therapists with an excellent way to communicate. They can send and receive texts, and voice and video messages. These tools help enable interactions between therapists and people in recovery to continue the progress they’ve made or in times of crisis.
For people in recovery, telehealth can provide accessibility and services where before there were none. With online outpatient programs, individuals can attend daily treatment sessions with virtual attendance!
What is Outpatient Rehab?
Outpatient rehab can be very beneficial for patients with substance use disorders or those who may or may not have become physically dependent on their substance of choice but are still serious about getting soberOutpatient rehab programs come in a variety of formats and vary in terms of intensity, but all generally focus on counseling, education and building a safe, supportive network of others in recovery.
Outpatient programs offer drug and alcohol treatment as well as mental health treatment which can be scheduled with a greater degree of flexibility when compared to inpatient treatment. This schedule allows patients to continue with their day-to-day responsibilities and continue living at home while being required to check into their outpatient care provider at scheduled times throughout the week for medication (where applicable), counseling and therapy sessions.
How Do I get Started?
The first step is to pick up the phone. Start by calling RCA at 877-520-9659, where our Treatment Advisors will go through a quick intake process and schedule an assessment so you can get started with the benefits of telehealth.
Our Treatment Advisors will verify your insurance, answer any questions you may have, and get you set up for our outpatient services via telehealth. You will need to have the ability to connect to Zoom via an internet web browser or the Zoom application downloaded on a smartphone. Additionally, RCA will need to have your email address on file in order to send you an invitation to join family sessions or visitation meetings.
How Do outpatient Treatment Programs Work?
You will be sent a Zoom meeting invite via email for all scheduled sessions. This will be generated by either your therapist or the facility’s centralized scheduler.
Please note: the video recommends connecting to the meeting with your computer’s audio. RCA is strongly recommending you use the phone-in option for audio. If you do choose computer audio, headphones are needed to prevent audio reverbs and echoes.
What Outpatient Services are Offered?
After you’ve completed a phone assessment with one of our team members, your clinical team will come up with an individualized plan for your treatment. Just like our brick and mortar outpatient services*, you will have the option of Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) (also called Day Treatment in Massachusetts), Intensive outpatient Services (IOP) or Partial Day Treatment, and General outpatient Services (GOP), all done virtually.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how your day will look with each option:
PHP: Virtual individual, group, and family therapy sessions for interactive support, 5 hours per day 5 days per week. Experienced clinicians will provide state-of-the-art techniques and alternative therapies for applying newly learned principles to life in recovery
IOP: Virtual individual, group, and family therapy sessions 3 hours 3 times per week to reinforce already-learned recovery concepts.
GOP: Virtual weekly individual, group, and family therapy at a frequency determined by your primary therapist as you begin to get ready to enter the next phase of recovery in your post-treatment life.
*Please note: Available outpatient services offered may vary by RCA facility.
Important Access When Needed
Telehealth has become the next step in delivering critical online outpatient alcohol treatment and online substance abuse treatment to people starting outpatient rehab or transitioning from inpatient rehab. But it doesn’t stop there. Whether you’ve been to an RCA facility or not, you are able to utilize RCA’s telehealth services. If you’re considering starting outpatient treatment now is definitely the time! Call RCA to get started with online outpatient treatment immediately. RCA is standing by 24/7 to take your call.
