Reading the Fine Print: Getting Value for Your Alcohol and Drug Treatment Dollar

Introduction
Shopping for treatment is different than shopping for a vacation getaway
The ‘secretive nature’ of private alcohol and drug treatment
Value comparison chart
Glossary of Services and Amenities
Other ways to compare alcohol and drug treatment centers

Becoming an informed consumer before you decide on an alcohol and drug treatment center can help improve your odds of getting the best value for your treatment dollar.

INTRODUCTION

Choosing a private alcohol and drug treatment centers can be difficult. This is especially true if you have recently started your search and this is your first time requiring the services of an alcohol and drug treatment center (if so, consider yourself fortunate!).

One of the first questions you may have when researching private alcohol and drug treatment is the cost. Unfortunately, the cost of a program means little if you do not understand what products and services an alcohol and drug treatment center provides.

SHOPPING FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG TREATMENT IS DIFFERENT THAN SHOPPING FOR A VACATION GETAWAY

While it is unlikely that you will be as eager to go to drug treatment as you would be for a vacation getaway, you might assume that shopping for treatment would be similar to shopping for a vacation getaway. After all, both treatment and vacationing involve putting work and home life on hold for a while and both involve packing your bags, booking flights, etc.

There is one crucial difference, however. When it comes to going on vacation, chances are you are an informed consumer. You know that, regardless of where you are going, you will probably need to rent a car, get a hotel, dine out and see the sights. You have a pretty good idea what is involved and you have, from previous experience, a pretty good idea what your vacation will cost.

With alcohol and drug treatment, you’re in unfamiliar territory. You have no previous experience with which to compare to treatment. You know it’s not like a hospital and you know it’s not like a resort. It’s probably somewhere in between.

So you’re in a strange city with strangers and for all you know, strange people! No one has ever really told you what type of people go to alcohol and drug treatment. You just hope they are people like you: good people that happen to have a problem with drugs and/or alcohol.

Finally, you have no idea how you are going to be spending your time. Figuring out what you do in treatment and why it takes so long may not be so easy.
 
Now couple your lack of familiarity with providers that are hesitant to “lay all their cards on the table” and you begin to understand why it is so difficult for those needing treatment to make an informed purchase.

THE ‘SECRETIVE’ NATURE OF PRIVATE ALCOHOL AND DRUG TREATMENT

Many alcohol and drug treatment providers are compelled not to list their price in printed literature or on their website. There are several reasons for this reluctance to disclose price.

First of all, private alcohol and drug treatment centers in Canada must compete against subsidized government treatment centers. Therefore, most private treatment centers believe it is necessary to explain, in person, why an individual should consider paying for treatment.

Furthermore, private treatment centers believe that the complexities inherent in understanding a process unfamiliar to the average Canadian may best be explained over the phone rather than by reading about it.

Finally, you may be surprised to learn that private alcohol and drug treatment is a competitive business. You would think that with drug- and alcohol-related stories so commonplace in the media that there would be lots of business for everyone. However, in reality, only a fraction of all individuals struggling with alcohol or drugs have the resources to pay for private treatment.

Unfortunately, simply knowing the price of a treatment program is not enough to determine if you are getting good value for your dollar. If you take the time to understand the various components of a residential program as explained below, you will be better equipped to make a value comparison rather than on just price alone.

VALUE COMPARISON CHART OF DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS

The following value comparison chart lists the many possible components of a residential alcohol and drug treatment center. The first column lists services provided by Sunshine Coast Health Centre.

By adding the Program Fee along with the rest of the treatment components you get a total cost. You can then divide the total cost by the length of stay (number of days) to get a daily rate (see below).

A glossary of terms and additional information on how Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides these services is provided below the chart (see Glossary of Terms):

	Sunshine Coast Health Centre	Treatment Center #2	Treatment Center #3
Residential Services
Program Fee	$16,000
Admission Fee	(1)
Assigned Reading
Group Therapy	37 hrs./wk.
Individual Counselling	min. 1 hr./wk.
Individualized Treatment Planning
Addiction Education	3 hrs./wk.
Discharge Planning
Laundry Services
Medical Services
Detoxification
Medical Assessment (2)
Nursing Consultations
Lab Work (2)
Emergency Services (2)
Contingency Medications
Health Education	1 hr./wk.
Prescriptions	extra
Mental Health Services
Psychological Assessment
Trauma Counselling
Psychiatric Assessment
Family Services
Family Program
Couples Day
Family Online Support	weekly, complimentary for life
Alumni Services
Reunion	twice a year
weekend booster sessions (3)
Alumni Online Support	weekly, complimentary for life
Weekly Meetings	not available
Extended Care
Transitional Living	not available
Travel Assistance
Flight Reservations
Vancouver Airport Shuttle
Local Airport/Ferry Shuttle
Off-site Meeting Shuttle
Adjunct Therapies
Arts & Crafts	2 evenings/wk.
Massage	once a week
Ozone Therapy	once a week
Relaxation Therapy	1 hr./wk.
Acupuncture or Acupressure
Tai Chi or Yoga	extra
Chiropractic or Physiotherapy	extra
Equine Therapy	not available
Leisure Services
Off-site Recreation	4 events/wk.
On-site Fitness	2.5 hours/wk.
Weight Room
Personal Trainer
On-site Leisure	1 evening/wk.
= Total Cost	$16,000.00
/ Length of Stay	42 days
Daily Rate (5)	$380.95

 

(1) Checkmark denotes service included in the Program Fee.

(2) Medical fees covered by provincial health insurance. Additional charges will be applied to American clients or Canadian clients not covered by provincial health insurance.

(3) Weekend booster sessions are weekend stays for alumni starting Friday evenings and ending Sunday evenings and are included in the program fee.

(4) The Daily Rate is calculated by dividing the Program Fee by the Length of Stay (*).

(*) Note: Rate does not include 5 percent Goods and Services Tax (GST).

GLOSSARY OF SERVICES AND AMENITIES

Program Fee – a fee imposed to cover the cost of residential drug and alcohol treatment. The Program Fee typically covers therapy, meals and accommodation. Other services may or not be covered by the Program Fee, depending on the treatment center.

Admission Fee – a fee imposed to cover the added staffing resources necessary to admit a client. These costs are sometimes charged separately from the Program Fee if a treatment center itemizes costs instead of combining all fees in one lump sum.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre includes the Admission Fee in the Program Fee.

Assigned Reading – literature provided to clients that is deemed necessary by clinical staff to participate in the residential program. Assigned reading is also referred to for the completion of homework assignments. Counsellors may also refer to assigned reading for certain clients that may require additional work in certain aspects in their recovery during the program or as part of their continuing care program (refer to Continuing Care below for more information).

Some treatment centers provide photocopied pages of recovery literature while others may simply utilize overheads.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre includes Assigned Reading (a retail value of approx. $200) in the Program Fee. Assigned reading becomes the property of the client upon admission.

Group Therapy – Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides 26 hours of counsellor-led group therapy and 11 hours of peer-led group therapy per week. Group therapy is a process whereby clients take turns sharing, actively listening and supporting one another under the direction of a counsellor.

Individual Counselling – at Sunshine Coast Health Centre, each client has an assigned counsellor who is directly responsible for the client’s treatment plan, progress through the program and discharge plan. Additional individual counselling may take during the first and last few weeks of a client’s stay.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides a minimum of one hour per week of individual counselling. Additional individual counselling may take place before and after group sessions on an informal basis.

Individualized Treatment Planning – is the process of assessing the needs of a particular client and matching those needs with a treatment plan. Optimally, clients are encouraged to participate in the design of their own treatment plans.

Having a smaller client load allows Sunshine Coast Health Centre clinical staff the ability to provide customized treatment unique to each client. By allowing the clients to have input in their treatment plan, clients are more likely to take ownership of their own recovery.

Addiction Education – Addiction Education, as opposed to therapy, is presented in a lecture format and is designed to inform clients and create awareness. A question and answer session may be provided at the end of education.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides 3 hours of addiction education a week in a group setting. For more information see page 2 of the daily schedule of activities.

Discharge Planning – the process of assisting a client make the transition back to their home community is an important part of ensuring a client continues in his recovery after the structure and supervision of residential treatment is no longer available.

All clients leaving Sunshine Coast Health Centre are provided with an outpatient counsellor, Sunshine Coast alumni contact and, if deemed necessary, a transitional living contact in their home community. Other recommendations may be provided such as areas where continued work may be recommended. 

Detoxification – not every alcohol and drug treatment center provides detoxification. Many require a certain number of days of “clean time” to ensure that withdrawal will not occur after a client is admitted. Other programs that advertise as having detoxification services do not have regular access to a nurse or doctor and are therefore considered to be “social” detoxes as opposed to medical detoxes. Finally, some programs provide detox but at an additional fee.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides medical detoxification with 24 hour nursing supervision. An additional charge of $100 per day may be charged if detoxification is required after the first two nights. Typically, most clients require only an overnight stay. The Medical Director at Sunshine Coast is responsible for determining whether a client is ready to be discharged from the detox.

Medical Assessment – is a medical procedure conducted by a physician to assess the overall health of an individual.

The British Columbia Ministry of Health requires that all clients admitted to a licensed facility be examined by a physician within 24 hours of admission. Dr. Jacques du Toit, Medical Director at Sunshine Coast Health Centre, provides a medical assessment which includes a review of medication, a determination as to whether detoxification needs to be extended and ordering of any lab work. As an additional service Dr. du Toit also provides auricular acupuncture to help those suffering from acute drug or alcohol withdrawal. Medical assessments are included in the Program Fee.

Nursing Consultations – nursing consultations are an important part of the biopsychosocial model of treatment where clients continue to be monitored for weight, blood pressure, and other vital signs. Clients also have the opportunity to learn, on an informal basis, how to take better care of themselves through these consultations.

At Sunshine Coast Health Centre, a nurse is available Monday to Friday from 8 to 4:30 PM (and evenings and early morning if a client is in detox). Nursing consultations are provided at no additional charge to the client.

Health Education – is education provided in a group format that typically covers medical issues such as the physical effects of drugs and alcohol, communicable diseases and prevention.

Nursing Supervisor Tracy Martin provides one hour of health education every week. Health education is included in the Program Fee.

Lab Work – lab work may be requested by a doctor that may suspect illness based on a client’s drug/alcohol history, medical history or a client’s physical symptoms during the medical assessment.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre has most lab work provided at the Powell River General Hospital (PRGH). Lab work is covered under provincial health insurance. Client transportation to and from PRGH is provided at no extra charge to the client.

Emergency Services – although on-site medical staff can address most medical needs, it is critical that access to a full-service medical hospital facility be available within a reasonable distance to the treatment center.

Powell River General Hospital (PRGH) is located 15 minutes by vehicle from Sunshine Coast Health Centre and provides ambulance service in cases of emergency. Medical Director Dr. Jacques du Toit is on staff at PRGH.

Contingency Medications – are typically over-the-counter medications pre-approved by the Medical Director and dispensed to the client by nurses or trained aides as directed. Contingency medications can include Tylenol, Advil and other over the counter medications.

Since Sunshine Coast Health Centre has both a physician and nurse on staff, contingency medications are provided as part of the medical program and are included in the Program Fee.

Prescriptions – typically, clients are responsible for the cost of any medications prescribed during the course of treatment. Depending on the treatment center, clients may bring their own prescriptions assigned prior to admission but, typically, these prescriptions are reviewed by the Medical Director and may be discontinued, replaced with a similar but non-addictive alternative, or renewed.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre does not cover the cost of prescriptions but will provide receipts if clients have extended benefit plans that cover prescriptions.

Psychological Assessment – a psychological assessment may be provided to clients with a history of mental illness or by the recommendation of clinical staff who observe behaviour symptomatic of mental illness.  Typically, at least one week following admission may be required before the effects of drugs or alcohol can be ruled out as a contributor to the behaviour.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides for psychological assessments with a doctorate-level Registered Psychologist. In addition, clients are assessed using the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) instruments. These mental health services are included in the Program Fee.

Trauma Counselling – Trauma is often a factor in problematic substance use. Trauma may or may not be part of the curriculum in a residential alcohol and drug treatment program, depending on the qualifications of the clinical staff.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides a minimum of one 3-hour group session on trauma at least once during the course of a client’s stay. Additional individual trauma counselling will be provided for those needing additional therapy. At Sunshine Coast Health Centre, trauma therapy is provided by a doctorate-level Registered Psychologist and is included in the Program Fee.

Psychiatric Assessment – a psychiatric assessment can assist in determining the presence of mental illness and is provided by a psychiatrist who can prescribe medications.

At the time of writing, Sunshine Coast Health Centre does not have a psychiatrist. However, medications to assist clients with mental illness can be prescribed by the Medical Director.

Family Program – the Family Program provides spouses/partners and family members of individuals with drug or alcohol problems with the tools necessary to provide constructive support and begin the journey of healing from the devastation of an addiction. Family programs can vary from three to seven days in length.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides a 3-day intensive Family Program on a monthly basis. Typically, treatment centers charge $250 per day per family member. There is no time limit so a family member unable to attend while a loved one is in treatment can enroll in a Family Program at a later date.

The Family Program is included in the Program Fee and there is no limit to the number of loved ones that can participate. It is the goal of Sunshine Coast Health Centre to treat as many client family members as possible. Family Program Director, Cathy Patterson-Sterling, is an authority on families and addictions with a book on the subject to her credit.

Couples Program – is a form of marital therapy provided in a group format that focuses on the unique issues of being in a committed relationship that has been impacted by addiction.

The fourth day of the Family Program is reserved for residential clients and their spouses or partners. Sunshine Coast Health Centre includes the cost of Couples Day in the Program Fee.

Family Online Support – online support takes advantage of email and the internet to provide ongoing education and feedback regardless of where alumni of the Family Program call home.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides online support for family members for 5 months of weekly lessons. The only requirement is access to an online computer. Family Online Support is included in the Program Fee.

Weekly Alumni Meetings – are group events that provide ongoing support for alumni of a residential alcohol and drug treatment center. Meetings may or may not be facilitated by a trained therapist, depending on the number of participants and if dues are collected to cover the cost of the therapist. Weekly alumni meetings, even for large treatment centers with many alumni, are usually restricted to larger metropolitan areas such as Vancouver, Seattle, Calgary and Edmonton.

At this time, Sunshine Coast Health Centre does not provide weekly alumni meetings.

Reunions – are events designed to help treatment center staff and alumni stay connected. Reunions are also an opportunity for individuals in recovery to connect with others who, since they have all completed the same program, share a common experience of recovery.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre hosts a May reunion (called the Road Show) in Richmond, BC, on the last weekend of April and a smaller reunion picnic as part of the Powell River AA Rally on Labour Day weekend in September. Sunshine Coast Health Centre cover the event costs of both reunions for a client and one guest but clients need to cover travel and accommodation costs.

Alumni Online Support – online support takes advantage of email and the internet to provide ongoing education and feedback regardless of where alumni of the Residential Program call home.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides online support for residential program alumni for 1 year of weekly lessons. Alumni Online Support is included in the Program Fee.

Early Relapse Prevention – are interventions that help individuals address relapse before it jeopardizes recovery.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre has the SLIP Program an intensive 7-day experience designed to help alumni maintain and build on the recovery skills established during the residential program. The cost of $1,480 for the SLIP Program is not included in the Program Fee.

Transitional Living – a less-intensive form of residential treatment that is usually a minimum of 60 days in duration that can last as long as two years. Transitional living is provided to clients who have completed residential treatment but require a greater level of support than what is available at home. Amount of time allocated to actual therapy, level of supervision, and qualifications of staff varies but is generally less than primary residential treatment. Clients may or may not be permitted to work while in a transitional living program.

At this time, Sunshine Coast Health Centre does not have a transitional living program.

Flight Reservations – Sunshine Coast Health Centre will assist clients and their families by reserving flights to and from Powell River via the South Terminal in Vancouver. Sunshine Coast staff will also help coordinate flights in order to minimize layover time in Vancouver. While there is no charge for flight reservations, clients will be billed for airfare and applicable taxes.

Vancouver Airport Shuttle – clients changing planes in Vancouver are often at risk during travel to treatment. Fluctuating motivation levels, fear of going to treatment, drug or alcohol impairment and lack of familiarity with new surroundings can lead to missed flight and delays.

To make travel worry-free, Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides a meet and greet service for those arriving at Vancouver International Airport. This service assists clients in making their connecting flight to Powell River from the South Terminal, a 10-minute drive from the Main Terminal. If there is an extended layover, Sunshine Coast staff will either help a client check in to a nearby hotel for the night and catch an early morning flight or go site-seeing for a few hours while waiting for the flight to Powell River.

Vancouver Airport shuttle service is included in the Program Fee.

Local Airport/Ferry Shuttle – Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides Powell River shuttle service for those connecting by ferry from Vancouver Island. Additionally, shuttle service is provided to those connecting by plane from Vancouver. Shuttle service is included in the Program Fee.

Off-site Meeting Shuttle – At Sunshine Coast Health Centre, all AA and NA meetings are off-site evening events. Clients are shuttled to and from these meetings. This service is included in the Program Fee.

Art Expression – Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides art expression twice a week. This service, including arts & craft materials, is included in the Program Fee. At this time, Sunshine Coast Health Centre does not offer art therapy.

Off-site Recreation – clients at Sunshine Coast Health Centre participate in 4 off-site recreation activities per week. These activities are weather dependent and may include trips to the local recreation complex or hikes in the winter and swims at the beach or lake during the summer.

On-Site Recreation – Saturday night is movie night at Sunshine Coast Health Centre where clients can select a new release from the local video rental store.

Weight Room – fitness is an important component in the recovery process.

At Sunshine Coast Health Centre, clients have access to the weight room which includes treadmills, exercise bikes, nautilus equipment and free weights. The gym is open 6-7 AM and then 4-10 PM seven days a week. Clients can work out during non-programming hours.

Massage – Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides for a 40 minute massage once a week for the 7 week duration of a client stay. Massage is included in the Program Fee.

Relaxation Therapy – relaxation therapy is provided one hour every Monday for the 7 week duration of the program. Relaxation therapy is included in the Program Fee.

Ozone Therapy – Sunshine Coast Health Centre provides for a 20 minute ozone therapy once a week immediately following massage. Ozone therapy is included in the Program Fee.

Acupuncture/Acupressure – Medical Director Jacques du Toit provides auricular acupuncture (ear-based) to clients during their initial medical assessment. Auricular acupuncture reduces the discomfort typically associated with withdrawal from drugs or alcohol. Acupuncture is included in the Program Fee.

Chiropractic or Physiotherapy – Sunshine Coast Health Centre does not provide on-site chiropractic service but, for a fee, can arrange an appointment in town.

Yoga or Tai Chi - Sunshine Coast Health Centre does not provide yoga or tai chi.

OTHER WAYS TO COMPARE ALCOHOL AND DRUG TREATMENT CENTERS

Here are some additional ways to compare values of alcohol and drug programs:

Client-to-Counsellor Ratio

Obtain the total number of beds in a facility then divide by the number of full-time counsellors. This will provide the counsellor-to-client ratio. Six to eight clients per counsellor is ideal. When the client-to-counsellor ratio reaches 10 or higher, the ability of counsellors to provide individual counselling and treatment planning will be hampered.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre has 3 full-time addiction counsellors and a Clinical Supervisor who also takes a smaller caseload of 2 or 3 clients. The maximum caseload that a counsellor at Sunshine Coast Health Centre will be assigned is 8 clients.

Clinical Staff Qualifications

A good alcohol and drug treatment center will have counsellors with specific training and experience in addictions counselling as well as clinical management with additional experience in supervision. A Program Director should be a Master’s level therapist.

While there is some debate in the field of addictions on the importance of a counsellor having personal experience with problematic substance use, clients often report a preference to work with counsellors who are in recovery.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre has 3 full-time counsellors each with lengthy track records in addiction counselling. Two counsellors are certified addiction specialists (ICADC) while the other two are Registered Professional Counsellors (RPCs). Cathy Patterson-Sterling is a Master’s level therapist, an author and formerly Program Director at Maple Ridge Treatment Centre. Our staff page has additional information on the clinical team.

Weekly Schedule

A weekly schedule will tell you a lot about program intensity and content. If you are not sure about terminology used to describe sections of the schedule be sure to ask the Admissions Coordinator.

Sunshine Coast Health Centre keeps a current version of their weekly schedule on the internet.

Conclusion

For more information contact the Admissions desk at Sunshine Coast Health Centre toll-free 1-866-487-9010 or email info@schc.ca