Chapter 3: Team Credentials and Expertise
Healthcare is meaningless without qualified specialists and trained experts. Their presence, knowledge, experience, and expertise are central to your treatment and recovery, and you must be assured that they have the qualifications to provide the necessary care.
The credential determination process has two primary categories:
- Treatment Center Credentials
- Staff and Specialist Credentials
Treatment Center Credentials
Treatment center credentials refer to the certifications for the treatment facility by relevant authorities. These certifications review the center’s treatment plans, resources, hygiene, residence, and amenities to gauge compliance.
The process also requires multi-step evaluation to determine staff expertise with addiction and mental health treatment to ensure they are qualified to offer the necessary assistance to patients.
Following are some of the certifications that attest to a treatment facility’s credibility, capability, and compliance:
1. The Joint Commission
The Joint Commission Accreditation is a standard in the addiction and mental health treatment industry and a core reliability requirement. The reason is simple – this authority has set some of the best criteria to assess the quality of care, safety, and commitment to continuous improvement.
The accreditation process is also challenging and judges rehab centers on several performance metrics, including quality and maintenance of facilities, range of treatments for addiction and mental health disorders, and tools to facilitate recovery.
Getting the certification is grueling, but it is worth it and helps you gain community trust.
2. CARF International
CARF is an independent nonprofit organization that provides accreditation services to treatment centers interested in increasing their credibility.
Although CARF isn’t as famous as The Joint Commission, it is a reliable authority, and its certification carries weight and trust at national and international levels.
They have a comprehensive accreditation process that involves surveying the organization and reviewing its documentation, treatments, organizational practices, and patient safety efforts.
They make relevant suggestions for improvement and provide a quality improvement plan, if necessary. The facility receives accreditation after incorporating all recommendations.
3. LegitScript
LegitScript is a holistic certification that evaluates a rehab facility on several factors. It checks if their staff members have the necessary licenses and certifications and how well they follow best practices. The certifying body also considers the general structure of the facility and rates it based on its suitability for the rehab services.
Lastly, LegitScript evaluation inspects and evaluates the facility’s business model, marketing, and business partnerships. It flags anything that requires further clarification or amendment and informs the facility of necessary corrections to get the accreditation.
Once the facility removes the objections, they can apply for a reevaluation and get accreditation if they fulfill the criteria. LegitScript’s process is thorough and reliable, which is why most reputable facilities get certified to show their competence.
You can also look up reviews if your chosen rehab is working with someone else and decide based on the outcome of your research. As long as they are trustworthy, there shouldn’t be a problem.
4. OTP Certification and Accreditation
This certification addresses the quality of care for opioid treatment, and you will need to get it from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA is a division within the US Department of Health and Human Services. It focuses on studying and minimizing the impact of substance abuse and rehabilitation by providing necessary support.
Opioid treatment has a separate certification because it can be tricky. Opioid withdrawals can put a patient’s life at risk, so doctors and support staff need to be extra vigilant when providing care.
Additionally, some detoxification treatment drugs also have addictive properties, so their usage and care also need extra monitoring. The additional care and precautions require an inspection to ensure the rehab has all the necessary arrangements to support patients.
Staff and Specialist Credentials
The rehab staff is a building block of a rehab facility and needs to meet standard criteria to get approval. It would be good to remember that a rehab facility will not get certified if it doesn’t have the required specialists on its panel.
Following is a list of designations that are a must at a rehab facility for addiction:
Doctor (MD), Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist specializing in addiction and co-occurrence is among the first professionals a rehab needs. They are responsible for observing patients and determining which medication or treatment plan would work well for them.
They also have the necessary knowledge about the overlap between addiction and mental health disorders and can determine if you require combined treatment.
A certified psychiatrist must have a medical degree from an accredited organization. They also need to have completed their residency in the relevant field and have a certification from the American Board of Medical Specialists.
Lastly, they need to have a state license to practice medicine.
Psychotherapist
Psychotherapists are certified practitioners responsible for working with patients to address their emotional or mental health concerns. Psychotherapy is a division within mental health treatment that focuses on exploring a person’s emotions and feelings by talking to them.
Psychotherapy can work parallel to medicinal treatment or on its own, depending on the case. Addiction typically requires medicated detoxification, so the therapist provides necessary care with the other treatment.
Most recovering addicts are encouraged to continue psychotherapy even after their inpatient care ends, especially if they have a co-occurring issue. But, you’ll have the option to look for a different therapist once your care duration ends.
Detox Specialist
Detox specialists are experts who deliver detox treatment, ensure the dosages are correct, and monitor the situation. They work with the psychiatrist, discussing adverse reactions and suggesting medication changes when required.
Any addiction treatment that requires a detox stage needs such a specialist on board and multiple if they are working with several patients.
Program Director
Program directors are responsible for designing, planning, and organizing activities and non-medical treatment programs to rehabilitate patients. They are trained and certified in dealing with addictions and know which types of excursions are best suited for recovering addicts.
If the rehab you prefer arranges weekly hikes, picnics, guided meditation sessions, yoga, etc., a program director has put the structure in place. That is also why it is critical to have an experienced person on the job because they would know which activities will be suitable given your case history and challenges.
They will also know if activities are helping or not and make necessary adjustments to help you feel more comfortable.
Nurses
The nursing staff or carers are the backbones of a rehab facility. They provide necessary care during the worst parts of the treatment and help the experts monitor your condition regularly. They are also responsible for your medications and will give appropriate medical care if your physical symptoms become difficult to manage.
The nursing staff is essential when older patients enter the facilities because they typically require more assistance.
The above-mentioned certifications and expertise are core requirements at rehab facilities. In addition to medical experts, your rehab facility needs case managers and administrative directors. Case managers track a patient’s history to ensure there is no discrepancy in their care and communicate any details if experts change.
Administrative directors and their teams are responsible for managing the standard requirements around the facility, including admitting patients, managing reception, and handling the timely ordering of necessary supplies.
Vetting a business is easy and often times reviews abound. If you cannot find reviews about the place, consider that it could be a new facility or location of a bigger provider. Before you write them off, you might want to reach out to see if they have any availability. You may end up getting some great rehab treatment in a brand new facility. Verifying a facility’s treatment center credentials involves asking them the right questions in advance.
