Aftercare—also referred to as continuing care—describes ongoing treatments designed to assist someone in their early recovery once they leave a rehabilitation facility. This is a highly personal plan that can include sober-living homes, support groups and group therapy sessions, individual therapy, medication management, and career counseling. In addition to treatments, aftercare also prioritizes community building and family involvement to ensure encouragement throughout the recovery process.
According to the American Addiction Centers, patients who engage in aftercare within the first year of graduating from a rehabilitation program are less likely to relapse. Longer engagement in aftercare programs has also been linked to fewer relapses, longer periods of abstinence, and better social functioning.
How Can Aftercare Assist in Recovery from Substance Abuse?
5 Elements of a Quality Aftercare Plan
Developing a quality aftercare plan doesn’t happen overnight and is often constructed during the initial rehabilitation program. Your designated therapists and staff work with you to understand your triggers and potential barriers to long-lasting abstinence and create a holistic aftercare treatment plan that can provide support systems and tools to navigate those barriers to recovery.
No two plans will look the same—and they shouldn’t—as everyone’s recovery journey is complex and highly personal. However, every plan should be easy to follow and incorporate concerns for both immediate and ongoing support.
5 components of an effective aftercare plan include:
- A transition plan immediately following your rehab program: The carefully created routines laid out during your rehabilitation program offer comfort and stability during your recovery. For many, leaving these routines behind can make abstinence daunting. Luckily, there are a variety of transitional spaces to encourage the progress made in rehab to continue. Transitional options can include partial hospitalization programs, outpatient treatments, sober-living homes, or a combination of the three.
- An ongoing support network: Recovery doesn’t happen in isolation and having a strong and reliable network can be a vital component of recovery. Whether this network is made of family members, friends, or recovery peers, being surrounded by those who encourage your recovery and assist in minimizing triggers can be invaluable. Support networks can also be created through group therapy sessions or family counseling.
- Coping strategies and recovery resources: Ongoing therapy, medication management, sponsor programs, and counseling are all resources that can impact your success. Not only can these treatments provide evolving coping strategies as your needs change but also act as a support to celebrate wins.
- A comprehensive relapse-prevention plan: Learning how to identify triggers in real-time is a necessary component of avoiding relapse. With a practical relapse-prevention plan, you can spot warning signs and create strategies to give your mind and body what it needs to continue with your recovery journey in a healthy way.
- Access to your rehabilitation facility: Having access to your rehabilitation center after you have graduated adds a layer of support to further assist in accomplishing your goals. The professional resources and support available can help you and your aftercare team construct evolving strategies as your needs change.
Rehab Aftercare Programs in Georgia
Building Support & Structure for Your Recovery
At Mount Sinai Wellness Center, we know that recovering from addiction is a lifelong process that goes beyond completing rehab. That is why we offer a variety of aftercare options post-graduation. In addition to constructing a customized aftercare program that incorporates the four components laid out by SAMHSA, we provide alumni services to further community building.
Our alumni services address the immediate and ongoing needs of our graduates and include:
- Access to our app: The Mount Sinai Cares app allows you to connect to peers and other support systems in real-time, so you never have to feel alone during your recovery.
- Weekly alumni group: No one knows the unique struggles and victories of addiction recovery quite like those who have gone through it themselves. That is why we offer weekly group meetings where alumni share their experiences and provide encouragement for current residents.
- Quarterly return visits: Even with a thorough aftercare program, having ongoing opportunities to recharge at our campus can help you build new strategies for recovery in a protected environment.
If you or a loved one would benefit from a comprehensive aftercare program to support a recovery journey, call our compassionate team today at (800) 353-4673 or fill out our online contact form.
