As the opioid epidemic persists, families in West Virginia and across the nation continue to feel its impact. Fortunately, however, the science around Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) has expanded and evolved in strides in turn. Treatment providers’ services for drug and alcohol rehab in West Virginia reflect this, as they see continuous refinements.
That said, addiction remains a pressing societal concern. Rehab may seem alien or intimidating if you don’t know what to expect. Moreover, Buckhannon specifically still lags behind in its offerings, which may discourage the uninitiated. At Harmony Ridge Recovery we understand these factors well, and are here to help with both. In this article, we’ll explore the options for drug rehab Buckhannon WV offers, what you can expect from rehab, and what to look out for as you set out to seek help.
The Opioid Epidemic in the US and West Virginia
Such explorations begin with the opioid epidemic because of its sweeping effects across the nation. After years of worrying trends, the HHS declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency in 2017. At the time, 2016 had seen 42,000 deaths – “more than any previous year on record”.
Despite nationwide and state-side responses, SUD rates and drug overdoses have remained high. In the following year, statistics by the HSS continued to paint an alarming picture:
- “In 2019, an estimated 10.1 million people aged 12 or older misused opioids in the past year. Specifically, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers and 745,000 people used heroin.”
- “Naloxone is a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. The number of prescriptions for naloxone doubled from 2017 to 2018.”
- “In 2016, the national rate of opioid-related hospitalizations was 297 per 100,000 population.”
Today, NIDA reports that all drug-related overdose deaths are still rising across the country. These trends do move beyond the opioid epidemic specifically, but still follow its trajectory closely. In fact, almost two-thirds of all drug-related deaths involve opioids.
West Virginia has felt these trends and the impact of opioids as well. As it did, every drug rehab center Buckhannon WV offered took notice and adjusted its course. The Office of the WV Attorney General Patrick Morrisey notes that:
“The Centers for Disease Control reported that West Virginia’s 2014 overdose rate was the highest in the country with 35.5 deaths per 100,000 and a total of 627 drug overdose deaths.”
West Virginia Initiatives
The situation has improved since, but not drastically so. For instance, the DEA noted in 2017:
“Although [controlled prescription drug (CPD)] overdose deaths have declined in recent years, these accidental deaths remain higher than any other type of overdose death. Meanwhile, heroin and fentanyl availability and trafficking are increasing, as is the availability of crystal methamphetamine.”
Thankfully, state-side and private initiatives have continued to bear fruit. Among them, we can outline some notable examples:
- The West Virginia Collegiate Initiative to Advance Healthy Campus Communities (WVCIA)
- HELP4WV, funded by the DHHR
- The West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute (WVDII)
In the interest of text economy, here we should refer you to official sources on the ongoing war on drugs. Should you need additional information, you may visit:
- The West Virginia state website
- The West Virginia Office Of Drug Control Policy website
- DHHR’s website
Medicaid and insurance coverage
Finally, despite the inherent challenges of rehab, West Virginia presents an additional advantage. From opioid rehab centers in Charleston to centers for alcohol rehab Buckhannon WV offers, rehab is distinctly more affordable.
This is due to two primary reasons, beyond treatment providers’ own prices. The first, as Addicted.org finds, is an expanded Medicaid program:
“West Virginia has an expanded Medicaid program. Without it, many of the state’s residents affected by the opioid epidemic would have been unable to access treatment. […] The vast majority of West Virginia substance use treatment services accept Medicaid, making it possible for more people to get the help they need.”
In addition, most major addiction treatment providers offer wider insurance coverage. Beyond Medicaid, most centers will accept all major insurance providers, including:
Finally, as regards payment options, most treatment providers in WV accommodate an array of payment options. From personal loans and self-pay beyond coverage to arrangements for family member payments, providers are typically very flexible and supportive.
The options for drug rehab Buckhannon WV offers
With all of the above in mind, Buckhannon itself unfortunately offers very few options. Specifically, it only presents three:
- Appalachian Community Health Center, an Outpatient treatment center “with a principle focus on Mental Health Treatment Services”.
- Appalachian Community Health Ctr Inc, an alcohol treatment center “providing substance abuse treatment with outpatient care”
- United Summit Center (Buckhannon), a treatment center that “focuses on the treatment of Mental Health Treatment Services”
While these are reputable centers, their services will not suffice for all cases of addiction. For instance, as you can see, none of them offer detox or inpatient services, which many severe cases require. For this reason, the AAC’s Rehabs listings also broaden the search to “within 120 miles” of Buckhannon.
As treatment professionals ourselves, we can only suggest that you do so as well. Whether you’re seeking rehab for a loved one or yourself, we encourage you to explore options that may best cover each case’s needs, holistically and expansively.
For your convenience, we’ll outline the qualities that make for successful rehab journeys in a moment.
What can you expect from drug rehab near Buckhannon WV?
If you do expand your scope, but aren’t quite familiar with the process or the state’s providers specific services, we’re here to help.
In order, providers near Buckhannon and in broader West Virginia will typically craft the following journey to recovery.
Detox; Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Initially, for all but the mildest cases, treatment providers will suggest Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT). This type of detoxification takes place in clinical settings, using FDA-approved medications to ward off withdrawal symptoms.
Notably, this is not a service provided by every drug rehab center Buckhannon WV offers. It is often the necessary first step toward recovery, however, so it’s a highly desirable service.
Inpatient services; residential programs
Next, rehab will often continue with inpatient programs. These take place in designated clinical or residential settings, placing the patient under constant medical care and supervision. Doing so keeps the patient safe from harmful triggers and influences, and sets the foundations for recovery through individual therapy.
As you’ve seen above, not all treatment providers will offer this type of service either. As such, you’d need to opt for inpatient drug rehab centers in West Virginia specifically for such programs.
Partial hospitalization; Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs)
Next, before advancing to traditional outpatient programs, West Virginia providers may suggest PHPs if appropriate as a step-down service. These Partial Hospitalization Programs, as the name suggests, bridge inpatient programs and outpatient ones. They entail some hospitalization, if the patient still needs some medical care, but otherwise transition to outpatient therapy.
Through a personalized partial hospitalization program West Virginia treatment providers can offer appropriate flexibility, facilitating more effective rehabilitation.
Outpatient services; Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs)
Traditional outpatient programs will follow inpatient programs or PHPs, focusing on behavioral therapy and counseling. Outpatient programs allow patients to stay at home, returning to everyday life as they cement their abstinence from addictive substances. As we’ve seen above, this is the type of drug rehab Buckhannon WV presents most commonly.
Outpatient programs come in two main variants; Outpatient Programs (OPs) and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs). The two share the same goals and practices, but differ in intensity and weekly hours of therapy. Near Buckhannon, most providers prefer an intensive outpatient program West Virginia takes pride in.
What makes a rehab succeed; services and practices to look out for
Finally, before concluding, here we can outline the qualities that addiction treatment providers should profess.
We have touched on this subject before, but here we can reiterate these desirable qualities by name:
- A deep understanding of addiction
- Dedication to personalization
- Focus on dual diagnosis
- Additional support
- Diligent case management
- Appropriate pharmacotherapy
- Robust, evidence-based programs
- Specific metrics of success
- Staff expertise
- Strong aftercare
For additional information on these, we encourage you to consult our aforelinked article.
We should, however, focus on three specific characteristics and offerings of addiction treatment providers. Whether you’re looking into an alcohol rehab center Buckhannon WV has to offer or a behavioral health center, you can consider the following as you examine your candidates.
#1 A strict focus on dual diagnosis
First, and likely most importantly, you should carefully examine how strongly your candidates focus on dual diagnosis. This principle finds that mental health disorders can co-occur with SUDs, and this is why addiction treatment providers now focus on mental health much more strongly.
To put this phenomenon into perspective, we may cite NIDA’s findings:
- “7 million adults have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. This doesn’t mean that one caused the other and it can be difficult to determine which came first.”
- “Of the 20.3 million adults with substance use disorders, 9% also had mental illnesses.”
- “Among the 42.1 million adults with mental illness, 2% also had substance use disorders.”
As such, addiction treatment providers should focus strongly on diagnosing and treating mental health disorders alongside SUDs. Disorders that may fall under the dual diagnosis umbrella can include:
- Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Personality disorders and borderline personality disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Trauma
- Autism
- OCD
- ADHD
- PTSD
#2 Behavioral health services
Second, behavioral therapies can significantly enhance any type of drug rehab Buckhannon WV providers can offer you. As we’ve outlined in the past, behavioral therapies are demonstrably effective and perfectly compliment pharmacotherapy. Citing the field’s literature and studies, NCBI confirms this notion:
“The level of progress in the behavioral treatment of drug abuse in recent years has exceeded what many researchers and practitioners had believed possible. Efficacious behavioral treatments exist, and conditions for which efficacious medications exist can be treated with combinations of behavioral and pharmacological treatments that have even greater potency than either type of treatment alone.”
As such, you can ensure in advance that your treatment providers offer:
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (CBT), as dialectical behavior therapy for addiction is an established staple of modern rehab practices.
- Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), which best combines cognitive and behavioral therapy principles where needed.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), as most successful journeys to recovery feature a thorough CBT treatment plan for substance abuse.
#3 Substance-specific rehab programs
Finally, as we’ve argued manifold in the past, personalization is invaluable in rehab contexts. Every case of addiction differs from the next, for multiple reasons – severity, personal recovery capital, support networks, and more.
Similarly, no two substances are alike. The average program for cocaine rehab West Virginia providers suggest will differ significantly from, say, alcohol rehab Buckhannon WV programs. Therefore, you should make sure your candidates offer specialized treatment plans for specific substances, including:
- Alcohol rehab
- Cocaine rehab
- Stimulants rehab
- Heroin rehab
- Marijuana rehab
- Opiate rehab
- Meth rehab
- Fentanyl rehab
- Ambien rehab
- Barbiturates rehab
- Benzo rehab
If you need rehab services near Buckhannon WV, Harmony Ridge is here for you
In summary, each journey to recovery will differ significantly from the next. How you or your loved ones progress through programs on the way to freedom from addiction will necessarily vary. The exact substance, the length of addiction, a possible dual diagnosis, and more factors will have to inform it.
As reputable addiction treatment providers, we at Harmony Ridge Recovery will not falsely suggest rehab is easy; it is not. For this reason, it’s vital that you explore your options thoroughly, and make sure you’re receiving the best help available.
If you feel we’re the right choice for you, or need more information, please feel free to contact us today. Our teams are available 24/7, and will gladly assist you in every way possible toward a successful recovery.
