What is an Intervention?
An intervention is a structured approach to formally confronting the addictive behavior(s) of a family member of loved one. An intervention consists of pre-intervention stage, intervention, and post-intervention. Each of the three phases are important in maximizing the success of the procedure.
Consultation Call:
The clinical director will schedule an initial consultation call to be sure we are a good fit for your needs. Logistical details will be covered, such as cost, intervention date, and post-intervention needs.
Note: There is no cost associated with the consult call.
Pre-Intervention:
An intervention specialist will schedule an in-person pre-intervention meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to assess and fully understand the addiction, including severity and its effects. Each individual who will be included in the intervention will be identified in the pre-intervention meeting and their role(s) will be made clear during this meeting. The approach will also be identified during this meeting (invitational intervention or traditional surprise intervention). No matter which you decide to employ, the process remains loving and respectful, with the ultimate goal of getting the identified patient the help he/she needs.
Intervention:
The intervention specialist will arrive roughly 45-minutes prior to the scheduled intervention and will remain throughout its entirety (average intervention time runs 2 hours in duration). The intervention specialist will facilitate the intervention and will manage all concerns that might arise during the process.
Post-Intervention:
Unique needs will emerge from the intervention and will be addressed by our staff. For example, if inpatient treatment is recommended, our staff will work with the family to locate potential facilities and ultimately act on your behalf, if needed.
Note: Some residential treatment programs (inpatient) do not accept insurance to cover the cost of treatment.
FAQs:
Q. What percentage of people voluntarily go to treatment at the time of the intervention?
A. Approximately 75- 80% of the time, the addicted person chooses to attend treatment at the time of the intervention. However, when they do not attend treatment immediately, or choose to terminate treatment prematurely, we maintain a healthy boundary and support the process.
Q. Which approach works better? A forceful hand or a supportive approach?
A. In our experience, an ultimatum driven “confrontation” with an addicted person does not feel supportive and is contra-indicated in most cases. Instead, we promote dignity and respect as the approach with a healthy dose of assertiveness in terms of what needs to happen, given the extent of the addiction.
Q. Which addictions is an intervention appropriate?
A. While this is not a comprehensive list, we have found interventions appropriate for substance abuse, sex addiction, gambling addictions, eating disorders, internet addiction, video game addiction, as well as the clear denial of medical or mental health treatment necessity.
Cost:
The cost of our Intervention Service is $3,500 for an intervention in the greater Bay Area, and $6,000 for an intervention +250 miles outside of the Bay Area (travel expenses are included).
While insurance will not cover the cost of the intervention, it can (at times) cover the cost of residential treatment.