For those who struggle with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), deciding to enter a treatment program is often the first step in a drastic lifestyle change. Beginning life in recovery is a process. Every day requires a conscious effort to move forward on a path towards sobriety. Therefore, it is important to have necessary plans and systems in place to make sure that when challenges arise, they can be assessed, addressed, and overcome.
After an individual with AUD has been treated in an inpatient or outpatient setting, aftercare management is crucial in aiding a successful long-term recovery. There are many organizations dedicated to supporting recovery after a client leaves treatment. One such organization, Hired Power, offers professional transitional recovery services and specializes in assisting individuals transitioning back home once treatment for alcohol or drug abuse concludes. Laura Crossett manages the Sober Monitoring Program at Hired Power and, through the program, she helps support clients and their families in their post-treatment care. Through Hired Power's Sober Monitoring Program, Crossett offers several options for aftercare treatment for those who have recently been discharged from a treatment program.
Recovery Coach Services
A Recovery Coach acts as a guide, support, and mentor for someone in early recovery or an individual transitioning back home from an inpatient program. In a rehabilitation center, care is constant and external stimuli is often removed, so returning home can pose a unique set of challenges in maintaining a newly sober lifestyle. It is vital to have a support system in place upon returning to old environments that could ignite triggers, and that is where a Recovery Coach plays a prominent role. They remain an active part of recovery, anywhere from a few days to several years. The goal is to provide support to re-enter adult life and establish a lifestyle suitable for maintaining sobriety. Recovery Coaches often help find the nearest Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, set the client up with necessary physicians and therapists, and reintroduce them to activities they once enjoyed. "We help people get set up rather than going back to [their] house…not knowing any sober people yet, it can be daunting," says Crossett. "So we can send someone home with them, that will live with them, and help them find a sponsor, clean up the house, [or] whatever they need to make sure they're going to be starting off on the right foot."
Support for Families
Alcohol Use Disorder often leaves the families of those who have struggled with AUD in need of support, too. Because of the desire to help, families often overextend themselves, giving more than they are able—emotionally or financially—and leaving them drained and in need of proper resources to rebalance. Crossett notes that, "Families need coaching…to help set boundaries and unlearn the enmeshment and codependence that they've [been immersed] into over the years, as the disease and addiction to alcohol has gotten worse [for their loved one]." The Sober Monitoring Program helps the loved ones of those who have received treatment for alcohol addiction learn to establish and enforce boundaries so that they can fully support recovery and not the disease. The program assists families in learning how they have been affected by the disease to seek the help they need through therapy, Al-Anon, retreats, and education.
Alcohol Monitoring
An important segment of aftercare treatment is alcohol monitoring, and Crossett implements accountability monitoring through alcohol testing with Soberlink. Soberlink is a remote alcohol testing device that provides real-time test results to the user's Recovery Circle. Small enough to easily slip into a purse or backpack, Soberlink is discrete and convenient for the user. Crossett works with her clients' schedules to ensure they are testing within windows of time that work for them. "It just takes a few seconds, a few times a day, and we can create a schedule that supports their daily living schedule." The device uses the same fuel-cell sensor used in law enforcement to deliver impeccable results.
Soberlink offers peace of mind to families, and Crossett explains that the alcohol monitoring device also allows families to let go of the "policing role" that often comes with loving someone with alcohol addiction. With facial recognition software and tamper detection, Soberlink delivers indisputable evidence of sobriety. "It's great to be able to provide that data and show families what Soberlink’s Advanced Reporting looks like, so they can easily see their loved one's sobriety journey documented. She also mentions that "the ability to demonstrate accountability and rebuild trust with your loves ones is unmatched with Soberlink."
Post-Treatment Recovery Tools Can Help Maintain Sobriety
Post-treatment recovery can be a challenge for those who struggle with AUD. By ensuring that strategic measures are put in place, Crossett helps set up those who struggle with alcohol addiction, and their families, with the tools and resources needed to succeed in recovery. By utilizing a Recovery Coach and alcohol monitoring, such as Soberlink, long-term sobriety is more likely to be achieved. Crossett states that the support and monitoring that Soberlink provides is "purely [there] to support…we really want them to transition into fully functioning independence at the end of our program."