Key Points
- Start by helping to reduce the stigma around Alcohol Monitoring by explaining that it is not just used for criminal issues, but for many professional programs and other voluntary reasons as well.
- Explain why there is no substitute for Soberlink alcohol monitoring due to its unique features (e.g. facial recognition, tamper detection, and artificial intelligence), amazing customer support team, and its strong history as the first Alcohol Monitoring system to position itself as a recovery tool.
- Share inspirational Sober Stories of clients who have reached their sobriety goals with Soberlink in the past (www.soberlink.com/reviews).
Stigma of Alcohol Monitoring
For many people, there is a stigma associated with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and alcohol monitoring. Remaining anonymous is a very important part of recovery for many people. Unfortunately, this anonymity also implies that AUD is something that should be hidden. Many other diseases such as post-partum depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Diabetes, were all stigmatized at one point. Now, they are widely accepted and better understood which allows for better recovery options. For example, it is now normalized for a person with diabetes to openly monitor their glucose.
Along with AUD, alcohol monitoring has also become stigmatized because of its use in criminal cases. In order to introduce your clients to Soberlink, it’s important to help them de-stigmatize AUD and alcohol monitoring. Explain to your clients that Alcohol Monitoring is regularly and successfully used in licensed professional programs as well as for voluntary reasons as a valid means of reaching personal recovery goals.
Alcohol Monitoring in Criminal Cases
One reason alcohol monitoring has a bad reputation is its prevalence in the criminal justice system. Alcohol monitoring is widely used in criminal justice from punitive consequences related to a DUI or alcohol offense. Millions of defendants and convicted offenders each year are supervised in their communities each year, with more and more using monitoring technologies. This link between criminal and alcohol monitoring has caused clients and providers alike to disassociate how helpful alcohol monitoring can be for someone struggling with alcoholism without legal consequences tied to their testing.
Alcohol Monitoring for Professional Programs
Alcohol monitoring is definitely not only tied to the legal system. In fact, it has seen strong success in Licensed Professional Programs. For decades, these programs which have implemented monitoring have seen some of the best outcomes. In the results of a study published in the BMJ, nearly 80% of doctors in professional programs remained completely abstinent of drugs and alcohol, compared to the 50% that is seen in average treatment programs. Dr. Skipper, one of study’s head researchers, accredits alcohol monitoring tools, like Soberlink, with supporting the programs. “I believe, and hope, that increased use of contingency monitoring with active, good, long-term monitoring will improve outcomes,” says Dr. Skipper. Helping you clients understand that physicians, pilots, and lawyers are using monitoring to greatly improve their recovery outcomes can help them to dissociate monitoring from established stigmas.
Voluntary Alcohol Monitoring
Alcohol monitoring is also used voluntarily in many situations. Many clients who have used Soberlink choose to do so just to help themselves stay sober and to give their loved ones’ peace of mind. Unlike other forms of monitoring which can feel very punitive, Soberlink’s non-invasive and discreet nature allows clients to monitor without compromising freedom. Generally used just 2 times a day, and with testing on a schedule rather than random, helps clients to build structure and reduces stress. One client explains how they “voluntarily signed up to help me stay sober and be accountable… I am so happy that something like this exists and is so easy to use an affordable.” Monitoring doesn’t always have to be something your client is forced to do, choosing monitoring, recovery, and wellness is the best option for success. Using Soberlink to help build trust in their relationships is another positive aspect to voluntary use. With Soberlink, clients no longer “have to constantly defend his/her self, saying ‘I’m sober, I’m sober, I’m sober,’” says one Soberlink Certified Provider.
Soberlink: An Unparalleled Solution
Soberlink is the first alcohol monitoring system to position itself as a recovery tool for both providers and clients to use in early recovery. Since 2011, Soberlink has helped thousands of people to document their sobriety and earn trust back in their relationships. With its many unique features, experienced customer team, and trusted history, Soberlink is the only choice AUD clients looking for a monitoring solution to help in their recovery.
Accountability is, in many cases, directly linked to success, so incorporating accountability tools like Soberlink is a key part of the process. “When a client starts going back to real life scenarios, [Soberlink] really is a way to put that thought bubble, as a reminder that ‘Okay, I’m working on getting continuous sobriety together.’ With the daily reminders from Soberlink, it helps to keep putting those consecutive 24 hours of sobriety together,” says John Roesch, Certified Interventionist and Managing at Principal Life Assurance Interventions and Recovery Services.
Unique Features
Some of Soberlink’s unique features include real-time results, facial recognition, tamper detection and artificial intelligence in reports. Soberlink provides peace of mind for recovery circles and eliminates self-reporting or questioning. Its real-time nature and features to preserve test integrity lead to more trust in relationships for your clients. Soberlink empowers clients by allowing them to document their sobriety. The daily tests keep clients focused on their sobriety and adds confidence to the personal recovery journey. “Soberlink is really that extra sense of support… I feel so much more confidence that their success is going to be that much stronger,” says Beth Lipovich, Founder and Recovery Couch at Cassi’s Cottage.
Experienced Customer Support
Soberlink’s customer service team is highly regarded and very experienced. You and your clients can always be confident that they will reach a real person on the other end of the line to answer questions regarding the system. “Great customer service and case management assistance,” “very knowledgeable and easy to deal with,” and “excellent support team across the board” are some of the nice comments clients and treatment providers have written about our team. With Soberlink, your client can have peace of mind knowing they have a team who truly cares behind a great tool.
Sober Stories and Case Studies
Soberlink alcohol monitoring has been helpful to treatment centers and clients alike. The Soberlink site is full of Case Studies that describe how the Soberlink system has solved many of the challenges that Treatment Center and Providers face in recovery.
Some pieces to help prove the impact of Soberlink include:
Third-Party 6-Month Longitudinal Study:
- OMNI worked with Soberlink to design a 6-Month Longitudinal Study to understand the impact of using Soberlink on individuals’ recovery and health outcomes. The study was designed to gain deeper insights into participants’ experiences using the Soberlink technology; identify short- and long-term sobriety and other health outcomes for clients; and to better understand the impact of Soberlink, specifically for individuals who include a licensed therapist in their recovery circle.
Case Studies:
- At Ayre Counseling, Soberlink has become a staple in both their clinical and evaluation programs. “It has greatly improved the optics on patient compliance with reduced alcohol ingestion or abstinence,” remarks Kieran Ayre, Executive Director at Ayre Counseling. “It has also become a valuable accountability tool for patients who are in the early stages of making changes concerning their alcohol intake.”
- Since implementing Soberlink with students, Becky Georgi of Bluefield Recovery states, “there is increased involvement, more communication, and improvement in the relationships with the students and support team. The higher level of monitoring has given us valuable data to help identify recovery challenges. The use of Soberlink gives the clinicians information we need to know if the treatment plan is working or if we need to make adjustments.”
- “Soberlink is a crucial tool in The Lighthouse’s comprehensive program of recovery,” says Lighthouse CEO and founder Trey Laird. They work together to lead newly sober individuals to a life of responsibility and true happiness.
More Case Studies can be found here: www.soberlink.com/healthcare/case-studies-blog
It’s not only Treatment Centers and Providers that have seen the benefit from Soberlink Alcohol Monitoring, many clients have also been very grateful and satisfied with the outcomes monitoring has given them.
Some Sober Story success stories include:
- “I have been a Soberlink user now almost 5 years. It was the missing piece for me in keeping me sober… The only other alternative was very expensive and cumbersome devices through county social services. I think the Soberlink system is a great alterative for people that need that extra one thing besides traditional programs to get and stay sober. Thanks for the great technology and introducing a new tool that can work for many to keep them sober.”
- “I use my Soberlink voluntarily; which means that I am not monitored by any local or state agency. Rather, my results are reported to a few key people in my life who have a personal stake in my sobriety. Along with other recovery strategies (counseling, AA, etc.), Soberlink has been an indispensable tool for maintaining my sobriety. It gives me accountability to the people who matter the most to me and has been invaluable for rebuilding the trust that my drinking destroyed.”
- “I was a closet drinker, constantly hiding it, sneaking around, planning opportunities to be left alone to drink… I was then faced with the prospect of how to regain my family’s trust. Soberlink has been a great start! When I am busy at work and miss my wife’s calls, she no longer has to wonder if I am avoiding her calls to hide my slurred speech…. Consequently, we both feel a greater sense of freedom. The machine works just as is claimed, as does the software. I love this product and highly recommend it!”
More Sober Stories can be found here: www.soberlink.com/reviews
Marketing/Professional Materials
Now that you are armed with all the information and examples needed to introduce Soberlink to your clients, visit the Professionals Section of the Soberlink website for marketing materials, published papers, and much more that you can share with your clients. The Professionals Section was created specifically for Treatment Professionals to find all the Soberlink materials they need to get started as a Soberlink Certified Provider, or with the Share Program.
If you are still having trouble introducing Soberlink to your client, contact our team at support@soberlink.com and we’ll be happy to provide you with additional information.
About the Author
Soberlink supports accountability for sobriety through a comprehensive alcohol monitoring system. Combining a breathalyzer with wireless connectivity, the portable design and technology includes facial recognition, tamper detection and real-time reporting. Soberlink proves sobriety with reliability to foster trust and peace of mind.