By looking at Google AdWords ads, you can see that there is competition between drug rehab programs to promote who has the most successful rehab centers. The truth is, these published success rates are relative. What one group considers a success is different for another.
Some people count their success based on the reduction in overall drug use, so even if someone uses drugs twice a week instead of every day, they would still call it success. Other programs get it right and measure whether or not someone is using drugs. That is a true success rate. However, some may stop counting when the person leaves the program or within the first few months after completion. The more they measure that success and drug-free status, the better.
Also, it should be noted that the retention rate is a factor. The retention rate is the number of people who enroll in the program vs. the percentage that actually completes it. Generally, a retention rate greater than 50% is better than average. The best retention rate for long-term residential programs participating in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Outcomes Study (DATA) was 65%.
Rehab centers that claim to have all kinds of success rates can be confusing. The key to discovering which ones make sense is to see what they consider to be a success. In other words, do you feel that simply completing your program is a success? Do you feel that someone who goes to meetings (clean or not) is a success? Or worse yet, do they really put some kind of addictive replacement drug on them and still think it’s a hit? An example of this could be methadone maintenance. If they no longer use heroin, but drink and take methadone, some programs might consider it a success, too.
The bottom line is not to get confused or caught up in what is being printed until you know the truth. We can help you find out how programs determine your reported success rate and whether or not it is worth your time and money. Not all long-term drug rehab programs will produce the same result.
Most addiction treatment centers will not post or discuss their success rates. Due to this lack of benchmarking, some rehab centers have conducted their own internal follow-up interviews to see how they cope with the completion of their programs in everyday life. Based on their findings, this is how they typically arrive at their success rate.
Here’s what to consider as a consumer: What are you measuring to determine your success? If a program promotes a success rate, find out what the criteria for success are in their eyes. In addition, it is also important to consider other factors in life to determine success. These are things like other criminal conduct or recent arrests, part-time or full-time employment, relationships with family and friends, etc.