What Are The Duties Of A Drug And Alcohol Abuse Counselor?
One of the important persons in the life of an addict that can make a huge impact on the choices of treatments is the drug and alcohol abuse counselor. If you don’t have any idea on the role of this professional, let me give you a quick brief on the specialization of the drug and alcohol abuse counselor as well as the duties he or she must deliver to help the addict reach the stage of full recovery. What is a drug and alcohol abuse counselor? The drug and alcohol abuse counselor is a professional in the medical field whose area of expertise or specialization focused on treating patients with brain disorders including those with addiction problems (dependency on alcohol and drugs).
Duties of the drug and alcohol abuse counselor Below are among the general scope of duties and responsibilities of a drug and alcohol abuse counselor: • Drug and alcohol abuse professionals usually work in rehab treatment centers, local community centers helping drug dependents, nursing and residential care treatment facilities, drug and alcohol abuse centers, medical hospitals and social organizations dedicated to support people with different levels of addiction problems. • The drug and alcohol abuse counselors offer guidance to patients with behavioral problems and teach them techniques to cope without having to resort to drugs or substance abused. • During the initial meeting with patients, this professional will conduct careful assessment, both the psychological and physical state of the patient regarding his or her addiction problem. • The drug and alcohol abuse counselor will also be the one to verify the willingness of the
patient to undergo treatment programs. This professional will act as mentor in helping the client choose the right drug intervention program. • The drug and alcohol abuse counselor is also authorized to recommend the 12-step approach as well as other treatments suited for the patient concerned. • There will be instances wherein this professional will have to work closely with the family members of the patient, which is an integral part of the road leading to recovery. Here, the drug and alcohol abuse counselor will meet with the families, discuss the various treatment options appropriate to the patient’s addiction problem. • This expert also works with other medical professionals in the development of treatment care programs ideal for patients and give referrals on what is deemed necessary to a patient’s case. • The role of a drug and alcohol abuse counselor doesn’t end after the patient completed the treatment program. This expert will also be more visible to the patient’s aftercare treatment program. The counselor will monitor the overall progress of the patient once he or she goes back to the community. Regular sessions will take most of the aftercare treatment where the counselor will give a final recommendation whether the patient is really ready to face the real world or not yet. If the counselor feels that the patient
had a relapse, he or she may require a drug addiction treatment California test to validate the suspicion. If found to be true, the counselor may advice the patient to undergo again drug rehabilitation. The role of a drug and alcohol abuse counselor in the treatment of an addict is very challenging because it demands a lot of skills, trainings, experience in this area and passion to bring out the desired outcome to any patient handled and that’s achieving full recovery at the end of an intervention treatment program. I do hope this has provided some valuable insights on what you should expect from a drug and alcohol abuse counselor. Feel free to express your views, concerns and apprehensions when meeting with this expert because he or she will be your guide when the struggles get tougher along the recovery phase.