Why 28 days for rehab addiction treatment?

So you’re looking for a rehab center for addiction. A place where you can begin the process of recovery. With every center you are finding, the suggested length of stay is almost always 28 days. Across the board, treatment centers will make a case with insurance companies that their client meets “medical necessity” for all 28 days.

And so now, 28 days seems to be the magical number, right? Not always. While 28 days is the standard and can be beneficial, it isn’t quite the golden standard. But how did 28 days become the standard for rehab addiction?

It Started Because Of Alcohol Abuse

It began with a man by the name of Daniel Anderson. In the late 1950’s, Anderson was at a Minnesota state hospital. During this time, people seeking treatment for alcoholism were locked away in wards, only leaving to work on a farm.

Seeing the need for something different to help them get sober and leave the hospital, Anderson invented the 28-day model. He would later become the president of the now Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

The 28-day model was founded on the principle that it would take four weeks to stabilize someone with an addiction. However, back then, alcoholism was the only thing most people associated with addiction.

Continuing this 28 day model is the fact that most treatment facilities don’t want to fight the clinical and medical fight to convince insurance companies for more coverage days than they already do. If an insurance company no longer provides coverage, then an appeals process takes place to prove “medical necessity” for Inpatient level of care. If the appeal process isn’t approved, then the client is responsible for the days that weren’t covered by the insurance. To make matters worse, insurance companies don’t treat this with urgency and often don’t get back to the facility with an approval or an appeal until the following day. So, if a facility tries to get more coverage and it is denied, an appeal will only take place when the client isn’t being covered.  Which means the client or facility is responsible to pay out of pocket. To make matters worse, Insurance companies have different definitions and measurements to determine their version of “medical necessity”.

The Problem With The 28 Day Model

There are a few problems with the 28 day model.

First, it does not take into account other addictions. Today, there are many different substances that someone can become physically, mentally, and emotionally addicted to. So while this model may have been based on alcoholism, it can’t quite apply to other addictions. 

Second, there needs to be more research that says what the exact most effective length of an inpatient stay should be. It can vary from person to person and what would work best for them and it shouldn’t be directed by an insurance company's current version of “Medical Necessity”. A lot has changed, and more is understood with the physiological effects of substances to a person's brain and body since Dan Anderson was President of Hazelden in the 1970’s.

So, What Is The Right Length?

For some people, a 28 day inpatient stay may be enough to help get them on the right track. Most people, however, tend to need a longer treatment plan for long lasting recovery.

While 28 days may be the standard, a 60 day inpatient treatment plan can be even more beneficial.

Another great option for treatment plans for the continuum of care, is through our addiction recovery intensives.

What Is An Addiction Recovery Intensive Program?

Time and time again, we hear about people relapsing and being setback. What if there was a different way? What if there was an approach that didn’t just look at your addiction, but looked at you as a whole?

That is what our addiction recovery intensives are all about. We don’t just see you as someone who is battling an addiction. You are multidimensional and the treatment program you are in needs to acknowledge that.

Many 28 day Rehabs don’t prioritize or focus on individual therapy. These models tend to limit what can and should be explored more in depth, focusing more on stabilization, as opposed to jump starting the therapeutic and healing process.  Addiction recovery is complicated, and this is why the Addiction Recovery Intensive works so well after a Residential or Partial Hospitalization Program. People tend to not do well after their time has ended in a 28 day rehab because their aftercare isn’t a tailored as it could be.

Intensives Are Called That For A Reason

They are intense! It requires a significant commitment, but the results will ultimately speak for themselves. Compared to the once a week model, we do three sessions a week.

I know, that sounds like a lot. But, our programs are completely tailored to you. In the typical 28 day model, your sessions are spaced out so sometimes they aren’t as effective with such a gap. When we have three sessions a week, it gives us plenty of time to explore the issues at hand to get you on a full road to recovery that will last.

Our intensives aren’t for everyone, but we take pride in being able to offer many options for you and your family while on this road. You can read more about our addiction recovery intensive or contact us directly to find out more about this program.