Alaskan residents who are dealing with a drug or alcohol problem have several different types of outpatient treatment available to them. Over 80% of the treatment programs in Alaska are outpatient in fact. These options include both regular and intensive treatment as well as day treatment and partial hospitalization. These comprise the majority of outpatient services available in the state, although there are also 5 facilities offering detoxification on an outpatient basis and 3 programs providing opiate maintenance services. Opiate maintenance outpatient programs provide clients with either methadone or buprenorphine to help with stop cravings and opiate withdrawal. This would be meant for individuals who are physically dependent to heroin or prescription pain killers for example and choose to use these medical drugs as an outpatient client instead choosing complete abstinence.
In Alaska, regular outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment services differ only in the intensity in which treatment is offered for the most part. In a regular outpatient treatment program clients are typically required to take part in treatment services 1 day per week, whereas intensive outpatient clients are involved in treatment for at least 3 days per week for 9-12 hours per day. Intensive outpatient in Alaska is the best option for someone who needs a more robust system of support than what a regular outpatient programs can offer, such as someone who is at a high risk of relapse because of a co-occurring disorder or simply because they are newly abstinent and are not confident about remaining drug free. Outpatient clients who attend either a regular or intensive outpatient program typically receive individuals counseling and group therapy, and some programs even offer family therapy. There are both 12-step models available and alternative outpatient programs in Alaska including those which offer a holistic approach.
Choosing the correct treatment program for yourself or a family member can be one of the the most important decisions you ever make. With so many choices for treatment, and so many variables to consider, getting help from a knowledgeable addiction specialist who understands what types of treatment will work best is invaluable.
Our addiction specialists are available 24 hours a day to answer any questions you may have about treatment. All calls and services are completely free of charge and completely confidential. Start your recovery today!