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Loved One Needs to Balance Work and Rehab

Dominique Simon December 23, 2018
0 Comments
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Worried Mom’s Loved One is looking at rehab programs again. She was asked to leave the last IOP she attended because of positive drug tests. As a consultant, she can work from home, and she is the only source of income for her family. What options would allow her to continue to work while also offering support for her recovery? 
 

My daughter has been in in-patient care (heroin/alcohol, 2 programs, 30 days each), and several IOP programs. Last IOP program she was asked to leave after drug testing positive 2 times in 3 weeks. She is again asking to attend a rehab program which is great, but I'm struggling with which one to try this time. She has been on long term disability (which is now exhausted) and she is back working 20 hours a week and seems to be able to maintain her work schedule. Fortunately she is a consultant and can work from home, is on travel restriction right now. She is the only one in her family with any income and to possibly keep her home, she would like to be able to find a program where she can still work her 20 hours a week. Read the full comment here.

Your daughter is working hard. That’s terrific. Sober houses often expect that you will work, so that may still be an option. Here is the link to a list of houses with contacts in Massachusetts: https://mashsoberhousing.org/certified-residences/

Also, there is a national organization that promotes quality standards for recovery residences (or sober homes). The National Alliance of Recovery Residences, NARR is the leading organization promoting best practices in recovery residences, including the Social Model. To find out more, go to www.narronline.org. Finding a sober home that submits itself voluntarily to 3rd party oversight and national standards can be one way to decide if you are choosing the best resources for your family (this came from one of our members some time back).

We have sober housing advocates and directors on this site. Can you help with this question?

I do think working is important. It provides needed structure… though consultants (I know this firsthand) can hide better than some. I am very pleased to hear your daughter is addressing her addiction. It’s not a straight road, as you know, but it is the road out.

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Dominique Simon
Dominique launched Allies in Recovery in 2003. Her work has been featured on HBO and NPR. She is a facilitator and a trained speaker on issues of addiction and the family. She has worked extensively developing and evaluating federally-funded substance abuse programs for organizations and clinics throughout Massachusetts and New York. With an interest in recovery and substance abuse that spans 20 years, she sees a huge need to help families develop the skills to help a loved one recover fully in a supportive, whole, and lasting way in their families and in their communities. Her mission is to have Allies in Recovery fill that gap.

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