Rosecrance Helps Families with Teens in Recovery

Teens face many challenges in today’s world, and some of these can lead to substance abuse. Families need a full understanding of these challenges in order to help their teens deal with the tests life can offer.

At Rosecrance, we provide a range of family support services to help your family take an active role in your teen’s recovery. These services include counseling, support, education, and information. With our help, your entire family can learn about the disease of addiction and discover ways they can work together to help your teen achieve lasting recovery.

Families get support at Rosecrance for Recovery

Families need to know that they are not alone as teens recover from the disease of addiction. Our staff can arrange to have your family talk with other families who are going through similar experiences. You can learn what has worked for others and develop a strategy that makes sense for you. Family support groups are held one hour before visiting times.

Arranging family visits

Family members can take part in regular visiting hours throughout the week. Visits are scheduled by treatment group.

Weekly family sessions

Teenage patients and their family members come together weekly with their addiction counselor to talk about goals and to learn more about the chronic disease of addiction. These sessions are scheduled individually for each patient.

Family relapse prevention plan

Each family needs to plan ways to keep their teen from experiencing a relapse. During family sessions, your Rosecrance counselor will work with you to develop a plan that will take you from the start of addiction treatment through discharge. This prevention plan will help your family support and maintain lasting recovery — for both the client and the family.

Family education weekend

Rosecrance offers weekend programs that can help your family learn more about the disease of addiction. The programs give an overview of treatment and explain how to start the recovery process. Some of the goals of the weekend include:

• Making sure each family member’s feelings about their loved one’s addiction are accepted
• Educating family members that addiction is a brain disease
• Helping the family understand how the disease may progress
• Introducing the family to the 12 Steps of recovery
• Discussing the concept of enabling and how enabling affects addictive behavior
• Learning about positive communication and the detachment process
• Helping family members identify healthy teen behaviors and see what lasting recovery can look like
• Explaining the relapse process and how to keep it from happening
• Sending a message of hope throughout recovery

The family weekend schedule is as follows:

• Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Sundays, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

We also sponsor Al-Anon meetings prior to weekday visits and encourage all families to seek community support services. For more information about weekend programs, call (866) 330-8729. For area hotel and lodging information for our Illinois locations, click here to find maps, directions and hotel information.

Therapeutic leave of absence

When family members successfully complete the family education weekend, and the patient has achieved the level of “sponsor” in his or her treatment group, the patient and family can participate in a therapeutic leave of absence. This is a three- to six-hour block of time spent together off-campus.

Treatment discharge planning

Planning for discharge is very important. This service helps patients and families connect to social, educational and recovery services in the community.

Prevention and Early Intervention Program (PEI)

The Rosecrance PEI Program is an evidence-based alcohol and drug education program designed to provide education, support, and direction to teens and their families who may be at risk of more serious involvement with alcohol and other drugs. The PEI Program is now offered virtually; click here for more information.

Frequently asked questions about family involvement in Recovery

Q: Are family support services mandatory?
A: We strongly recommend that families take part in our recovery support services at Rosecrance. Studies clearly show that the more the family is involved in treatment, the better the outcome for the teen — and the family. [Source: SAMHSA, “Families Coping with Mental and Substance Use Disorders“]

Q: Is there a fee for any family services?
A: No, there is no additional cost for any family services. We do, however, ask for a small donation to cover the cost of food during family education weekend.

Q: Who should attend/participate in family services?
A: Family teen addiction treatment support services are provided for all family members — including aunts, uncles and grandparents — if they are a strong support to the patient. We discourage participation of small children during the family education weekend. Only individuals listed on the approved visitors log will be able to take part.

Q: How do I prevent my loved one from relapsing?
A: Rosecrance offers many services to help guide you as you support your loved one’s recovery. Talk with your teen’s counselors to learn more.