A:
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National accreditation programs (such as the Joint Commission
on Accreditation of Health Organizations, the Rehabilitation
Accreditation Commission, the National Committee for Quality
Assurance, and All-States) look for elements of treatment that
research has shown to be effective. Accreditors also require
a well-documented patient complaint process. Remember that "state
licensing" is not the same as accreditation, since states
vary widely in their licensing requirements. Failure to obtain
accreditation may mean nothing -- but it could indicate fringe
status. However, if the program is not licensed by the state
in which they are providing services, they should be reported
to that particular state's Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.
As for counselors, some states like California for example,
are in the middle of a counselor certification reform and
counselors can be certified by any one of about 10 state approved
agencies. If you get confused, ask how long their counselors
have been in practice. Case managers should have around 3-5
years of experience and group facilitators should have 2 years
experience.
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