Planning to attend a rehab program can feel daunting, with many facilities and options to choose from, and the process may feel unfamiliar. Understanding each step, from first contact to intake to ongoing treatment reviews, can make the experience feel more manageable.
This article describes intake for residential (inpatient) rehab. Outpatient programs use a similar assessment process, but without the room assignment, belongings check, or restrictions on outside contact.
- Before starting rehab, you and the facility team should ensure it is a suitable placement that can meet your treatment needs.
- You will be asked questions before you are accepted into a program and during intake, as this information helps develop a treatment plan.
- Being honest about your substance use and any other relevant physical and mental health symptoms can help the team tailor your treatment adequately.
Understanding how residential rehab intake works
Intake is the initial stage of starting rehab for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. It all starts with your first phone call or contact with the facility and will involve both you and the staff gathering information to guide the process.
Once you choose your facility and program, we will support you during intake and throughout treatment. Staff will ask questions to evaluate your current health and treatment needs, handle the administrative side of rehab intake (such as consent forms and financial matters), and help you settle in at the facility.
First contact with a rehab
Your first contact with a rehab facility should focus on logistics: do they have space for you, can they meet your treatment requirements, and what payment options are available?
Before choosing a rehab, you should find out:
- The location.
- The types of substance use they treat.
- Which types of treatment they implement.
- Whether your health insurance covers it and what out-of-pocket costs you might incur.
- What accreditations the facility has.
- Rules and regulations of the facility.
Pre-screening and early assessment before admission
Before accepting you into a facility’s program, staff will want to conduct a pre-screening. This will help determine whether it is a suitable place for you, including whether it has the facilities and treatment options you need.
This will likely involve a basic assessment to ascertain your substance use history, any acute risks or conditions, and co-occurring mental or physical health issues. They will also ask about your health insurance or financial eligibility to ensure you can afford treatment.
How pre-assessment helps mold your treatment plan
Pre-assessment helps the treatment team identify specific treatment needs, such as whether co-occurring mental health conditions require treatment, whether any traumatic events could influence your response to certain treatment options, and whether you have any specific goals to work toward during your treatment program.[1]
Setting up finances and insurance
Finalize finances and insurance before starting rehab treatment. If you have health insurance, contact your provider before attending rehab and ask specifically: Is this facility in-network? Does my plan require prior authorization for this level of care? What will my out-of-pocket costs be? Getting prior authorization matters, and skipping it can leave you responsible for the full cost.
If you've agreed to other payment plans, make sure they are clear so you know exactly how much you owe and when you must pay, and you don’t get surprise expenses along the way.
What to do before you attend rehab
Before you start your treatment program, you may need to put plans in place around family and kids, work, pets, or other responsibilities so things are taken care of while you are away. You might also want to think about your goals or motivations for recovery so you can share these with your treatment team.
Intake admin and paperwork
When you first arrive at the rehab facility, there will be admin and paperwork to complete. This will usually include health and medication history, as well as legal and logistical aspects such as finances, consent forms, identification, and rehab contracts.
You will also be introduced to the healthcare team and others at the facility, shown your room, given a tour of the facility, and provided with the necessary information for your stay.
Forms you will need to fill out
Forms that will need to be filled out during intake include:
- Insurance information, payment terms and conditions, or other financial agreements.
- Demographic and identity information.
- Health history, including mental and physical health issues and medications.
- Family history of mental health and substance use issues.
- Consent forms, including agreeing to medical treatments and facility rules.
- Forms around confidentiality, HIPAA, and other regulations.
Confiscation of prohibited items and substances
During intake, staff will go through the items you have brought with you so they can check for and confiscate any prohibited items. This is necessary to ensure that the facility remains a safe, substance-free environment for everyone.
Restricted items include:
- Alcohol and substances.
- Non-prescribed medications.
- Any substance paraphernalia, including lighters, pipes, or vapes.
- Products that contain alcohol, such as sanitizers, perfumes, or aerosols.
- Knives or other sharp objects and any other weapons.
- Inappropriate or offensive clothing, magazines, or materials.
- Electronic devices (Policies vary widely. Some facilities hold phones for an initial period, others allow supervised use, and some permit them throughout. Cameras and gaming consoles are more commonly restricted. Ask your facility about this before you arrive.
Q&As
When you arrive at the facility, you might want to ask questions such as:
- When and where are meals served?
- Where is my room and who is my roommate?
- Who do I speak to if I need medical assistance?
- When does the doctor or psychiatrist start treatment and reviews?
- Can I smoke, and where?
- Who is my primary care team and how often do I see them?
- Where can I see the weekly schedule?
- How and when can I contact my family?
First day of rehab: in-depth evaluations
When you begin treatment at the rehab facility, the primary clinician on your care team will conduct a more in-depth evaluation of your current and past health and substance use.[2]
Medical
Basic vital signs will form part of your first day evaluation, and these checks will be repeated and monitored throughout your treatment. Depending on the program and your medical needs, this may also include blood tests and a physical examination. Any past or current physical health conditions will also be discussed, so that ongoing treatments can be integrated into your rehab program.
Psychological and co-occurring disorders evaluation
A mental health assessment will be conducted to determine:
- Past or current mental health symptoms and medications.
- Trauma and childhood experiences that might contribute to substance use issues.
- Cognitive functioning and information processing.
- Any risks of harm to yourself or others, along with suicide risks.
- Your resilience, stress responses, and any coping strategies you currently utilize.
If any mental health conditions are identified and require ongoing treatment, this will be considered alongside your SUD treatment to formulate a dual diagnosis treatment plan. Because mental health conditions and SUDs often interact and contribute to one another, an integrated treatment plan will be required to carefully and effectively manage both conditions.
Substance use
This evaluation will require an in-depth look at past and current substance use, including details of which substances are used, administration methods, amounts, frequency, and duration. Be as honest as possible during this evaluation, as it will significantly impact treatment implementation and outcomes.
We will also discuss any previous treatments, detox, or SUD support. This can help identify strategies that have been helpful in the past and those that were not successful.
Ongoing assessments and treatment progression
Throughout your treatment, your care team will conduct regular reviews to evaluate its effectiveness, monitor your physical and mental state, and adjust treatments as required.[2]
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