Substance abuse programs that offer support for drug treatment and recovery are subject to regulatory laws in the country--and more specifically, the state or province--in which they are located. Intermediary governing or accrediting bodies establish standards and laws for adherence to ethical practice for these programs. The Council on Accreditation (COA) states the driving goal is to ensure individuals in these programs are provided the care and support they need and the organizations that offer programs can validate the impact of their services. These standards are evaluated in management practice and actual support offered to clients.
Information and Standards
Regulatory bodies assess standards for management practice and client care through key avenues. COA lists these as including information gathered through formal means, as in through expert panels and advisor work groups. Further, informal means are used, such as discussion with human service organizations about how the standards are implemented in various instances and contexts. Questionnaires given to workers and clients supplement information gathered. An important method also includes reviewing published research and existing professional literature on organizations offering care.
Management Practice
Regulatory bodies assess the capacity of the organizations to implement programs at the management level. Good financial management practice is established to ensure programs are stable. Networking capacities are assessed to judge how well organizations can share knowledge and resources and benefit from developing practices within other rehabilitation programs. The identifying of variables, such as adequate training and the appointing of psychiatrists or counselors as required for the particular program, are necessary for establishing professional service. A regulatory body has the authority to recommend closure of a facility if it does not meet these standards as outlined in a list of statutes, states the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
Client Support
Intermediary bodies ensure the quality of services and ethical standards by evaluating the level of care and protection the clients receive. CARF International states many factors must be taken into consideration in an assessment, as the intensity of drug abuse, age of client and other medical, behavioral or environmental factors differ. Hence, this regulatory body assesses to what degree the individual programs have capacity to address the various client needs. Protection of rights of drug abuse clients is regularly evaluated. Examples include ensuring rehabilitation is voluntary or confidentiality of client history is upheld. Such may be regulated through questionnaires at organizations or online forms, such as that provided by the New Mexico Counseling and Therapy Practice Board.
