Can I See My Kids While in Rehab?

Entering an addiction treatment program can be a significant adjustment for individuals beginning their recovery journey. This transition can be particularly challenging for those with children, as they may be concerned about maintaining contact with their kids while undergoing treatment.

The good news is that you can still spend time with your children while in drug and alcohol rehab. However, policies regarding family visits vary between treatment centers. Family involvement plays a crucial role in the recovery process and can provide numerous benefits.

Keep reading to learn more about family visits in rehab including benefits, challenges, and alternatives to in-person visits.

Generally, addiction rehabilitation centers allow family visits on specific days during specific hours. Most treatment facilities allow visitors with certain restrictions, which vary. Some restrictions can include pre-authorized visits or only allowing visits for certain durations.

Policies regarding family visits vary from treatment center to treatment center because they are often designed based on treatment philosophy and program goals. Some rehab facilities may allow weekly visitors and prioritize family involvement while others may only allow monthly visitors. It all comes down to the treatment approach a care center takes.

Before you commit to a treatment facility, you must become familiar with and understand the visitation rules that the facility has. This way, you can choose a center that aligns well with your needs in treatment.

There are two broad categories of addiction treatment: inpatient and outpatient. Inpatient treatment is considered the highest level of care, requiring individuals to live in a treatment facility for the duration of their program. On the other hand, outpatient treatment is held at a recovery center that patients travel to on specific days of the week. Due to these different treatment modalities, family time is handled differently in inpatient versus outpatient programs.

Inpatient programs may have much more control over the amount of time you spend with your family, simply because you’ll be living in a care facility full time. These programs typically allow family visitation at specific times on specific days. In outpatient treatment, there may be some opportunities for family involvement, but you’ll be able to see your family outside of treatment as you’re still able to live at home in outpatient care.

It’s important that family interaction is balanced with the therapeutic process in both rehab settings. While family contact and support can have many benefits, it is vital that your attention is devoted primarily to recovery, which is why most treatment centers have restrictions around visitation.

There are pros and cons to both kinds of addiction treatment for individuals with children. Inpatient treatment has a higher rate of efficacy as it is a more intensive treatment option but can limit contact with children. Conversely, outpatient programs allow for more time with your kids but are not quite as intensive, which can result in less positive treatment outcomes.

Family involvement and visits from children can be extremely beneficial in recovery. Having the support and encouragement of your loved ones can help you stay motivated and remind you what you’re working toward. As a result, family involvement has been shown to improve recovery outcomes.

One way your family may be involved in your recovery is through family therapy. Family therapy can be immensely beneficial in helping you as an individual and your family heal together. Substance abuse can often put a strain on relationships which can weaken family bonds and functioning. Family therapy is specifically designed to address these issues and how addiction has affected your family as a whole.

There are also countless emotional benefits to parents seeing their children during rehab. Seeing your kids during addiction treatment can improve moods, increase motivation, and foster a sense of support and security. Alcohol and drug addiction treatment can sometimes feel isolating, so seeing your children can be a huge help in reminding you you’re not alone.

While there are many benefits to family time in alcohol and drug rehab, seeing your kids does not come without potential challenges, unfortunately.

Visiting with your children can pose some emotional challenges in addiction recovery. It can be challenging to balance parental responsibilities with recovery, especially while in a residential treatment program. Some people can experience feelings of guilt or sadness when seeing their kids in rehab as they’re not able to take on as much responsibility as they did outside of rehab.

Another challenge is the potential for visits from your children to be distracting or overwhelming in early rehab. When you’re first adjusting to treatment, you may be dealing with a lot of emotions, thoughts, and even physical symptoms like withdrawal. Seeing your kids during this stage can be too much to take in or distract you from focusing on your recovery. This is why some rehab centers restrict family visits until after a certain amount of time has been spent in treatment.

Rehab centers are designed to address these issues and help you maintain your focus on treatment. This can include restrictions such as those mentioned above and therapy to help you work through the emotional challenges you may experience.

Most treatment facilities have specific days and times that are dedicated to family visits. Again, this varies between rehab centers and may involve additional restrictions.

There may be certain guidelines for visitations such as pre-approved visits. Depending on the facility you choose, you may need to have written approval from your treatment provider before you’re allowed to see visitors. This is to ensure that individuals can focus on their treatment and are not exposed to potential distractions too early. Your family members may need to contact your rehab facility and provide their names as well as any other necessary information before scheduling a visit with you.

It is of the utmost importance that you and your loved ones adhere to the rules and regulations of family visits to ensure you can continue to see each other throughout treatment. Rules vary between centers, so be sure to review regulations with your specific facility. Visitations may be restricted to specific durations, and frequencies, and may be held in designated visitation areas.

Your children may have several opportunities to be involved in your recovery process, depending on the type of program and rehab center you choose.

Opportunities for child involvement can involve family therapy sessions, counseling sessions, or supervised visits with your children. Getting your kids involved in the recovery process may not be right for every family, but it can greatly foster emotional healing and support throughout the journey. Involvement in treatment processes may be better for older children, but younger children may also have the opportunity for involvement depending on the circumstances.

You must explain rehab and addiction to your children in an age-appropriate way, especially if they are involved in the recovery process. This will look different for every family but can include explaining that you will only be gone temporarily, that you still love them, and that your addiction is not their fault. Your children must have an understanding of your treatment timeline too, if appropriate.

Because there are restrictions to family visits and they may not be right for every parent and child, it’s important to address the alternatives to physical visits.

Virtual communication methods such as video chats or phone calls are both great ways to stay connected with your children during recovery. The policies surrounding electronics in rehab also vary between facilities, but you may have access to a phone and the internet at certain times or with supervision. Be sure to check with your rehab center for specifics.

Staying in contact with your kids during recovery even virtually can have many emotional benefits. Phone calls and video chats are still helpful in maintaining connection and offering support during a challenging time, both of which can improve treatment outcomes.

Because addiction so often puts a strain on familial relationships, family therapy is specifically designed to address the ways substance abuse has affected you and your family members. By talking about these challenges and working through them, family therapy is immensely beneficial in rebuilding and strengthening your family bonds.

On a similar note, family therapy can sometimes include child involvement. This is a great opportunity to reconnect both emotionally and psychologically with your children. Family therapy can help foster conversations about how your substance use disorder (SUD) has impacted your children and help them understand addiction and recovery better.

Incorporating your family into the recovery process can have many long-term benefits including improved treatment outcomes, decreased risk of relapse, and improved relationships.

Unfortunately, struggling with substance abuse as a parent can pose threats to child custody and visitation rights. However, entering a rehab program can reflect well on your willingness to recover, which can help in the long run.

During recovery, if your children do not have another caregiver, Child Protective Services (CPS) may have to get involved to ensure there is appropriate childcare for the duration of your treatment. This can sound scary, but it’s important to remember that the best interests of the child are being prioritized. After treatment, you may be able to restore your parental rights if they change during recovery.

One of the best ways to maintain or restore custody after treatment is to work with legal professionals throughout recovery. They can help demonstrate that you are working to become a fit parent to the courts.

To ensure that you can continue to be in contact with your children, you may want to alert any case workers, social workers, or legal professionals involved in your child’s custody and visitation rights when you are entering treatment. If you have shared custody, be sure to work with your child’s other parent to determine when they can visit you. Scheduling this in advance can help ensure regular contact.

When choosing a treatment center, it’s important to keep your needs in mind. For example, if seeing your children frequently is important to you during your recovery, you’ll want to ensure you find a rehab facility that allows this.

One of the easiest ways to find a treatment center that allows family visits is to specify so in your search. You can also look for rehabilitation centers that offer family therapy. Once you’ve found some potential options, look for more information about visitors and regulations on their website. The best way to get up-to-date information on visitation rules is to call a rehab center and ask.

You’ll also want to consider whether you’d like to enroll in an inpatient or outpatient program. Based on your needs, you’ll be able to narrow your search quite a bit.

As a parent entering an addiction treatment program, it’s important that you not only prepare yourself but also prepare your kids for your rehab stay.

As mentioned previously, it is a good idea to speak to your children about addiction and rehab in an age-appropriate and honest way. This is entirely dependent on your specific circumstances, but it’s important to always emphasize that addiction is not your child’s fault and that they are not being punished.

Another part of preparation you’ll want to focus on is emotionally preparing your kids for the time spent apart and the purpose of rehab. They must understand you may be separated for an extended period, but it won’t be forever. Additionally, helping your kids understand why rehab is so important can help prepare them for the change.

Reassuring your children throughout the recovery process is essential. It will look different for each family, but there are a few ways you can do this.

Reassuring sentiments can include:

• Telling your kids you love them
• Telling your kids the timeline for your recovery
• Reminding your kids they are not at fault for your addiction
• Telling your kids how they can get involved in your recovery
• Explaining to your kids that you are getting healthy for them

Separation anxiety can be a common hurdle for people in rehab with children. It’s important to address the feelings of separation anxiety head-on for both parent and child. This can open up a dialogue to working through this obstacle.

Managing emotional distance and stress while maintaining focus on your recovery can be challenging. Coping strategies to work through this can include setting up regular visits or calls with your children, trying alternative therapies like yoga or art, and regular therapy and counseling sessions.

Emotional support is of the utmost importance in these circumstances. Having supportive family members can help ease stress for both parents and kids during this time. Additionally, you may try family therapy to address the issue. Consider finding local support groups for kids with parents in addiction treatment. Finally, resources such as those from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) can be helpful.

Choosing a rehab center that offers family-focused services can seem a bit daunting, but with a little bit of research, you’ll be able to find a treatment center that aligns with you and your family’s needs.

A great way to find a treatment facility that offers these services is to use resources like our lists of top rehab centers in each state, the SAMHSA treatment locator, or the NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) search engine.

Be sure to also contact rehab centers directly to ask more questions about family involvement and visitation. You’ll want to get some insight on the rules and restrictions concerning time with your loved ones and how that will be balanced with therapeutic responsibilities.

Seeing your kids and getting your family involved in the drug and alcohol addiction treatment process can be very beneficial and lead to better treatment outcomes.

Most rehab centers allow for family visits with restrictions and even allow your loved ones to be a part of certain treatment services.

For more information about family-friendly addiction recovery, give our phone number a call today.