When confronting the need for substance abuse treatment and therapy, one thing the client and his doctors must determine is what level of care they need to address the problem at hand. No addiction story is identical to another, so each case is unique, presenting individualized needs and therefore specific approaches based on a spectrum of care levels.

To find the right level for your case, we need to break down the different levels of care in addiction treatment.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine has established five levels for substance abuse treatment, presented in a continuum that can flow up or down the chart depending on each patient’s unique needs.

These five levels are: 

  • Level IV: Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient (withdrawal management in a hospital setting)
  • Level III: Residential/inpatient services
  • Level II: Intensive outpatient/partial hospitalization services
  • Level I: Outpatient services
  • Level 0.5: Early intervention services

Each number, as it rises, reflects a greater intensity of services provided. There are also gradients between each level, depending on what part of each level the patient is using. Level 3.7, for instance, can involve withdrawal management, as in Level IV, but within a residential setting rather than in a hospital.

Doctors will observe a client for his medical records, presented symptoms and other observed behaviors to determine which level of care is appropriate for the client.

For instance, Level IV is full detox services, done in a clinical setting to carefully control all outside factors for greatest success. Level III, on the other hand, is a step down, involving therapy and care in an inpatient setting but without the need for a full hospital stay.

Level II is the same as Level III, but without the need for a full-time residential stay. Instead, the client can do things on an outpatient level, coming in regularly for treatment but otherwise still pursuing daily routines in the outside world. Only occasional hospital visits may be necessary. A Level I approach removes even that need for hospital care.

Finally, levels below I and above 0 are about early intervention, in which a client who is only on the threshold of full-blown addiction can be treated with early counseling and education efforts to head off worse substance abuse and nip such problems in the bud before higher levels are called for.

At an addiction therapy facility such as Good Landing Recovery, doctors can help you determine what level of treatment you need to best address your needs and find the healing and recovery from addiction you’re seeking. Their Christian approach to recovery combines with clinical expertise to give you the best treatment available at any level.

To get the proper treatment and recovery you need and deserve, first you need to know the level of treatment you require and only your doctors can determine that. Good Landing Recovery can provide such a service and the accompanying treatment, as well, if you seek out their services. Give them a call today and start  on the road to recovery, one correct level at a time.