ABOUT UAB MEDICINE ADDICTION RECOVERY PROGRAM
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Health System operates seven hospitals and treatment centers in Birmingham, Ala. The Addiction Recovery Program (ARP), located on UAB’s campus in central Birmingham, offers detox, residential treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), and intensive outpatient (IOP) treatment for individuals struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. Gender-specific treatment tracks are available, as well as programs for specialty populations, including young adults and healthcare professionals.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
All clients first undergo a comprehensive assessment designed to determine the level of care most appropriate for them. Individuals who require stabilization and medically assisted detox typically enroll in the center’s residential program, which lasts for 30 to 45 days. Treatment, which is informed by the disease model of addiction and the 12-step program, focuses on relapse prevention and coping skills. Treatment modalities include individual therapy, group therapy, family counseling, and recreational therapy. Specialty services include equine therapy and tracks for individuals struggling with trauma and grief.
Once stabilized, clients may step down to PHP, which lasts 45 to 60 days. Clients in this phase of treatment attend 12-step meetings and focus on building a supportive network while continuing to learn about the disease of addiction. Following the completion of PHP, clients may transition to IOP, which lasts between six and eight weeks. Clients at this level of care continue to participate in groups but begin to focus on finding employment or volunteer opportunities. Those who complete the full continuum of treatment are eligible for up to two years of aftercare, which primarily consists of group counseling.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The treatment team includes psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and healthcare professionals specializing in substance abuse, trauma, grief, and pain management.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
According to the University of Alabama, the Addiction Recovery Program recently expanded the unit to accommodate up to 16 individuals. No details regarding accommodations and amenities are available, but the 10 alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com provided the facility’s cleanliness with an average rating of 4.2 out of five stars.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
When asked how likely they were to recommend the facility to others, the 10 alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com provided an average rating of 4.3 out of five stars. Alumni were most impressed with the staff’s level of training and experience, which received an average rating of 4.3 stars as well. “This treatment facility helped save my life! I highly recommend it! The staff is highly qualified and caring,” C.M.E. wrote in a representative review. Alumni also awarded favorable ratings to the program’s family participation, exercise and leisure options, and connectivity/visitors policy, which received ratings of four, 3.9, and 3.8 stars, respectively. The center’s counseling options received an above average rating of 3.5 stars. Additionally, multiple alumni highlighted their positive experiences with the center’s detox program. “They had a very good detox. I hardly got sick,” T.R. wrote, and Ethan highlighted the “good withdrawal program.”
The surveyed alumni were less impressed with the facility’s affordability, which received a rating of 2.5 stars, and the program’s holistic options, which earned 2.7 stars. “Cost is high and no sort of payment plan to help,” one anonymous alum told Best-rehabs.com. Additionally, multiple survey respondents felt that the program lacked adequate individual counseling. “They had great structure, but not enough one-on-one counseling,” C.R.W. wrote in a representative review.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The three loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com all noted that they would recommend the facility to others. Their complaints were minor and included “bad food” and the condition of a waiting room. However, all surveyed loved ones found the center’s staff to be a strength of the facility. “Workers are very knowledgeable and compassionate (but firm),” one anonymous reviewer wrote. Another individual characterized the staff as “kind and caring.”
WHAT STAFF SAY
Terri, the sole staff member polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing, noted that she would recommend the facility to others and highlighted the treatment team as one of the center’s strengths. “UAB has an expert staff that offered individualized care. We really get to know our patients,” she wrote.
FINANCING
The Addiction Recovery Program accepts insurance and is in-network with providers including BlueCross/BlueShield, Viva Health, and Viva Access. The approximate cost of treatment is $18,500 for a 30-day residential stay. A package of residential treatment, PHP, and IOP, which lasts approximately three months, is offered for $24,000.