This month, residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation services across England will be doing something remarkably simple – opening their doors.
Through the Open Houses campaign, state-funded residential services will be inviting professionals, decision-makers and community partners to step inside, meet the people at the heart of recovery and see first-hand what residential treatment looks like in practice. The campaign is built on a simple observation that most people have never visited a rehab, or may not have done so for many years – and yet decisions about residential treatment are made every day.
For many of us working across health, social care, the justice system and public services, the word ‘rehab’ can still be shaped by outdated assumptions, media portrayals or second-hand accounts. Yet the reality of modern residential rehab is often very different from public perceptions.
At a time when the drug and alcohol treatment system is seeing higher demand and an increasing complexity of need, alongside growing pressures on budgets, understanding the full range of treatment options available has never been more important. Substance use rarely exists in isolation – people entering treatment are often navigating a combination of challenges that can include trauma, mental ill health, homelessness, domestic abuse, social exclusion, family breakdown and involvement with the justice system. These issues are frequently interconnected, with each one reinforcing the others.
Community-based support plays a critical role for many people, and for some it provides support for multiple needs, phased appropriately for each resident and on one site. Residential rehabilitation offers something different that people may struggle to access in their own community – it provides a safe, structured and therapeutic environment where people can step away from the pressures, triggers and risks that may be preventing change. With intensive support, peer-led communities and the time needed to focus on healing, residential services can help people address not only substance use but also the underlying issues that contribute to it.
It’s difficult to fully appreciate the therapeutic environment, safety and governance processes, and the day-to-day reality of treatment – or the outcomes being achieved – without witnessing them directly. Open Houses encourages visitors to ask questions, challenge assumptions and engage directly with services, staff, residents and people with lived experience.Â
Seeing a residential service first-hand allows professionals to move beyond the abstract. Perhaps most importantly, they can hear directly from people whose lives have been transformed through access to the right support at the right time.
Residential rehabilitation is an important part of the treatment system, but access is still highly inconsistent. Funding arrangements can be complex, referral processes can vary between areas, and awareness of available services is often uneven. As a result, many people who could benefit from residential treatment may never be considered for it.
Making change requires collaboration between commissioners, healthcare professionals, local authorities, social workers, probation services, housing providers, employers, community organisations, wider community, families, loved ones and people with lived experience. Open Houses provides an opportunity to strengthen those connections.
James Armstrong is director of marketing and innovation at Phoenix Futures