Most insurance plans will cover either all or a portion of the treatment.
Content Reviewed By:
SUD treatment executive, national news contributor & keynote speaker.
Navigation:
- What Types of Rehabs Allow You to Work?
- The Intersection of Care and Career
- How Can I Find A Rehab That Allows Me to Work?
When you’re battling substance use disorder, your work can be more than just a means of financial support. It can also be an anchor of stabilization, giving you something to focus on and put your energy into during difficult and chaotic times. Unfortunately, jobs and careers are often the earliest casualties of drug and alcohol abuse as dependency takes hold and behavior becomes more erratic and unpredictable.
When substance use escalates to the point of needing treatment, many people are convinced that they have to choose between their jobs and their mental health. The reality is, however, that there are plenty of rehabs that allow you to work while you’re doing the critically important work of recovery.
What Types of Rehabs Allow You to Work?
Most, if not all, outpatient rehab centers will enable you to maintain your career while you’re getting treatment. One of the main advantages of these programs is that you can stay present in your everyday life and obligations while you’re getting the help you need.
Outpatient rehab is also designed to make sure you’re able to maintain your family obligations and legal obligations while in treatment so you can start rebuilding your life in recovery.
Clinical services offered at outpatient treatment vary but often include:
Many outpatient facilities also offer wraparound services to provide comprehensive post-treatment support. These include but are not limited to aftercare, discharge planning, ongoing case management, and coordination with post-rehab therapy providers.
The Intersection of Care and Career
In the case of inpatient or residential treatment, some facilities will allow you to work remotely if your schedule can accommodate your treatment planning. These are rare, however, because clinicians and program coordinators want patients to be able to heal in a distraction-free environment, and work-related stress can often be a trigger for substance use.
Some facilities also offer employee assistance programs or EAPs, which include treatment coordinated through patients’ employers. Part of this EAP arrangement is that employees will get the necessary help with the expectation that their jobs will be available when they complete treatment. In addition to EAP services, some treatment centers will offer professional or life skills training that either allows patients to learn new skills for better career prospects or to retrain for their past roles.
How Can I Find A Rehab That Allows Me to Work?
Trying to navigate rehab while maintaining your job can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Factors that will determine whether you’re able to work while in rehab include your company’s policies, your current career field, and others. Talk to the facilities you’re considering and see if they will allow you to work while in treatment. It’s also important to realize that if you don’t get help, your career is likely to suffer anyway, so treatment is the most important priority. You can do this.
