challenges of after care program
After
care program is a follow-up initiative that comes after rehab. This follow-up
can be done by the family, community and accountability person.
The challenges with the family doing after care is that they're used to the client and are always negative at anything the recovering person is doing. Due to this, they are not effective.
The community can be a good after care group only that they are not equipped with understanding the work that is involved. They are always detached because they're not the affected group as the family is.
Therefore, it is important to initiate the accountability person. This is a mentor or a friend or a counselor who can walk together with the recovering person the journey of change.
So, what are the qualities of the accountability person?
1. He/she must be available either by a phone call or by one on one.
2. He must not be a user (of any substance). There’s no way you can use an alcoholic to help an alcoholic. It is a mockery.
3. He/she must have some knowledge about addiction treatment and rehabilitation in order to understand what the recovering person is going through.
4. A good accountability person should be elderly, commanding respect from a recovering person, though this is not a must.
5. Having an opposite sex may lead to counter transference. That can sometimes create emotional attachment.
6. Probably, he must not be a relative of the recovering person, as for the family members are already sick and negative.
7. The recovering person must be comfortable to open up to the accountability person.
In conclusion, at Free Hearts Uganda, our aftercare program is mostly based on having an accountability person known to the family and approved by them in order to keep a triangulation advantage.
The challenges with the family doing after care is that they're used to the client and are always negative at anything the recovering person is doing. Due to this, they are not effective.
The community can be a good after care group only that they are not equipped with understanding the work that is involved. They are always detached because they're not the affected group as the family is.
Therefore, it is important to initiate the accountability person. This is a mentor or a friend or a counselor who can walk together with the recovering person the journey of change.
So, what are the qualities of the accountability person?
1. He/she must be available either by a phone call or by one on one.
2. He must not be a user (of any substance). There’s no way you can use an alcoholic to help an alcoholic. It is a mockery.
3. He/she must have some knowledge about addiction treatment and rehabilitation in order to understand what the recovering person is going through.
4. A good accountability person should be elderly, commanding respect from a recovering person, though this is not a must.
5. Having an opposite sex may lead to counter transference. That can sometimes create emotional attachment.
6. Probably, he must not be a relative of the recovering person, as for the family members are already sick and negative.
7. The recovering person must be comfortable to open up to the accountability person.
In conclusion, at Free Hearts Uganda, our aftercare program is mostly based on having an accountability person known to the family and approved by them in order to keep a triangulation advantage.