During their stay, clients are routinely monitored for withdrawal complications including elevated vitals, tremors, sweats, and other complications. The withdrawal process can be as short as a few hours or as long as several days depending upon the drug used, patterns of use, and withdrawal history of the client. All clients receive a substance abuse evaluation and are provided referrals to continuing treatment, if needed. Often, staff will provide motivational counseling to those clients who are not yet aware of the severity of their substance use problem or are not yet motivated themselves to stop abusing substances. These people are often brought by family members or other caring parties and are voluntarily seeking treatment services.
Clients also arrive at the detoxification programs through law enforcement agencies .
These clients may have been charged with a DUI or transported to detoxification due to public intoxication. For many of these clients, this is their first encounter with a treatment program. Additionally, clients are brought to the detoxification programs from area hospital emergency rooms . These clients are generally not in need of medical care at an acute care setting but still require safe monitoring in order to safely detoxify from alcohol and other drugs. Generally, detoxification extends from 12 hours to 3 days.