The Key to a Successful Family Intervention
The family intervention checklist is a guide for preparing an intervention for alcohol and/or drug addiction in order to get a person into appropriate treatment. Don’t plan an intervention using just these guidelines alone. Do this only with an experienced interventions specialist.
Bring together three to eight people who are important to the alcoholic and are willing to learn how to help.
Work and pull together as a team, for there is the one purpose and end goal to get the client safe and into treatment.
Set up a planning meeting to discuss moving forward with the family intervention, this can be done an hour before away from the client the family intervention is for.
Choose a detail person for at the family intervention.
Choose a team chairperson, normally the family interventions specialist.
Discuss the importance of not alerting the alcoholic to the intervention plans.
List ways you’ve tried to help the alcoholic that may have enabled the drug or alcohol addiction.
Put in writing all the negative consequences caused by the addiction problem.
Write a one- to two-page letter to the alcoholic or addict.
Read your letters to each other, editing out anger, blame, and judgment.
Determine bottom lines, and write them down on a separate page.
Test each other’s willingness to follow through with the bottom lines.
Identify financial resources for covering treatment costs.
Set a date, time and place for the rehearsal and the family intervention.
Create a plan likely to guarantee the alcoholic’s or drug addict’s presence at the intervention.
Identify objections the alcoholic or drug addict may use to avoid or postpone treatment, then formulate your answers.
Pack a suitcase using the guidelines provided by the clinic treatment staff.
Determine who should drive the alcoholic or drug addict from the intervention to treatment.
Compile a list of all prescribed medications the alcoholic or drug addict is presently using.
Decide where each person will sit, including the alcoholic or drug addict for the family intervention.
Discuss the order in which you’ll read your letters.
Find a place to park your cars out the way from the addicts view so as not to alert them.
Script the chairman’s introduction and closing statement.
Review objections and answers.
Plan to arrive at the family intervention location 30 minutes before the alcoholic drug addict is expected to be there.
If the client intervention is taking place at the alcoholic’s or drug addict’s home, arrive as a group.
Collect all letters and send them to the alcoholic’s or drug treatment counselor.
Once at the treatment center reassure your client every step of the way through the booking in process.
Intervention is the most powerful tool to help someone struggling with alcohol or drug addiction.
For more information please look at Interventions.
- Drug Intervention Treatments and Drug-Alcohol Addictions
- Problems Faced in Alcohol Intervention
- Why Drug Abuse Intervention Can Save Someone's Life
- Have You Gone Through a Drug Alcohol Intervention Program?
- Drug Addiction – Is it Hereditary?
- Drug And Alcohol Interventions – A Life Changing Wake Up Call
- Alcohol Rehab Centers Are There to Help
- Effects of Drinking Alcohol
- Facts About Drug Addiction
- Christian Drug Rehabs Centers
