Your Loved One’s First 72 Hours at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation’s Treatment Center for Teens, Young Adults, and Families

At the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, we take pride in our connection with families. Our goal is to provide you with information about your loved one’s plan for their program and materials to help navigate the feelings or worries that you may have.

Dropping a loved one off at treatment is a big step, and it can bring up a lot of emotions: relief, fear, anger, curiosity, confusion, and a whole host of other feelings. First, please know that no matter how you may be feeling, your emotions are valid. Second, we offer comprehensive care for our patients, and you can be sure that your loved one will receive the highest level of treatment in our facilities. Below you can find a detailed outline of a patient’s first three days in our care. You may have already lived through it, but it was a bit of a blur, or you might still be in the first 72 hours. Wherever you are on your journey, we hope you find this information helpful.

The first 72 hours of treatment at Hazelden Betty Ford are critical in establishing your loved one’s stability and comfort in our care. The main focus during these hours is on a patient’s safe and stable transition out of active use and into recovery. Entering a treatment facility can be overwhelming and scary for both the patient and their family, and minimizing fear and discomfort without compromising the effectiveness of our program is important.

Check-In
Certain steps in the admissions process take place while a patient’s family is still present. First, the patient will check in at the front desk. Following this, your loved one will attend an assessment session, where they will complete a substance use assessment to capture any changes in recent substance use. Every Hazelden Betty Ford patient receives a customized treatment plan, and the initial assessment allows counselors to begin crafting this plan right away.

Admissions
Next, your loved one will be taken to admissions, where they will work with a staff member to review and sign all necessary documents while their family members meet with another staff member to review procedures for contact, payment, and care. If your loved one is a legal adult, they will have the opportunity to sign a release of information agreement, which allows our staff to be in contact with you. If your loved one doesn’t choose to sign a release, we are still here to support you as their family member through our family programming.

Goodbye
After the administrative procedures, patients and families are given time to say goodbye. We will give you as much or as little time as you’d like. As you leave our campus, we hope you take the opportunity to find support and care for yourself. Feel free to talk to our front desk professionals to find out if there are any additional resources you can take with you.

Pocket Check, Health Stats, and Unpack
After the admission paperwork is complete, your loved one will be monitored by patient care technicians and the nursing staff. A technician will conduct a pocket check, similar to what happens at an airport security check. They will also work with your loved one to complete an unpack. During this process, the tech will examine your loved one’s belongings to look for contraband. Examples of contraband include alcohol, drugs, alcohol-based toiletries, cigarettes, vapes, and chewing tobacco. If any contraband is found, it is properly disposed of. In a private room, an employee will inspect clothing, cosmetics, books, comfort items, and all other belongings brought into our facility. This check is conducted in front of your loved one, and any possessions that might disrupt or interfere with treatment will be safely stored until your loved one’s discharge. This includes cell phones, electronics, and clothing with inappropriate messages, among other items. To complete initial orientation, tech staff also review a room condition checklist and major expectations to give your loved one a big-picture view of what’s expected of them.

Medical Services Unit
The nursing staff works to record their height, weight, blood pressure, and other vital signs. The nurse will gather their medical history, including physical and mental health background. Then, your loved one will enter the medical services unit (the MSU). Here they will be checked for any active medical conditions, with special attention paid to withdrawal symptoms. A doctor will work to determine whether your loved one must remain under medical watch or whether they are medically stable enough to join their peers on their assigned treatment unit. Some patients are immediately released to their treatment unit, while others stay on the MSU for up to 72 hours. While on the MSU, your loved one is not expected to participate in programming—medical stability is their main priority.

Treatment Unit
After your loved one’s time on the MSU, they will be escorted to their assigned treatment unit. We have three units at our youth facility: Pioneer and Legacy for male groups, and Grace for females. For nonbinary patients, staff will work with each individual to determine the best placement. Upon joining their unit, your loved one will be introduced to their peers, shown their room, and given a tour of our facilities. Each patient is assigned another patient as a buddy to help them acclimate to their new surroundings. Their buddy will review expectations, show them where to find their daily schedule, explain how to navigate the cafeteria and other facilities, and answer any questions your loved one may have. Each buddy is given comprehensive guidance on how to ensure new patients make a smooth transition onto the unit. Every patient is given either the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous texts; a folder to store helpful information from their counselor; and a notebook for completing treatment assignments, taking notes on important information, and recording insights during lectures. Their first day on the unit focuses on adjustment, so there is dedicated time for your loved one to unpack and familiarize themselves with their new living space.

During the first 72 hours, patients can expect to meet their counselor and receive an overview of their personalized treatment plan. Their counselor is available to answer any questions your loved one may have. Families can also expect to receive a call from their loved one’s counselor. When applicable, the counselor will also make calls to any third parties, such as a patient’s school, outside counselor, or parole officer.

While there may be exceptions to this process based on each patient’s unique circumstances, these steps illustrate the typical first 72 hours at our Plymouth facility. If you have any questions regarding these procedures, please feel free to reach out. We work hard to provide a safe, healthy, and happy environment for your loved one and welcome any feedback.

The Daily Pledge is a free, online social community, made possible by the Hazelden Betty Ford Institute for Recovery Advocacy, that provides a source of support and fellowship to those touched by or concerned about the disease of addiction. The Daily Pledge provides healthy daily activities on the home page, which are viewable to all who might benefit from seeing others "recover out loud." This community's members include both people with addiction and family and friends of people with addiction. Our experience is that people with diverse experiences are able to help each other in unique and valuable ways. Learn more about the community by exploring the pages linked in the menu.