Substance use treatment is an important step, but it is only one part of the journey. Treatment may take place in an inpatient or residential setting, where your child stays at a facility, or through outpatient programming, where they continue living at home or in the community. In either case, your child may need ongoing support as they work toward their goals, make healthier choices, and reduce the risks connected with substance use.
What This Article Is About
This article explains how you can support your child during treatment and as they move into the next stage of care. You’ll learn how to make the home safer, understand the continuing care plan, set healthy boundaries, and make a recovery plan together.
Recovery can mean different things for different people. For some, the goal may be not using alcohol or other drugs at all. For others, progress may include using less, avoiding more dangerous substances or situations, taking medications as prescribed, or making other changes that lower the chance of overdose and other harms. What matters is helping your child stay as safe and healthy as possible while continuing to move forward.
Keeping your child healthy following treatment
It is natural to hope that treatment will solve your child’s substance use problems. But substance use disorder can be a long-term health condition. Like other health conditions, it may need ongoing care and support.
Treatment is an important step, whether your child receives care while staying at a facility or while living at home. Your child may still face challenges during treatment and afterward. They may need help managing cravings, stress, mental health concerns, relationships, school or work, and other parts of daily life.
Recovery takes work, and there is no single path that works for everyone. Your child may choose not to use substances. They may also work on reducing their use or making it safer while they continue toward other recovery goals.
“How many times have some of us tried to diet, exercise or quit smoking? It isn’t always one and done. Seldom is there one straight path out of the woods.”
Paul Kusiak
Parent
You cannot control your child’s choices. But you can support healthier choices, help lower risks, notice progress, and prepare for difficult situations. Your support can make a difference.
Preparation begins before treatment is complete
Treatment for substance use disorder is often not a “one-and-done” experience. Some people go through treatment more than once or try different types or levels of care before finding what works best for them.
Your child might receive inpatient or residential treatment, where they stay at a treatment facility. Or they might receive outpatient treatment, where they live at home or in the community while attending treatment appointments or programs. Some people move between different levels of care as their needs change.
No matter where treatment happens, planning for safety and ongoing support is important.
If your child lives with you during outpatient treatment, or will return home after inpatient or residential treatment, think about ways to make the home safer. Talk with your child and their treatment team about what changes would be most helpful.
You may want to:
- Remove illegal drugs and drug equipment from the home.
- Consider removing alcohol or keeping it in a locked place.
- Lock up prescription and over-the-counter medicines that could be misused.
- Safely get rid of old or unused medicines.
- Ask your child what items or situations at home may make it harder for them to meet their goals.
Try to balance safety with respect for your child’s privacy. Searching their belongings without their knowledge can damage trust. When possible, agree ahead of time on household rules and what you will do if you are worried about their safety.
If your child has used opioids, including heroin, fentanyl, or prescription pain medicines, keep naloxone nearby. Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, can quickly reverse an opioid overdose and save a life.
Make sure naloxone is easy to reach. Family members and others who spend time with your child should know where it is and how to use it.
Naloxone is an important safety tool even if your child plans to stop using opioids. After a period of not using opioids, the body’s tolerance can go down. This can raise the risk of overdose if a person starts using again.
If your child is using substances, talk openly about ways to lower the risk of overdose and other harms. Encourage them not to use alone and to have naloxone nearby when opioids could be involved. Because fentanyl can be present in unexpected substances, it is important to take overdose risk seriously.
If your child needs care for an injury, dental work, or surgery, tell the healthcare provider about their substance use history when appropriate. Ask about options for treating pain and discuss the benefits and risks of opioid medications. If opioids are needed, your child and their healthcare provider can make a plan for using them as safely as possible.
Make the aftercare plan a priority
Whether your child is completing inpatient treatment, stepping down to outpatient care, or continuing in an outpatient program, make sure you understand what the treatment team recommends next. Ask questions about anything that is confusing or worrying you.
You may hear this plan called an aftercare plan, discharge plan, continuing care plan, or step-down plan.
Whenever possible, your child should have a voice in creating the plan. People are more likely to follow a plan when it fits their needs and goals.
The plan might include:
- Family counseling
- Individual counseling
- Outpatient treatment
- Intensive Outpatient Programming (IOP)
- Recovery or peer support groups
- Mental health appointments
- Medications for mental health conditions
- Medications for substance use disorder
- Medical care and checkups
- Overdose prevention and other harm reduction services
There are practical things to think about, too.
Does your child need transportation to treatment, counseling, medical appointments, or support groups? If so, make a plan ahead of time.
You may also need time away from work or other responsibilities to attend family counseling or treatment meetings.
Your child may need help finding friends and activities that support their goals. They may want some distance from people or places connected with their substance use. At the same time, loneliness can make things harder. Help them find safe ways to connect with other people and do things they enjoy.
If your child is living in recovery housing or taking part in an outpatient program, learn about the program’s rules and expectations and how family members can support their participation.
Remember that your family may need support, too. Counseling, parent support groups, or other services can help family members handle stress, communicate better, and set healthy boundaries.
Make a recovery plan together, too
It can help to agree on clear household boundaries and expectations. This is especially important if your child is living at home while receiving outpatient treatment or returning home after inpatient or residential treatment.
Try to make these rules together rather than simply giving your child a list of demands. Focus on safety, respect, and progress.
For example, you might agree on expectations about:
- Substance use in the home
- Driving after using alcohol or other drugs
- Taking medications safely
- School, work, or household responsibilities
- Addressing legal obligations (e.g., court, fines, probation, etc.)
- Communication
- Treatment appointments
- What will happen if there is a safety concern
Some families find it helpful to write these agreements down.
You can also create a Recovery Plan together. This plan describes what your child wants to work toward and how family members can help.
The plan does not have to demand perfection. It can include goals such as not using substances, using less often, avoiding certain substances, reducing overdose risk, taking medication as prescribed, staying involved in treatment, improving mental health, or rebuilding important parts of life.
Choose a calm time to talk. If your child is receiving outpatient treatment, you can develop and update the plan while treatment is underway. If they are in inpatient or residential treatment, you may be able to begin the conversation before they return home.
Here are some questions you can discuss:
- How can I best support you?
- What makes things harder or more stressful for you?
- What are your goals right now?
- What would progress look like to you?
- What situations make you more likely to use substances?
- What can we do to make those situations easier to manage or safer?
- How should we talk about substance use if I am worried?
- What parts of your treatment or recovery do you want to keep private?
- Who are you comfortable sharing information with?
- Are there parties, weddings, barbecues, or other events that may be difficult?
- If you want to attend those events, what could make them safer?
- Who can you call if you are thinking about using or feel unsafe?
- What should we do if you return to using substances or engage in risky behavior?
- What should we do in an overdose or other emergency?
- What healthy or fun activities would you like to do?
- How will we notice and celebrate progress?
The goal is to create a plan your child can actually use — not a plan that expects everything to go perfectly.
Take it one day, perhaps one minute, at a time
Treatment and the weeks and months that follow can bring many changes. Your child may have emotional ups and downs. They may feel angry, sad, worried, hopeful, frustrated, or proud. Sometimes they may want your help. Other times they may want more space.
Try to notice progress, including small steps. Going to a treatment appointment, having an honest conversation, making a safer decision, not using for a period of time, using less, taking medication as directed, or asking for help can all be meaningful signs of progress.
There may also be setbacks. A return to substance use does not erase the progress your child has made. It is a sign to look at what happened, focus on immediate safety, and decide what support or changes may be needed next.
If your child is using substances, keep safety at the center of the conversation. Reducing risk can help keep someone alive and healthy while they continue working toward their goals.
There is no one-size-fits-all road map. Treatment and recovery can take time, and goals may change along the way. Keep communicating, support healthier and safer choices, and recognize progress.
FAQs
What is the difference between inpatient and outpatient treatment?
In inpatient or residential treatment, your child stays at a facility while receiving care. In outpatient treatment, your child usually lives at home or in the community and goes to a treatment center or provider for care. There are different levels of outpatient treatment, from regular counseling appointments to programs that meet many hours each week.
Does my child have to finish inpatient treatment before starting outpatient care?
Not always. Treatment looks different for each person. Some people start with inpatient or residential care and then move to outpatient treatment. Others receive outpatient treatment from the beginning. The right level of care depends on your child’s needs.
Does my child have to stop using all substances for treatment to be successful?
Not always. For some people, not using alcohol or other drugs is the safest and most helpful goal. Others may begin by reducing how much or how often they use, avoiding especially dangerous substances or situations, or taking other steps to lower their risk. Treatment should help your child work toward meaningful health and safety goals.
What should I do if my child uses substances while in outpatient treatment or after inpatient treatment?
Focus first on safety. If there may be an overdose or another medical emergency, get emergency medical help. Once your child is safe, try to understand what happened without shame or blame. Talk with the treatment team about whether the current plan is meeting your child’s needs or should be changed.
Should I keep naloxone (also known as Narcan) at home even if my child is no longer using opioids?
Yes. If your child has used opioids or could be exposed to fentanyl, having naloxone available is an important safety step. Make sure people in the home know where it is and how to use it. In fact, our recommendation is that every household keeps naloxone on hand just in case.
How can I support my child without trying to control them?
Ask what kind of help they want. Listen without immediately judging or trying to solve the problem. Set reasonable boundaries for your home and your own well-being. Support treatment and safer choices, and recognize progress when you see it.
What if the current treatment plan is not working?
Talk with your child and the treatment team. Your child may need a different provider, a different approach, more support, or a different level of care. Needing to change the treatment plan does not mean your child has failed.
Does a return to substance use mean treatment failed?
No. A return to use can happen during or after treatment. It may be a sign that your child needs a change in their treatment or more support. Focus on safety, learn what you can from what happened, and work with your child and their treatment team on next steps.
Do parents and other family members need support, too?
Yes. Supporting someone with substance use problems can be stressful. Counseling, family services, and parent support groups can give you a place to talk, learn new skills, and take care of your own well-being. You can always reach out to our free, confidential helpline for support and guidance.