Abstinence and Recovery Monitoring

 

accountabilityAbstinence and Recovery Monitoring is a program that verifies compliance of an already agreed upon abstinence and recovery plan.

More and more, mediators, attorneys and judges are recommending abstinence and recovery monitoring to avoid conflicts between parties, to verify abstinence and to identify treatment and recovery failure in a timely manner.

 

 

My experience has shown that too many family law settled substance related cases fall apart because there is no accountability and guidance. When the case falls apart it is difficult to establish the facts that led to the breakdown. The breakdown can end up costing hundreds of dollars in legal fees. With Abstinence and Recovery Monitoring each case is carefully documented and followed. Failure to comply or relapses are caught early so that effective intervention can happen.

( PDF File )

 

Abstinence and Recovery Monitoring includes:

 

tick Once a month clinical interviews

tick Collateral contacts with treating professionals and significant others

tick Monitoring of random testing schedules

tick Continuous alcohol monitoring using Soberlink

tick At home drug testing using Genotoxlabs technology

 

Types of family law cases that would benefit from Abstinence and Recovery Monitoring:

 

tick High conflict cases

tick Multiple treatment/relapses

tick Multiple issues

tick Vulnerable children

tick High conflict co-parent relationship

 

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 Benefits of Abstinence and Recovery Monitoring:

 

tick Reliable documentation regarding progress or lack of progress

tick Minimizes misinformation

tick Increased successful long-term recovery

tick Manage expectations

tick Early intervention to prevent abstinence and treatment failure

tick Decrease length of a relapse

tick Help attorneys negotiate agreements that are treatment and recovery sensitive

tick Take the other parent out of a "monitoring role", increase trust between the parties and therefore, decrease co parenting conflicts

tick Improve the co-parenting relationship