Abstinence and Recovery Monitoring
Abstinence 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.
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Abstinence and Recovery Monitoring includes:
Once a month clinical interviews
Collateral contacts with treating professionals and significant others
Monitoring of random testing schedules
Continuous alcohol monitoring using Soberlink
At home drug testing using Genotoxlabs technology
Types of family law cases that would benefit from Abstinence and Recovery Monitoring:
High conflict cases
Multiple treatment/relapses
Multiple issues
Vulnerable children
High conflict co-parent relationship
Benefits of Abstinence and Recovery Monitoring:
Reliable documentation regarding progress or lack of progress
Minimizes misinformation
Increased successful long-term recovery
Manage expectations
Early intervention to prevent abstinence and treatment failure
Decrease length of a relapse
Help attorneys negotiate agreements that are treatment and recovery sensitive
Take the other parent out of a "monitoring role", increase trust between the parties and therefore, decrease co parenting conflicts
Improve the co-parenting relationship