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.  ( PDF File )

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 U-Verify 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