FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
The Abbey
Addiction Treatment Center
Effective. Affordable. Treatment.
At The Abbey, we get a lot of questions about addiction and our treatment Program. We seek to be a resource for people whose families are struggling with substance abuse and related mental health concerns. Please find below our responses to common questions.
What type of services do you provide? Outpatient? Inpatient? Residential? Detox?
There is a lot of confusion surrounding the definitions and applications of those terms in the behavioral healthcare field. Different healthcare providers, health insurance companies, governmental entities, and other agencies may define and use those terms differently.
[For example, in some instances, "Inpatient" care is defined as taking place in a hospital. (The Abbey is not a hospital.) Other times, "Inpatient" is defined as 24-hour care. And, in still other cases, "Inpatient" is defined as any treatment period that begins in one day and extends beyond Midnight. For most people who do not practice in the behavioral health field, they think of Inpatient and Residential as being essentially the same level of care.]
In our State, the relevant terms are set forth by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and adopted by the Department of Public Health.
The Abbey is licensed by the State to provide a full spectrum of services from Outpatient to Intensive Outpatient to Partial Hospitalization to High Intensity Residential (including Sober Living).
Because of the breadth of the services that we provide, we recommend not becoming too preoccupied with definitions of those terms.
In short, if you need addiction treatment -- from the lowest level of outpatient intensity through the highest level of residential care -- we can help meet your needs.
How long is your treatment program? 28 days? Longer? Shorter?
We do not recommend a pre-determined treatment period. As in other healthcare contexts, the appropriate intensity and length of treatment varies upon the strengths and progress of each individual client.
As a general rule, the longer that a client can commit to treatment (and sobriety), the more likely that long-term Recovery can be achieved and maintained.
A typical client who enters into our Partial Hospitalization or Residential Program usually engages in about 4 weeks of clinical work. Ordinarily, this is followed by a "step down" to a lower level of intensity and frequency of treatment (Intensive Outpatient or Outpatient services) -- which may take place at The Abbey or in a client's home community, if appropriate.
We continually re-assess the progress of each client and modify the intensity and frequency of treatment based upon each client's progress.
What should I bring to treatment?
If you decide to come to The Abbey for treatment, we will provide you with a list of things that you can (and cannot) bring to treatment. In general, these recommendations are based on common sense.
We recommend that people wear comfortable clothes -- jeans, khakis, t-shirts, polo shirts, shorts, sweatshirts, sweaters, etc. Please do not bring any clothing that is revealing/suggestive and/or contains offensive printing (beer company T-shirts, etc.).
Please be sure to bring some clothing suitable for light exercise (athletic shoes, sweatpants, shorts, etc.).
Please do not bring any valuables such as jewelry or computers.
Can I bring my cell phone? Will I have access to the Internet?
You may bring your cell phone to The Abbey -- however, you will not be permitted to use it during treatment at The Abbey, for a variety of reasons. First, it is important for everyone engaging in treatment to focus on that experience -- and not to be derailed by outside distractions. Second, most cell phones have cameras, and we want to protect the anonymity of all of our clients.
We do not offer Internet access to clients for similar reasons that the cell phone usage is restricted.
Exceptions may be made under certain circumstances.
How much does the Program cost?
The Program costs vary upon a variety of factors -- principally related to the scope of the client's health insurance coverage, deductibles, co-pays, etc. Once we have more information regarding your health insurance, we can give you a better understanding of what the client's financial responsibility will be.
Please note that we do not believe that there is another program as comprehensive as The Abbey's that is offered at a more affordable cost. For an intensive Program with the highest caliber of clinical staff and low staff-to-client ratios, The Abbey is an exceptional value.
Can clients have visitors while in treatment? Receive mail?
Each week, The Abbey has regularly scheduled Family Programming. After Family Programming has concluded, those visitors who participated in the clinical sessions may stay for a 1- to 2-hour visiting period.
Yes, clients typically LOVE receiving cards and letters from loved ones and other supporters. Please send mail to:
[Client Name]
c/o The Abbey
1401 Central Avenue
Bettendorf, IA 52722
Please let us know if you have any other questions, and we will do our best to help answer them!