Choosing a Rehab Facility: How Qualified Is Their Staff?

In any organization that provides essential services, the experience and expertise of the staff is paramount. This is perhaps even truer for addiction treatment facilities. Clients at rehab are trusting treatment professionals to help them navigate the challenging and often vulnerable journey to recovery.

When you’re looking for an addiction treatment program that’s a good fit for you, it’s important to consider the qualifications of their team and support staff. Here, we take a closer look at who works at rehabs and what job titles, roles, licensing, and certifications they may have.

Who Works at Rehabs?

In the U.S., drug treatment facilities are state-regulated. This means that treatment professionals at rehabs must meet various licensing and credential requirements as determined by the state.

To see licensing requirements by state, please consult the state regulations for substance use disorder programs and counselors overview by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) or the credentials and licensing of substance use disorder workers listed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.^1,2

Below, you’ll find more information about the various employees at addiction and mental health rehabs by area of expertise.

Medical Professionals

Not all rehab facilities house medical team members, but many programs do. These highly qualified professionals oversee aspects of treatment like detox, health screening at intake, and managing medication. Depending on the program, they might also help clients address co-occurring physical health problems while in residential care. They may or may not have specializations specifically related to addiction treatment.

Medical Doctors

Rehabs with on-site detox facilities often staff doctors who oversee detox programming and safely guide patients through withdrawal.³ They may also review and administer patients' regular medications, as well as oversee their general physical health and wellbeing. Some rehabs may have an addiction medicine physician on-site, which is a doctor with an advanced education in addiction.⁴

Nurses

There are many different types of nurses, and nurse ranks are determined by factors such as degrees, certifications, licensures, and more.

Some of the kinds of nurses patients may see at an addiction treatment facility can include the following (in order of hierarchy):

• Advanced practice registered nurses (APRN), who must have a master of science in nursing or a doctor of nursing.
• Nurse Practitioners (NP), who must first be a registered nurse (RN) and have a master's of science in nursing.
• Registered nurses (RN), who must have either an associate degree in nursing or a bachelor of science in nursing.
• Licensed practical nurse (LPN), who must have a high school diploma or GED, complete an accredited practical nursing program, and pass a state licensing exam.
• Certified nursing assistants (CNA), who must have a high school diploma or GED and participate in a state-approved training program for a specified number of hours.

Note on Detox Programs: When choosing a detox program, it is imperative to ensure that the medical professionals employed there are properly credentialed and qualified to provide this type of clinical care.

Mental Health Professionals

At rehabs, various types of mental health professionals work together to provide patients with the therapy needed to cope with the challenges of addiction and substance misuse. They may implement a wide range of evidence-based treatment methods, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and experiential therapies, in both group and individual therapy settings.

Depending on their needs, patients may interact with one or more of the following mental health professionals while in treatment:

• Psychiatrist (MD, DO): To be a psychiatrist, a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic medicine is required. Psychiatrists can assess, diagnose, provide various forms of mental health therapy, as well as prescribe medications to patients.
• Psychologist (PhD, PsyD): Certified psychologists will hold either a doctor of philosophy or a doctor of psychology. They assess and diagnose mental health disorders in patients and are highly qualified to provide various forms of therapy to patients.
• Licensed Practical Counselor (LPC): LPCs are addiction counselors who earn their master's degree in counseling and can provide general mental health counseling, diagnosis, and treatment for individual patients and groups.
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): Clinical social workers have master’s degrees in social work and are licensed to be able to independently diagnose and treat mental disorders. They serve as case managers and liaisons for patients and their families while they navigate rehab.
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). A master’s degree or doctorate degree is required to become an LMFT. These professionals are qualified to work with patients to help improve their family relationships, which can be important in rehab, as family dynamics can often trigger or enable disordered behavior.
• Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS). Certification requirements for addiction professionals vary greatly and are specific to the state the aspiring CAS is looking to be credentialed in. Typically, a CAS must hold a master's degree or higher in a behavioral health field, complete classroom hours, have supervised work experience, and pass a national exam.

Additionally, there may be a behavioral health technician, psychiatric technician, and/or a mental health technician working alongside these mental health professionals in treatment facilities. They can provide support by assisting clients with daily tasks, implementing treatment plans, and recording patient behavior.

Other Clinical Professionals

This group of rehab staff includes any non-medically qualified clinicians who work with diagnosing and treating patients.

Dietitians, Nutritionists, and Similar Rehab Staff Members

Nutrition is a key component of rehab. Throughout your treatment experience, your mind and body go through intensive changes, and proper nourishment helps restore your bodily systems to health. Because of this, many rehabs house dietitians and nutritionists to support patients’ overall healthcare. These individuals may hold a range of job titles and certifications:

• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
• Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CCN)
• Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS)

Additional professionals in this area can also include nutrition coaches, health coaches, and fitness instructors.

Holistic and Complementary Medicine Practitioners

"Holistic" is a broad term that describes non-mainstream treatments and practitioners who don’t work within the system of conventional medicine.⁵ Complementary medicine, however, refers to any treatments or therapies used in addition to and alongside other conventional medical and psychological therapies.

Rehabs may staff a wide array of holistic and complementary medicine practitioners, depending on their program focus:

• Acupuncturists and massage therapists
• Physical therapists
• Music and art therapists
• Mindfulness and meditation teachers
• Homeopathic and naturopathic doctors and herbalists
• Energy medicine practitioners
• Somatic therapists
• Personal trainers

Admissions

Admissions staff are the first point of contact for people inquiring about rehab programs. They are essentially the rehab’s sales team, though they can play a very hands-on role in helping clients and their loved ones get information, plan for treatment, and arrange logistics such as travel.

For more on the admissions process, see our article on what to ask when calling a rehab.

Support Staff

Rehabs also typically involve general workers in their clients’ treatment experience. These supportive peers may greet clients and help them get settled in when they arrive, transport clients to group outings, or be on hand to answer questions as clients make their way through the program. This position doesn’t require any special certification. In fact, many times these staff members are former clients or people in recovery who nonetheless play an important role because of their frequent interaction with clients.

Rehab Executive and Administrative Teams

A private rehab’s executive staff are the leaders who run the organization. This person or group of people is responsible for implementing the center’s business strategy as well as establishing the client’s journey through their particular program.

Rehab executive teams can consist of one or several people, including but not limited to the following positions:

• Founder or CEO
• President
• Chief operating officer
• Program director
• Clinical director

Important Information About Rehab Executive Staff

In general, you’ll want to consider the answers to the following questions when reviewing the qualifications of a rehab center’s executive staff:

• What Degrees Do They Hold? Formal education is a standard requirement for running a business, though some executives gain their positions through professional experience and connections.
• What is Their Professional Experience? Direct work experience related to the rehab space can be just as valuable as an education.
• Do They Have Executive Skills? The success of a company is often steered by the leadership of its executives. In general, a rehab executive should have strong management and leadership skills in addition to field-specific expertise, a strong stance on addiction treatment ethics, excellent communication and presentation skills, and proactivity when it comes to the rehab’s staff and client satisfaction.

Making Sure You’re in Good Hands

Having a general idea of what to look for in the qualifications of rehab staff is one factor that can help you feel more confident in your decision to go with a particular program.

Discover a rehab that fits your needs by exploring our list of drug and alcohol treatment centers.