After an intervention, the next step depends on the answer and on what your loved one needs. Support from our team can include an escort to treatment, help choosing a program anywhere in the US, coaching for the family, and, in Los Angeles, case management, drug and alcohol monitoring, and sober living for men.
Talk with our intervention team
Had an intervention and need help with the next step? Your first call is free.
Key facts
- Aftercare is tailored to each person and family. We do not offer every service to every family, and we do not promise outcomes.
- Treatment can be anywhere in the United States. It does not have to be in Los Angeles.
- Blackburn Recovery Services has worked in recovery in Los Angeles since 2012. Our sober living homes and sober apartments are for men only.
- We do not pay for referrals, and we do not accept payment from treatment programs for referrals.
How does your loved one get to treatment right after the intervention?
When your loved one says yes, the time between the yes and the front door of a program matters. Second thoughts, a last drink, or a phone call from the wrong friend can undo a decision that took months to reach. When needed, our team can arrange an escort to treatment with a sober companion, who travels with your loved one, stays with them through the trip, and hands them over to the program’s staff. Sober transport and escort are available anywhere in the US, including flights.
If your loved one drinks heavily every day or uses benzodiazepines, the plan should start with medically supervised detox, because stopping suddenly can be dangerous. For opioids, including fentanyl, keep naloxone with you during travel and know how to use it.
How do you choose a treatment program anywhere in the US?
Families often ask us to help them find the right treatment, not just any treatment. When we help a family choose, we look at:
- Level of care. Medical detox, residential treatment, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient or standard outpatient care, matched to what the person needs now.
- Mental health. Whether the program can treat depression, anxiety, trauma, bipolar disorder or other conditions alongside addiction.
- Location. Whether your loved one does better close to home or with some distance from old people and places.
- Insurance and cost. What the plan covers, what admission requires, and what the family can sustain.
- Family involvement. Whether the program offers family sessions or education, and how it shares updates.
- The plan for after. Whether the program builds a discharge plan, and what step comes next.
Blackburn operates men’s sober living, sober apartments, case management and monitoring in Los Angeles, and Blackburn Clinical Services, an outpatient practice, is part of The Blackburn Group. When we help choose a program, programs anywhere in the US are on the table, and the decision belongs to your family and your loved one. We do not pay for referrals. For a public search of licensed treatment facilities, use SAMHSA’s FindTreatment.gov.
What should the family do while a loved one is in treatment?
Treatment is a chance for the whole family to change, not only the person in the program. Depending on the family, our support during this time can include:
- Family coaching. Help with boundaries, communication, phone calls and visits, and what to say when your loved one asks to leave early.
- Staying in touch with the program. Programs generally need your loved one’s written permission before they can share information with family or with us. We work within whatever permission is given.
- Planning the next step. Discharge often comes sooner than families expect. Planning where your loved one will live and what support they will have should start well before the last day.
Where does your loved one go after treatment?
The weeks after treatment are a vulnerable time. For people who live in Los Angeles, or who choose to continue their recovery here, our next steps can include:
| Service | What it is | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Case management | A point person who coordinates appointments, providers and the recovery plan | Adults in recovery and their families |
| Monitoring and aftercare | Random drug and alcohol testing that builds accountability and trust, through Blackburn Monitoring | People in recovery, families and professionals |
| Sober living | Structured, drug and alcohol free homes in West Los Angeles | Men only |
| Sober apartments | Independent living with weekly random testing, a step toward full independence | Men only |
| Recovery mentoring | One-on-one help with work, school, money and the daily habits that keep recovery steady | People building a life in recovery |
| Clinical services | Outpatient therapy and psychiatry through Blackburn Clinical Services. Therapy by video is for clients located in California | Individuals and families |
None of these is required, and not every person needs all of them. We look at what fits and explain the alternatives outside Blackburn too.
What if the answer was no?
Not every intervention ends with a yes, and that does not mean the family has run out of options. Families who keep their boundaries, stay connected and keep help available often get another chance to talk. Read what to do if they say no, including what the law can and cannot do.
What support is there for the family?
Families need recovery too. Free support groups include Al-Anon for families of people who drink and Nar-Anon for families of people who use drugs. SMART Recovery Family and Friends offers a skills-based option. Our family support page lists more resources for families in Los Angeles and beyond.
Our free virtual family support group meets every other Tuesday, 6:00 to 7:00 PM Pacific, by Zoom, and is led by a licensed therapist. Families sign up through Eventbrite, or email info@blackburnclinical.com for the sign-up link.
Safety comes before any plan. Call 911 for an overdose or immediate danger, and call or text 988 when suicide or a mental health crisis is the worry. SAMHSA’s free, confidential National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) can also point you to treatment.
What do we not promise?
We cannot promise that anyone will stay sober, finish a program, or never relapse. No honest provider can. What we can offer is a careful plan, support that matches the person, and a team that keeps talking with the family. To start from the beginning, see how to do an intervention or our intervention services for families anywhere in the US.
Questions about life after an intervention
What happens right after an intervention if they say yes?
Ideally your loved one goes directly to the program the family lined up. When needed, our team can arrange an escort with a sober companion so they are not alone on the way, anywhere in the US and including flights.
Does treatment have to be in Los Angeles?
No. We help families consider programs anywhere in the US. Los Angeles options such as men’s sober living, case management and monitoring are available when they fit, but the choice belongs to the family and your loved one.
Will the treatment program tell us how they are doing?
Programs generally need your loved one’s written permission before sharing information with family. Ask your loved one to sign a release during admission if they are willing.
What happens when treatment ends?
Planning for discharge should start early. Next steps can include sober living, outpatient care, case management, monitoring and family support, depending on where your loved one will live and what they need.
Does the family get support after the intervention?
It can. Depending on the family, our support can include coaching on boundaries and communication while your loved one is in treatment, and help planning what comes next. Free groups such as Al-Anon and Nar-Anon are also available.
Talk with our intervention team
Whether the intervention is next week or happened yesterday, we can help you plan what comes after.