How to Respond If Client Families Present a Safety Risk

Families often play an integral role in client recovery during treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health conditions. Healthcare professionals must navigate the family dynamics affecting client care and safety. Studies have shown that “family dynamics and the quality of family relationships can positively or negatively impact health.” Driftwood Recovery does comprehensive assessments and a full client history to determine if family relationships may complicate treatment and long-term recovery. Staff members use a compassionate approach to address client families and their concerns.

What Is a Safety Risk?

Safety risks are factors that negatively impact the emotional or physical well-being of individuals in treatment. Families play an important role in creating a healthy and nurturing environment for recovery. According to the Research Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (RAHRQ), “As essential members of the care team, families play a critical role in reducing harm and improving safety for patients.” However, in some cases, unhealthy family dynamics may pose a danger to individuals in treatment. 

Examples of client safety risks healthcare providers may encounter include: 

• Self-harming or self-destructive behaviors
• Adverse reactions to treatment or prescription medications 
• Clients not understanding their treatment or making informed decisions about their care 
• Family members removing clients from care against medical advice 

Client safety is a top priority for the experts at Driftwood Recovery. Staff members regularly check in with clients and practice transparency to ensure clients feel comfortable disclosing any concerns. Clinicians and support staff understand the importance of remaining vigilant to signs of unsafe individuals interacting with clients. Communication or visitation rights may be revoked for individuals who pose a safety hazard to clients or staff. 

Assessing Client Families and Relationship Dynamics

Healthcare professionals must assess clients to determine what underlying factors may impact their mental health and physical safety. Family relationships significantly affect how people see the world and think about their condition. Unhealthy family dynamics may cause some clients to feel ambivalent about treatment. Toxic relationships may also cause physical safety issues if they lead to domestic or family abuse. 

Some of the ways healthcare professionals assess clients and their relationships with family members include: 

• Gathering a family history 
• Direct observation of family interactions and behavioral cues
• Structured interviews with clients and families 
• Identifying roles within the family to determine relationship dynamics 
• Assessing boundaries within the family
• Gaining cultural and socioeconomic context for clients and their families 
• Identifying client resources and support networks 

Healthcare professionals use these methods to better understand the relationships between clients and their family members. A comprehensive review of family dynamics allows staff members to create tailored care plans and address unique challenges clients face during treatment and ongoing recovery. 

How Can Client Families Become a Safety Risk?

Families may pose a physical or emotional safety risk to clients by interfering with treatment or putting clients in danger. Healthcare professionals are mandatory reporters and must act if they notice any abuse affecting clients under their care. 

Families may become a safety risk if they do the following: 

• Enable substance abuse or other unhealthy behaviors
• Cause clients to be overly dependent on them for emotional or practical support 
• Act abusive or aggressive toward the client
• Purposefully expose clients to triggers 
• Dismiss the client’s need for treatment due to ignorance or stigma 
• Violate client boundaries 
• Emotionally manipulate the client 
• Involve the client in illegal activities 
• Fail to acknowledge or address toxic behavior

Clients may have difficulty recognizing unhealthy relationship dynamics. Staff may need to help clients work through understanding how remaining in unhealthy relationships could reduce the effectiveness of treatment, increase the risk of relapse, and cause them to experience complications in recovery. 

Navigating Communication With Client Families During Treatment

Healthcare professionals should remain objective, calm, and focused on conflict resolution while communicating with families. Honesty and transparency also reduce the risk of causing further complications. Ultimately, clients control what information their care team can share with family members. Navigating conversations with client families should be handled with compassion and professionalism. 

Following the HIPAA Privacy Rule

Healthcare professionals must adhere to HIPPA privacy laws while providing support and guidance to clients during treatment. Client information, medical records, and treatment progress cannot be shared with unauthorized family members without the client’s permission.

Toxic or unhealthy family dynamics often cause abusive and controlling family members to try to take control of their loved one’s treatment. Even well-meaning families may struggle to let go of control if clients choose not to include them in their recovery. Staff members must navigate those conversations with empathy and professionalism. 

Following HIPAA requirements means clinicians and support staff cannot share the following with family members without client permission: 

• Conversations between medical professionals about the client’s health and treatment 
• Client contact information, including phone number and home address 
• Information about billing and payments 
• Client health records, including test results and official diagnosis 
• Additional details of the treatment plan

Staff members at Driftwood Recovery protect clients by providing referrals to protective services for individuals struggling with relationship abuse or conflict.

Healthcare professionals may have to navigate situations where clients and their families have unhealthy or dangerous relationships. Domestic violence, abuse, severely co-dependent relationships, and other family dynamics may hurt a client’s mental health and/or substance abuse recovery during treatment. Family members often play a role in treatment and recovery. Rehabilitation and mental health programs provide clients with the resources and tools needed to address unhealthy or unsafe family dynamics. The staff members at Driftwood Recovery receive training on how to recognize and respond appropriately if clients’ families pose any type of safety risk. To learn more about maintaining client safety and addressing family issues, contact our office today at (512) 759-8330.

Some individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) or mental health issues require a higher level of care to address their unique situation and needs. Studies have shown that “[a]t the point of referral, there is both an opportunity to address a client’s unmet needs and a potential danger of losing the client.” Keeping the client engaged in treatment is essential to ensuring their recovery. The dedicated experts at Driftwood Recovery offer referrals to higher levels of care for individuals who need additional support to achieve and maintain sobriety or positive mental health. 

Why Do Some Clients Require a Higher Level of Care?

Clients may have medical or behavioral issues impacting their ability to participate in lower levels of care. For example, some individuals with severe and persistent depression may require residential care to ensure they receive the best support and treatment for their condition. Individuals struggling with active eating disorders, suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and severe withdrawal from alcohol or drugs may benefit from 24/7 access to medical supervision and more comprehensive support services. 

Some of the most common reasons clients receive referrals for higher levels of care include: 

• A complex diagnosis
• Severe symptoms 
• Rare side effects 
• High risk of relapse 
• Medical complications 
• A need for specialized therapies 
• Lack of a support system 
• High-risk or self-destructive behaviors 
• Significant behavioral issues 
• Resistance to treatment 

Some clients may have difficulty trusting healthcare providers and staff members due to past negative treatment experiences. Higher levels of care provide clients with one-on-one services and detailed follow-ups with clinicians. 

The Role of Assessments in Determining Care

Assessments help clinicians determine the level of care clients need to experience the best outcomes. Client interviews, assessments, and other screening tools provide healthcare workers with a comprehensive understanding of each client’s needs. Experts at Driftwood Recovery use assessments to tailor client treatment plans by evaluating risk factors, symptoms, side effects, and underlying issues impacting client mental health. Clinicians benefit from frequently assessing clients throughout treatment, allowing them to adjust the care plan to address new concerns or changes in client symptoms.

Client Safety in Treatment Planning

The safety of clients and staff members is the highest priority during treatment planning. If clinicians believe clients may become a danger to themselves or others, they will suggest more appropriate forms of treatment. Collaboration between clients and clinicians ensures people in treatment feel heard, understood, and supported. 

Some of the ways healthcare professionals help clients remain safe and comfortable during treatment include: 

• Conducting comprehensive risk assessments during the initial interview and regularly throughout treatment 
• Personalizing treatment and aftercare plans
• Communicating expectations to clients and their families 
• Obtaining informed consent for every service and stage of treatment 
• Creating a secure and nurturing environment 
• Conducting regular safety and progress reviews to determine if client needs are being met 

The experts at Driftwood Recovery work closely with clients to ensure they feel comfortable and engaged in treatment. If clients do not meet their recovery goals or begin to experience more severe symptoms, clinicians may refer them to a higher level of care. 

When to Refer Clients to a Higher Level of Care

Healthcare professionals must ensure clients do not interfere with the recovery of peers in treatment. Individuals who require higher levels of care may need additional clinician support, taking time and focus away from other clients. If clients present a danger to themselves and others or a barrier to treatment for themselves and others, healthcare professionals may provide referrals to more appropriate community-based or private programs. 

Staff members at Driftwood Recovery refer clients to other treatment options if they notice the following: 

• Consistently escalating symptoms 
• Medical instability 
• A high risk for suicide or self-harm
• Nonresponsiveness to the current treatment 
• Inability to maintain sobriety 
• Motivation issues or low engagement 
• Aggressive, violent, or disruptive behaviors 

Care teams must collaborate to ensure consistent client care. Referring clients to another program or service should involve discussions between every care team member to ensure all factors are considered. Communication between healthcare workers, individuals in recovery, and client families ensures the care team has all the information they need to provide an appropriate referral.

Why Driftwood Recovery Refers Some Clients to a Higher Level of Care

Every client should have access to relevant and appropriate services. Driftwood Recovery may not have the best resources for everyone who struggles with substance abuse or mental health issues. The dedicated care team at Driftwood Recovery only refers clients to other programs that provide high-quality care and comprehensive services. Potential clients are always welcome to return to Driftwood Recovery after they learn to manage their symptoms. Staff members refer clients to higher levels of care only when other services result in better treatment outcomes. 

Individuals in treatment for substance use disorder may benefit from being referred to higher levels of care until they feel comfortable returning to Driftwood Recovery as part of a continuum of care. Often, clients who need to be referred to more comprehensive programs transition back to treatment at the original facility once they establish a support system and practical coping tools. However, some individuals may require additional care for a prolonged period. For example, people struggling with active suicidal ideation or eating disorders may need to spend longer in residential treatment programs. Experts and support staff provide essential resources and referrals to higher levels of care when appropriate. To learn more about Driftwood Recovery, call us today at (512) 759-8330.