Attending rehab is often a complicated process. That is especially true of people in the LGBTQ community, who often face significant barriers to even accessing treatment in the first place. Usually, the treatment they eventually find doesn’t account for their identities. But the providers that understand the importance of LGBTQ inclusivity during treatment also know just how vital it is to provide an LGBTQ alumni program. Alumni programs for LGBTQ people provide support once rehab is over. These programs connect people to sources of support, aid, and accountability that last long after official treatment ends.
Find out more about the rehab alumni program in West Hollywood, California offered by La Fuente Hollywood by calling 888.903.9898.
What Is an LGBTQ Alumni Program?
Rehab alumni programs help support people who have completed rehab. They provide a method of staying connected to peers after completing recovery. Support networks are vital to maintaining sobriety and a source of accountability. Most LGBTQ alumni programs offer regular events weekly, monthly, or quarterly. That could include support group meet-ups, sober social events, access to sober housing when alumni are in danger of relapsing, or access to crisis counseling.
Rehab alumni programs work to keep people connected and break down the isolation many feel after they leave recovery. Without formal programming or planned events, staying in touch with support and mentorship can be challenging after formal treatment. Leveraging opportunities for support and connection is beneficial for people who identify as LGBTQ. Often, the environment they return to is less supportive or accepting than what they experienced during LGBTQ-inclusive treatment.
Benefits of an LGBTQ Alumni Rehab Program
LGTBQ alumni programs have many benefits. Some of the most significant benefits include:
- A supportive, safe environment
- Sober relationships
- Communal accountability
- Connection to ongoing resources and support
Learn more about each of these benefits in more detail below.
A Supportive, Safe Environment
Alumni programs for LGBTQ folks provide an inclusive, safe, and supportive environment. Participants can be themselves and express themselves without fear of discrimination or reprisal. Rehab alumni programs, even during the more laid-back social events, provide space for people to discuss their ongoing challenges and be honest about the struggles the LGBTQ community faces during recovery.
Sober Relationships
Relationships should not end when treatment concludes. Those friendships and peer networks developed during recovery help people long after treatment ends. However, it can be challenging to keep in touch once people leave therapy, as the treatment itself is what brought them together. Alumni programs for LGBTQ people provide the connections to stay in touch effectively.
Communal Accountability
Not everyone’s home life or close loved ones offer the support and accountability they need upon exiting treatment. An LGBTQ alumni program connects people to others who are walking similar paths and can pour into one another in a shared pursuit of long-term sobriety.
Resources and Support
Since addiction treatment centers operate alumni programs for the LGTBQ community, they naturally offer access to further counseling and resources. That could look like sober housing or resources about finding a job after addiction recovery. Most rehab alumni programs also connect participants to 12-step programs in their area. Many 12-step programs work specifically for people who identify as LGBTQ to ensure they experience the full benefits of the 12 steps.
Discover the LGBTQ Rehab Alumni Program at La Fuente Hollywood
At La Fuente Hollywood, every client who completes treatment has access to our LGBTQ alumni program. One of the priorities of the LGBTQ rehab alumni program at La Fuente Hollywood is relapse prevention. Relapse is prevalent when people leave formal treatment. Nonetheless, it is not inevitable.
Find out why an LGBTQ alumni program can make a difference during recovery by calling 888.903.9898.
