Professionals FAQs

When your client has a substance use disorder, you have a trusted treatment partner in Hazelden Betty Ford. Here’s a quick Q&A about our patient admissions process, accreditation, detox and medical services, family programs and more.
Doctor and Patient at appointment

How do I start the patient admissions process for a client?

If you are working with a client who may need addiction treatment, our Referent Relations Team is your best source for information and assistance. This team was created expressly to work with you as a referring professional, helping to streamline the intake process and address any special concerns you or your client may have. We believe that a strong working relationship with referring professionals helps to improve treatment outcomes by enhancing the patient experience.

There are many ways to reach a member of the team and start an admission:

Are Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation staff members licensed, and are the programs accredited? 

Yes and yes. Hazelden Betty Ford treatment center staff are experienced professionals who hold licensure in addiction treatment counseling or their respective professional discipline, such as medicine, nursing, psychology, psychiatry, marriage and family therapy and social work. Our treatment programs are also licensed by the state where they are located. All Hazelden Betty Ford locations are accredited by The Joint Commission. 

What is the patient-to-counselor ratio?   

Our treatment programs maintain small group sizes and low patient-to-counselor ratios, allowing for maximum personal attention from staff. Our inpatient and outpatient programming incorporates an interdisciplinary approach to treatment for substance use and co-occurring disorders, which means each patient receives highly specialized care from a range of care professionals.

What type of help is available for families? 

Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation offers a number of family and children services to inform, guide and support family members. Many of our programs are free and available virtually and do not require a family member to be a patient at Hazelden Betty Ford. 

For example, our one-day, virtual Family Program is designed to help loved ones learn about the disease of addiction, the process of recovery and the importance of healthy boundaries, coping skills and self-care. We offer Spanish-language Family Programs and a program for adolescents ages 13-19, as well as sessions for native americans and a program for parents, guardians and siblings of loved ones ages 12-25.

When are physicians and medical staff on site at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation locations? 

Residential addiction treatment programs in Minnesota, California, Oregon and Florida have a physician on site during regular admission hours.

What if a patient needs psychiatric help?

Psychiatric services are available at Hazelden Betty Ford’s inpatient facilities in Minnesota, California and Oregon. At our outpatient treatment centers, psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, and social workers provide mental health services.

At intake, our counselors gather mental health information and, with the permission of your client, discuss their needs with their mental health care provider. All of our programs have expertise in addressing concurrent addiction and mental health conditions. However, we are not a locked psychiatric facility, and if your client's condition is too severe to be safely accommodated at Hazelden Betty Ford, we will refer your client to another treatment provider.

Does Hazelden Betty Ford provide detoxification program or other medical services? 

Yes, medically supervised detoxification is a part of the treatment protocol at our inpatient addiction treatment centers in Minnesota, California and Oregon. Our detox units are designed with 24/7 medical supervision so your client can safely and comfortably detox from alcohol, opioids or other drugs before starting their addiction treatment program. Residential patients begin rehab on a medical unit in order to safely detox before being assigned to a treatment unit. Then, medical care remains an essential component of their comprehensive treatment program throughout their Hazelden Betty Ford stay.

Will I be involved in the treatment or discharge planning?

There are a number of opportunities for you to be involved, which can be specified when you contact our Referent Relations Team about the intake process for your client. For example, the Referent Relations Team will work with you to determine the following:

  • If you want to be notified if your client admits to one of our facilities

  • If you want to be notified on their discharge

  • If you want to know the length of stay anticipated 

  • What your communication preferences are

  • If you want to be involved in the continuing care planning

  • If you want any medical records provide after discharge

  • If there are any other needs you require related to your client’s care 

All such communication will, of course, depend on whether your client has signed an authorization for us to communicate with you.

Will I be notified when the patient is discharged?

Assuming an authorization has been signed by your client, you will be notified of discharge if you’ve requested to be notified.

Does Hazelden Betty Ford provide telehealth options?

Yes. Hazelden Betty Ford provides virtual addiction treatment programs and mental health services. Patients can access our telehealth services by using their smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer or any device with an Internet connection and a camera. In addition to the easy-to-use video conferencing platform, our virtual systems comply with federal and state health care privacy regulations (e.g., meets HIPAA-compliant telemedicine standards).  

Many of our recovery management services are also offered virtually. Beyond our core addiction treatment programs, recovery support services exclusive to Hazelden Betty Ford include:

Does Hazelden Betty Ford partner with other organizations?

Hazelden Betty Ford collaborates with other behavioral health care provider organizations that have been vetted for quality and ethical practices by our staff. This network of providers, called the Hazelden Betty Ford Patient Care Network, ensures that patients receive quality care once discharged from our programs and services.