When someone is seeking assistance for a symptom, or symptoms, they are experiencing, the importance of human-first treatment is vital to the success of care. People don’t respond well to labels, stigmas, or judgment. These are key factors addressed in human-first treatment. Seeking care or help is often difficult for people. Wanting to be able to handle things independently is common. However, when someone does reach out, they need to be welcomed appropriately. The approach is key.
Rarely does someone have one symptom, one diagnosis, or one major characteristic that defines them. Looking at someone visually, they would have multiple descriptors. The color of their eyes, their hair, the way they walk, how tall they are, and so on. Similarly, there are descriptors for one’s laugh or character, voice, and personality. If one were to be described as “the one with the boisterous laugh,” that most definitely is not their only feature. How endearing as the descriptor may be, that is not the entire person. There are many things that make up a person. This is the basis of human-first treatment.
What Is Human-First Treatment?
Human-first treatment is simply described as “putting the human first.” Other terms associated with this concept include person-first approach, whole-person approach, and human-first care. This means the care team is considering all the factors of a person’s medical background, emotional and mental impacts, what is important to the person, and so on. When meeting with a medical professional, they are considering everything that encompasses the person, sometimes collaborating with other care providers to share their input regarding their specialty area.
The goal of human-first treatment is to support the client in having a higher quality of life in all areas. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration defines recovery with the same philosophy, including the medical team, religious connections, and relationships with friends, family, and the community. The person’s strengths and abilities, and resiliency are also all considered when describing the holistic approach to recovery. This is much the same for human-first treatment. Everything is taken into consideration to ensure the entire person’s needs are being met.
Key Identifiers of Human-First Treatment Centers
Things to look for when trying to identify if a treatment center is human-first include the following:
- Does the facility offer opportunities for other activities such as:
- Physical enrichment: gym equipment, yoga, or meditation
- Involvement in nature: hiking, swimming, nature walks
- Arts: music, pottery, painting, woodworking
- Reflection: journaling, meditation, sketching, small groups
- Incorporation of other medical services:
- Access to primary care for other medical diagnoses
- Therapy sessions: one on one and small group
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
- During the entrance interview, are questions asked that involve the client’s background, interests, strengths, concerns, and goals?
- Are families involved in the treatment process? How?
When one is researching the most appropriate placement, one should reflect on how one feels about the facility. Is the staff warm and welcoming, even if initially meeting by phone? Does the staff take the time to make them feel like they are the most important at the moment, or are they side-tracked with other tasks? Does the staff answer all the questions the client has with direct answers, or are they walking around the topic and not clearly addressing it?
All of this is extremely important when making a decision about treatment because, for so many, they are at a life-or-death crossroads. Recovery is the miracle some have been waiting on. Ensuring that the method of care at the treatment center chosen is going to meet the variety of needs is crucial to their success in recovery. This includes all diagnoses, the client’s receptiveness to the staff, their interests, and their family background. Any questions or reservations the client or their family may have should be addressed before the client begins treatment.
Destiny Recovery Center and Human-First Treatment
Proudly, Destiny Recovery Center has been an advocate for human-first, holistic treatment since its inception. We believe that the entire person is important and that they are much more than the diagnosis that brought them through our doors. The care team has always welcomed our clients and ensured a compassionate, judgment-free space for people to learn and grow together. Clients will feel at home and supported the moment they walk through the doors, regardless of their background, experiences, or current situation. They will instantly feel included, understood, and recognized for the person they are.
Destiny Recovery Center creates an individualized care plan for each client, addressing the specific needs, interests, and goals each client has. While many clients entered treatment to begin a life of recovery, they will find much more than that here. Offering a dual diagnosis program and programs created for smaller groups with similar background experiences, such as veterans and LGBTQ, this specialized facility is ensured to meet the specific needs of each client.
When seeking a treatment facility for you or your loved one, be sure they are promoting and utilizing the human-first approach to care. Look for the key identifiers, and if unsure, ask appropriate questions to guarantee the placement is going to support the most positive care experience. Destiny Recovery Center is not only trained in human-first treatment, but we are also exemplary models for this approach. Continuously putting the needs of our clients first, our compassion for the recovery process can be witnessed in all of our interactions with clients. If you or your loved one are seeking a professional yet family-style recovery program, call Destiny Recovery Center today at (909) 413-4304.