Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
Except as otherwise provided, a treatment program shall comprise the following three (3) phases of treatment:
(a) The Phase I component of the program shall comprise:
(1) An intake interview including a physical, mental and psychological assessment of the client including the client's medical and treatment history, from which the client's functional capacity and such client's present needs may be determined. The assessment and a plan for the client's treatment shall be made by a certified counselor. The assessment and plan shall be made at the beginning of Phase I, except that if it is determined by the certified counselor that the client does not require immediate medical treatment, the assessment and plan may be made in conjunction with the portion of the program specified in subdivision (2) of this subsection. Clients identified by the counselor as requiring detoxification shall receive immediate medical screening and, if medically appropriate, shall be referred to detoxification services in an appropriate clinical setting with qualified medical personnel. A complete physical examination of the client by a licensed physician may be required, which examination shall be the responsibility of the client and not included in the program fee. Clients diagnosed as having severe addiction problems shall be referred to more appropriate treatment;
(2) A program with the clients in an environment that is segregated from other persons and activities for a period of forty-eight (48) consecutive hours, which period shall include appropriate time and reasonable accommodations for meals, sleep and other necessary personal functions. The program shall have a maximum of twenty (20) participants and a client-to-counselor ratio of no greater than 10:1. The portion of the treatment program specified in this subdivision shall, where appropriate, include some or all of the following topics and exercises, conducted or supervised by certified counselors:
(A) Instruction relating to the disease concept of alcoholism and addiction, including cross addiction and the progressive nature of addiction;
(B) Information on issues relevant to addiction, including but not limited to the legal consequences of addiction, blood content upon intake of addictive substances, the social consequences of addiction, and the physical and mental effects and consequences of substance abuse;
(C) Substance abuse as a family disease including denial of the abuse, the influence of enablers and employers, and family interaction;
(D) Living without active addiction and its benefits;
(E) Interactive peer group exercises including lectures, written exercises and videos;
(F) The benefits of self-help programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). An actual or simulated meeting may be conducted;
(G) Intervention strategies including avoidance of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
(H) Prevention of relapse; and
(I) An exit interview including an assessment or evaluation.
(3) An after-care program including the components described as Phases II and III, unless the exit evaluation indicates that the client has a medical, psychiatric or other problem that requires immediate treatment and is inconsistent with Phases II and III, which immediate treatment shall be recommended by the provider. Any additional treatment recommended by the provider shall be the responsibility of the client, and is not included in the fee paid by the client. The Phase II and Phase III components of the treatment program may, if feasible, be undertaken concurrently with any additional recommended treatment, and the client shall be required to complete such after-care program unless other more appropriate treatment is required.
(b) Phase II:
The Phase II component of the program shall be a continuation of the Phase I program, and shall include after-care treatment of at least twenty (20) hours conducted by a certified counselor, or conducted by the provider and supervised by a certified counselor. The sessions may be scheduled on a weekly or monthly basis or as otherwise determined by the provider, but no session held shall be more than four (4) hours in length. The sessions may be in a group or individual format, as determined by the provider and the client's treatment plan. The Phase II component shall, if appropriate for the client, include mandatory attendance at a self-help treatment organization.
(c) Phase III:
The Phase III component of the program shall include:
(1) A minimum of twelve (12) months of after-care monitoring, with at least four (4) follow-up visits for evaluation of the client's progress. The visits shall be conducted or supervised by a certified counselor;
(2) Blood and/or urine screening at random intervals as recommended by the provider; and
(3) Attendance at self-help treatment meetings with verified attendance, as may be recommended by the provider.
(d) A client who has complied with the requirements of section 14-227f of the Connecticut General Statutes and has completed the program shall be issued a certificate of completion by the provider.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, no client shall be issued a certificate of completion, or have his operator's license or nonresident operating privilege reinstated, if he is found to have a current addiction problem which affects his ability to operate a motor vehicle in a safe manner.
(f) A client who attends any portion of the treatment program under the influence of, or in possession of, intoxicating liquor or any addictive drug not prescribed by a physician, or who does not abide by reasonable rules of conduct prescribed by the provider, shall be summarily dismissed from the treatment program.
(g) Each client who enrolls in a treatment program shall agree to submit to a blood, breath or urine test upon request by the provider at any time during the program. Failure to take such test when so requested shall result in dismissal from the program, except that a client may decline to take a blood test, and a test of another type may then be required.
(h) Each client who attends a treatment program shall agree to permit access by the commissioner, and by the Medical Advisory Board, to his medical and treatment records which are relevant to the treatment program. The commissioner shall seek the advice of the Medical Advisory Board with respect to issues concerning relevancy of records.
(Effective June 3, 1997; Amended December 29, 2006; Amended June 28, 2010)