The fear of going to jail is often what finally helps people to make the decision to go to rehab. Yet, you may be avoiding rehab out of the fear that the staff may turn you into the police. This is a common concern for anyone that has an addiction to illegal drugs or who has been forced to break the law in order to get what they needed to break their cravings. Right now, you may be wanted by the police in your area for criminal charges that you haven’t deal with yet. You may just be scared that you could be charged with a crime if you open up and tell the truth to someone about your addiction. Either way, worrying about whether or not alcohol and drug rehab centers report to the police can delay you from getting the help that you need to stay out of jail.
The good news is that in most cases your rehab center will not turn you into the police. In all honesty, they understand that getting sober may be what you need to turn away from a life of crime. When you enter rehab, you enter a special protective zone where your wellbeing takes center stage. Understanding how rehab centers handle people who use illegal drugs and who may have a criminal record can reassure you that going to treatment is safe and possibly your best option for avoiding going to jail.
What the Law Says About Your Right to Confidentiality
HIPPA laws are something that you sometimes hear about when you seek medical treatment. Addiction recovery programs fall under the guidelines for health care services that must respect the patient’s right to privacy. The HIPPA laws get complicated, but they essentially are all designed to make sure that health care companies use safe procedures for handling your protected health information. While a company may need to share information with other involved parties, such as an insurance company, they are not allowed to disclose your treatment to people without a reason to know about it. In most cases, this means that your rehab program is not legally allowed to report your treatment to anyone without your consent.
If you are worried about the police finding out about your drug habits, then you may also be worried about people that you know hearing about your lifestyle. This is another area where your drug rehab program offers protection through confidentiality. They will not tell anyone that you are at the center without your permission. This includes phone calls, visitors and requests for information from other parties. You can feel safe in rehab knowing that you have control over who finds out about your stay.
How Treatment Centers Handle Criminal Cases
There are times when you may want the rehab center to tell the police that you are undergoing treatment. This is most common when a court requires someone to seek addiction treatment as a condition of their probation or parole. If this is the case, then you can expect to be asked to provide the rehab center with written permission to give out information about your stay. Even in this situation, the rehab center only gives enough information to help you comply with court orders such as the date that you were admitted and that you are still currently enrolled in the program. They never go into detail about what you talk about or do during your counseling sessions. This information is completely private.
Ways Rehab Helps You Clean Up Your Life
If you have been in trouble with the law, going to rehab can demonstrate to the police and court system that you are serious about getting back on the right track. Your rehab program will also help you learn how to do things such as break off relationships with negative influences. Once you go through treatment, you will have new interests and hobbies along with coping skills to help you avoid the temptation that could land you in jail. Although going to rehab can feel like a leap of faith at first, you will quickly feel a sense of trust in the people that surround you with support.
Even after hearing about why rehab centers should not report you to the police without your consent, you may still be apprehensive. Trust is something that takes time to develop, and we can let you know which rehab program will respect your need to get sober over going to jail. Give us a call today! We’ll connect you with a safe and private treatment program that helps you get back on a straight path. Call us today at 833-762-3739.
