Are All Delray Beach Rehab Centers Licensed?

Under Florida law, any kind of facility providing treatment for drug abuse must be licensed in order to legally operate. Failure to obtain proper licensing is a serious offense. It’s punishable under Florida law’s criminal statutes. Examples of treatment facilities that must be licensed are recovery centers, both standard and rapid detox centers and sober living homes. So yes, all Delray Beach rehab centers are licensed, unless they are operating illegally.

However, don’t be too impressed by the licensing requirements, which are minimal. A rehab facility can obtain a license in just a few simple steps:

  • All employees must clear a criminal background check
  • They must create and maintain an operating manual
  • Prescription medication must be prescribed and monitored according to Florida pharmacy law
  • Facilities must perform TB and HIV testing for certain clients

These rules apply to all facilities. There may be further ones for specific types of rehabs. For example, a detox facility must also provide a certain degree of counseling and appropriate activities for their clients. They must have staff members with the knowledge and skills to safely support clients as they withdraw. A certain staff-to-patient ratio must be maintained, too.

Accreditation Of Rehab Centers

When searching for quality care, what you really need to look for is the facility’s accreditations. While accreditation is not a guarantee of quality treatment, it’s still a much better determiner than licensing alone.

There are two major accrediting bodies: CARF and the Joint Commission. Over half of all rehabs in the US are not accredited by either of these organizations. This is perfectly legal. Both CARF and the Joint Commission thoroughly investigate drug rehabs before granting them accreditation. Their standards are pretty high. Probably there are zero top rehabs, whether they are in Delray Beach or not, that lack these two critical endorsements.

A word of caution about drug rehabs. Some of them are unscrupulous. Some provide inadequate supervision, zero services, allow residents to get high and illegally hire felons to staff the facility. Owners of these types of places are only after the money they get from insurance companies and private pay patients. Such a rehab is unlikely to be accredited, but that’s not to say that an unaccredited facility necessarily provides substandard care. Use care and common sense when selecting a drug rehab.

We can help you find the right place for you. We have professional staff members here 24 hours a day to answer your call and point you in the right direction for recovery. Just call us at 833-846-5669. We are here to serve you.