When a family member or friend is considering rehab, you may want to help with every detail. A more workable starting point is to ask what help they want, what the service needs and what you can realistically provide.
Your role can change before admission, during treatment and after discharge. This guide provides practical questions to discuss with the person and provider. It does not assess clinical needs or promise a particular outcome.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 000. healthdirect explains when urgent medical help may be needed and where families can seek support.
Before admission: agree on the help being requested
Ask whether the person wants assistance researching services, making an initial call, gathering documents or arranging transport. Where possible, make the plan together.
If they do not want help, avoid turning the conversation into a confrontation. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation's conversation guide discusses choosing an appropriate time, listening and expressing concerns. A family support service can help you work through your own situation.
An initial conversation does not have to resolve every question. Agree on a manageable next step, such as asking a provider about its assessment process.
Prepare a small, useful enquiry checklist
Write down the services being considered and the answers you still need. Keep practical questions separate from matters that should be assessed by a clinician.
Our rehab admission checklist helps organise these questions. Share only information needed for the enquiry through the provider's stated channels. Ask before sending someone else's sensitive documents.
Clarify consent and communication
Ask the service what permission it needs to discuss care with family members. The person entering treatment may want support while keeping some information private.
Agree on the nominated contact, preferred communication method and how practical questions will be handled. Ask what happens if the service needs to contact the family urgently.
Do not assume that making an enquiry or paying for a stay gives you access to clinical updates. Confirm the process with the person and provider.
During treatment: check the service's actual arrangements
Contact and visiting rules differ. Ask about calls, visits, items that can be sent and whether family education or sessions are offered. Confirm these details rather than planning around a generic first-week rule.
If a family session is offered, ask its purpose and how to prepare. You can note the questions you want to discuss without trying to direct the person's treatment.
For day or community programs, ask what practical support is useful outside appointments. The service's arrangements and the person's preferences should guide your involvement.
Before discharge: ask what the transition involves
With the person's consent, ask how you can support the discharge plan. Clarify who arranges follow-up, which appointments are already booked and what remains to be organised.
A practical discussion might cover transport home, ongoing contact with treating professionals, aftercare access and who to call if concerns arise. Ask which parts require a separate booking or payment.
Do not assume there is a standard aftercare package or a fixed period in which everyone recovers. Request the arrangements for this person and this service.
After discharge: keep support realistic
Ask what kind of contact or practical help the person finds useful. Discuss commitments you can maintain, such as transport to an agreed appointment or a regular check-in, rather than promising unlimited availability.
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation's recovery guidance recognises that recovery can include challenges and that family members also need support. If concerns arise, seek advice from an appropriate health professional. You do not have to decide alone whether a new treatment arrangement is needed.
Look after your own wellbeing
Supporting another person can be demanding. Your needs, safety and responsibilities matter too. Consider speaking with your GP, a counsellor or a family support service about workable boundaries.
Family Drug Support provides support for families affected by alcohol and other drug use. Its telephone support line is 1300 368 186. Seek urgent assistance if anyone's safety is at risk.
You can browse treatment services and request a callback from selected private providers to clarify admission arrangements. A provider enquiry can gather information; the service and treating professionals should assess treatment suitability.