Every addiction is different, and every person is different. And that means there’s no one best way to treat a substance use disorder (SUD). Some patients thrive in therapy, others need the help of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to see them through, and many individuals benefit most from living in a community with others who share their struggle.
Independent living recovery communities are a relatively new treatment option for patients with SUD. But this long-term treatment option is growing fast. Patients and their families are seeing the benefit of recovery communities, and demand is rising. Here’s what you need to know about this exciting new treatment opportunity.
What are Independent Living Recovery Communities?
When you hear the term “recovery community,” a few different images probably come to mind. Most people are familiar with sober living homes and halfway houses, but independent living recovery communities are the next evolution of this established treatment modality.
Instead, independent living recovery communities combine the benefits of ongoing assistance with supported living focused on sobriety.1 Within these recovery communities, members have access to resources like coaching, job aid, and peer-driven support groups all while living autonomously. Participants live in their own homes that feature amenities designed to support sober living—including technology like Soberlink Remote Alcohol Monitoring.
This brand new, more comprehensive approach to recovery is just what so many people struggling with SUD need.
Why are Recovery Communities Appealing?
It stands to reason that having the support of peers combined with proven clinical care would be an effective way to treat substance use disorder, but is it? Scientific studies and anecdotal evidence both suggest the answer is yes.
A study by the NIH tracked the progress of residents who chose a sober living environment.2 Those who also participated in a 12-step program reported fewer arrests, as well as lower alcohol and drug use.
Researchers Rudolph and Bernice Moos looked at this issue from another angle. Their study determined that relapse is more likely when patients don’t seek support from friends, family, and qualified professionals.3
Recovery communities, and especially independent living recovery communities, work because the resident has the framework of a clinical environment, the amenities of luxury living, and the support of peers.
Why Should You Start Marketing Independent Living Recovery Communities Now?
Even if you have no current plans to build a community like this, they are the future of SUD treatment. Since there aren’t many of these programs (yet), working on a digital marketing strategy now presents a unique opportunity to establish your treatment center as a leader in forward thinking.
There are a few reasons why starting to market even before you have a product is a good idea.
Reason 1. Capture Rank
Since independent living recovery communities bring totally new service into the market, your addiction treatment center is uniquely positioned to capture premium placement on the search engine results page (SERP). Because the more time you have to prepare, the more content you can create to rank.
Most users click on one of the top five search results. And being in the top five is great, but you could easily be number one for this topic. Spoiler alert: searchers click the first search result 25% of the time. Creating, much less marketing, a recovery community probably isn’t high on the priority lists of other addiction treatment centers in your area. So, get ahead of the competition by adding the promotion of recovery communities to your plan. The more work you do to market recovery communities now, the more likely you’ll outpace your competition on Google in the future.
Reason 2. Connect With Your Clients
Your potential clients and their families are in crisis. They’re most likely not informed about addiction treatment, highly emotional, and probably confused. The content you create plays a role in easing their anxiety and fear.
Obviously, your primary focus will be on the emergent situation. There is an at-risk person, struggling with addiction, who needs help today. The goal of your website has to be to communicate the benefits of the addiction treatment services your center provides, the capabilities of the staff, and the stories of your success.
But potential clients will already be wondering about the future. Sharing content about aftercare calms fears about being sent back into the world unprepared. Showcasing your knowledge about—and possibly even announcing a partnership with—an independent living recovery community demonstrates your expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.
Reason 3. Recovery Communities are Effective
Even though independent living recovery communities aren’t as ubiquitous as sober living or halfway houses, their potential for effectiveness means they will be. For someone dedicated to maintaining their sobriety and their recovery journey, an all-inclusive, supportive environment is a must-have. Being surrounded by others who deeply understand the challenges, along with the need for a healthy lifestyle overall, can be the difference between relapse and success.
Benefits like these are what you need to showcase when marketing your recovery community. Because this approach to sober living is so new, patients and their families will be unsure of what makes them unique, compelling, and effective.
Ready to start marketing your entrance into the independent living recovery community space the right way? Dreamscape Marketing can help. Contact us at 888.307.7304 to schedule a strategy session.
For a list of references, please contact us.