How to Send Someone to Rehab

Proven Resources for Helping an Addicted Loved One Get Support

Addiction treatment centers are easy to find, but getting your loved one into one can be extremely hard if they aren’t yet willing to accept that they need help. You need to know how to send someone to rehab so that they can get the help they need from an experienced team, but how do you do it?

To get someone into rehab, you should know the warning signs and research treatment centers that may be a good fit. Know what they need from a treatment center and seek the support of their team, including doctors and therapists. When all else fails, involuntary commitment laws and drug courts may help.

South Shores Recovery can help you with the resources you need to convince a loved one to enter into treatment to get control of their addiction. Our enrollment team can answer your questions about care and give you information to help your loved one.

Keep reading to learn more about getting someone into rehab.

How to Get Someone into Rehab for Substance Abuse

Drug and alcohol rehab can be life-changing for someone who is caught in the throes of addiction. Their life is spiraling downward, and watching their descent can be painful. This is why many family members are desperate to know how they can force their loved one into rehab.

Here are some tips to help someone get help for a drug or alcohol addiction.

Know the Warning Signs and Negative Consequences of Addiction

Before you can get someone into rehab, you need to be positive that they have a substance use issue. A quick phone call to treatment centers might help you identify the warning signs of alcohol or drug use, allowing you to prepare for a confrontation with your loved one.

Even if they think they’re being secretive, you can spot the signs early on with education.

Remember to be patient with your friend or family member when confronting them with the potentially devastating effects of addiction. It may take several tries before they really hear what you have to say about their addiction and can accept help.

Do the Research on a Rehab Program for Your Family Members

If you want someone to go to rehab, it’s likely because they are no longer able to participate in life the way they used to. They might need mental health services but are rendered incapable of finding options to seek treatment. This is where you can come in to support and guide them.

Before you confront them with the facts of their addiction, be sure you know where they can go if they agree to seek help. You’ll want to find a place that offers a holistic treatment plan. An accredited facility is usually the best option because it upholds the highest standard of care.

South Shores Recovery offers a long-term rehab program where they will have the luxurious experience of an extended vacation while getting help for addiction and mental illness.

Our facility is accredited by the Joint Commission, giving us the gold seal of approval. We can answer all of your questions and help prepare you for the sit-down meeting with your loved one.

Know What They Need for Substance Use Disorder

Addiction treatment isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience for everyone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol. Instead, they’ll need a personalized plan that could include detox, residential treatment, or outpatient programs. It all depends on their unique recovery journey.

Detox can be great if they’re struggling with withdrawal symptoms in the first few days without their substance of choice. However, residential is often better for long-term recovery and lasts for thirty to ninety days. Outpatient care can be a good option to keep them connected to the community.

Present all of the options to them for attending rehab so that they can choose how they want to approach addiction recovery.

Let a Clinician Tell Them to Go to Rehab

When someone has a substance abuse problem, they have a hard time seeing their life clearly. They may not want to hear it from their family and friends because it comes across as nagging, even if you say it with the best intentions. You may have better luck getting them into a treatment facility with the help of a clinician.

This could be a therapist, doctor, psychiatrist, or anyone else witnessing their destruction. They may be more willing to accept the facts from an unbiased third party.

They may even be able to smooth the path ahead by contacting the clinical team at our facility to provide their notes and treatment history. A therapist or clinician can be a great resource for rehab, so be sure to utilize them!

Organize an Intervention

If your loved one isn’t currently under the care of a clinician or doctor for their substance use, then you may have to schedule your own intervention. There are counselors who specialize in these meetings, allowing you to focus on the signs that your loved one needs help.

They’ll help you express your concerns in a helpful, nonjudgmental way that can persuade an addict to listen. You can invite all of their closest friends and family to give their input about how much they care for your mutual loved one and how much they think he or she needs help.

An interventionist can keep things calm and focused on the issue at hand. They may also be able to help facilitate the next steps and answer questions about what a treatment plan would look like.

Involuntary Commitment Laws for Addiction Treatment

If all else fails and your loved one still won’t submit to substance abuse treatment, you can consider forcing them into care with involuntary commitment laws.

These aren’t applicable in every state, but they can be extremely helpful in states like California if your loved one refuses to submit to care.

There are several factors you’ll need to be able to prove to get help for a substance use disorder under these laws. Keep in mind that the requirements from states vary, so be sure to look up the laws where you live. However, these are the general principles:

• They’re a threat to themselves or others. You may have an argument if you can prove that they will do more damage to themselves or if they represent a danger to society at large.
• Substance abuse has disabled them. Both physical and mental disability can fall under this umbrella. If substance use keeps them from caring for themselves and meeting their basic needs, or if they have another disability diagnosed, you can prove they need help.
• They can’t make decisions. Prove that your loved one can’t decide for themselves.
• They have no control over drug and alcohol addiction. Once they are in the throes of active addiction, they likely have no control anymore. Keep track of situations where they have lost control so that you can prove it.

Not only will you have to prove that the above statements are true, but you’ll also have to petition the courts. In some states, only a medical professional can petition the courts. There are unique state laws in more than thirty states, so be sure to review yours before you take the first steps.

Pursue Drug Courts for Nonviolent Offenders

Oftentimes, someone who has a prior offense on their record for a nonviolent offense can be forced into rehab through the drug courts. If they had been facing jail or prison time, the judge could have instead sentenced them to a rehab program where they could hopefully get the help they need.

This can help with recidivism and keep them out of future entanglements with the law.

However, there are some major hurdles to sending someone to rehab through drug courts beyond just the initial arrest. They will have to plead guilty to their charges and accept the sentencing at a rehab facility. Otherwise, this strategy may fall apart, and they could receive jail or prison time rather than probation or work release.

Help Them Enroll in Proven Treatment at South Shores

Substance abuse treatment is a serious undertaking that you should leave to a team of experienced clinicians who specialize in addiction. While it can be tempting to try to get your loved one sober at home, getting someone into rehab could be life-changing.

South Shores Recovery offers a Joint Commission-accredited rehab facility where they can be as comfortable as possible with our luxurious accommodations. We approach treatment with both clinical and holistic care so that they get the best of all worlds.

Our enrollment team can answer any of your questions about addiction treatment in a confidential call so that you can prepare for a meeting with your loved one and their support system. Let us help you through the process of getting someone into rehab when they need it most!

References

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2022, June 13). What are the signs of having a problem with drugs?. National Institutes of Health.
2. Stallman HM, Gupta V. Involuntary Commitment. [Updated 2025 Jan 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from:
3. U.S. Government Accountability Office. (n.d.). Adult Drug Court programs: Factors related to eligibility and acceptance of offers to participate in DOJ funded Adult Drug Courts.