6 Things All Rehab Alumni Managers Need to Do

If you are the alumni manager for a rehab alumni program, you probably have a long list of responsibilities. This can quickly start to feel overwhelming, especially since you may be managing these tasks independently. That is why it is essential to understand what tasks should take priority so that you can meet your alumni goals.

An alumni program is incredibly important for patients since it supplies them with the support they need after their treatment. Going through addiction treatment is just the first step of this recovery process, with an alumni program supplying them with the resources they need to continue their recovery. As an alumni coordinator, you will be working directly with these patients to help them meet their recovery goals.

Keep reading to find out what tasks you need to do to run an alumni program smoothly and successfully.

1. Provide Educational Resources

There are many parts of addiction recovery that people are not prepared for after they have gone through treatment. They may think that they have jumped over the main hurdle, but recovery is a long-term journey. It is something that is very difficult to do on their own, which is why alumni programs are so vital.

Alumni managers need to make sure they are supplying plenty of educational resources. Here are some other examples of resources you need to supply to help them on their recovery journey:

• Addiction information

• Recovery strategies

• Community programs

• Relapse prevention information

• Recovery content 

• Mental health management

• Related programs

These are just a few examples of the educational resources alumni managers need to have prepared. This often overlaps with things like managing blog posts, social media posts, and monthly newsletters.

2. Keep Track of Patients

Rehab centers need to prioritize keeping track of patients who have gone through their programs. This is not where the relationship should end since it is important to keep in touch to aid each patient's recovery. This is where the alumni manager comes in, helping keep track of everyone who walks through the doors.

The alumni manager is responsible for keeping track of patients and putting them in a patient database. This should include important information about their recovery, their contact information, and third-party contacts. Having this information in a database allows you to keep in touch with these patients even if they finish their programs.

Managing past patients is a big part of sustaining recovery since it allows you to check in with each person after they have completed their treatment. Continuing communication is the backbone of providing support and a community that patients can fall back on at any point during their recovery.

Including additional contact information for friends and family allows you to also provide support and resources for them. This is another crucial part of spreading awareness around addiction recovery and providing a more inclusive and supportive community.

3. Gather Feedback

Getting feedback from rehab patients is easier said than done, which can have a negative impact on the rehab center. Without feedback, it can be difficult to stand out to people looking for treatment, as well as making it difficult to make adjustments that will benefit future patients.

As an alumni manager, you need to prioritize getting feedback from patients who have gone through their treatment. Ask each patient about their experience and whether they have any positive or negative thoughts. Because the alumni manager has a relationship with the patients, they are more likely to get honest feedback that can help future patients.

4. Help With Lifestyle Changes

One of the most challenging parts of addiction recovery is returning to normal life after going through rehab treatment. This is a very delicate time when people are at a greater risk of relapsing due to stress, isolation, and trigger exposure. That is why alumni managers need to provide lifestyle resources to give patients the tools they need to start fresh.

As the alumni manager, you will act as a supportive figure in each patient's life as they are adjusting to an everyday routine. You can provide them with resources to help them acclimate as well as develop specialized plans that are suitable for their needs. This can include things like recommending dietary changes, helping them find employment, and encouraging them to engage in more social activities. You can also help them seek additional treatment through other recovery programs or things like therapy.

5. Build a Community

The main benefit of an alumni program is that it prevents patients from feeling as though they are completely isolated. Because of this, alumni managers need to focus mainly on building a community where everyone feels included and accepted.

You can foster a community by hosting different events and meetings to get everyone involved and increase engagement. You can also encourage peer support so that patients can hold each other accountable and create long-lasting friendships. As the alumni program grows, you can start giving more responsibility to patients who have reached the most milestones.

By building a stronger recovery community, you can also help to spread awareness in the local community, helping to remove some of the stigma around addiction.

6. Track Patient Progress

One aspect of keeping track of recovery patients is also keeping track of their sobriety milestones. You will need to create milestones and celebrate these accomplishments to help motivate and encourage patients throughout their recovery. This also includes celebrating anniversaries of sobriety and giving successful patients a shout-out. You can do this by tracking success stories and sharing them on the rehab center website and social media platforms.

Conclusion

Running a rehab alumni program requires you to have specific goals in mind so that you know what tasks to prioritize. This includes prioritizing things like community resources and communicating with each patient on a personal level. To do this, you need to have the right tools to help you manage patients and keep track of success rates for different treatment programs.

Are you looking for alumni tools to help you do your job more efficiently? Try out our tools and get started now.