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Family Guidelines
FAMILY AND FRIENDS GUIDELINES
This is vital information for all those who have a family member or friend in the
Narconon Program: (Note: clients in the Narconon Program are referred to as “students”).
It is a longstanding tradition in addiction treatment programs, that family and friends can play a
vital role in the recovery process of the addict. We have established the following guidelines
so we can all work together towards helping your loved one achieve a drug-free and happy life.
The beginning of treatment is usually a very confusing time for the new student and family.
Tensions and emotions run high. Quite often the family has been without adequate sleep
and the student is having discomfort in facing his addiction. It is the job of our staff to help
all through this critical time period
During withdrawal (emotional and physical), the student starts to feel a bit uncomfortable and
quite often will manufacture all kinds of reasons to leave the program. We have learned
through experience that quite often the student will find fault with the program and enlist
other family members to agree that the student should be allowed to leave. Falsehoods are
spread or minor imperfections are magnified way out of proportion or importance. Experience
has also taught us, that once our students make it through this initial discomfort and are well
into the program they are grateful to those who were firm enough to insist they stay.
The family members also start to feel better without the daily pressure of addiction and lives
begin to mend. We see the evidence of this each and everyday in our work.
If these facts are not known and understood, a lot of valuable staff time can be spent
handling unfounded concerns of family members. The distraction takes valuable staff time that
should be devoted completely to helping our students. It also can give a student the impression
that headway is being made towards convincing the family one should leave the program;
hence, the student does not pay attention to the program.
To help all concerned through this critical period we ask that you adhere to the following
guidelines.
1. Both Federal and State law prohibit alcohol and drug rehabilitation facilities such as
Narconon from providing information about patients (students) without the specific consent
of the patient (student). Therefore in order to work together, we must obtain such consent
from the student, before we can disclose any information about them or their program
progress to you.
2. Let the addict know that you intend to keep communication to a minimum while they are
adjusting to being a student on the Narconon program. If you have any concerns you can
speak to a staff member.
3. Study and understand HOW AN ADDICT BECOMES ONE at
www.NarcononReferral.com and realize that at the beginning of the program the addict
probably has not learned to be completely honest.
4. Study the “STUDENTS PERSONAL FUNDS and the STUDENT RULES, which are
included here. Please assist us by making provisions for the student to have the necessary
funds and the means to purchase food. (Each student can bring their lunch. Going out to lunch
with the group is a privilege and it is a good idea to provide at least some opportunity for
the student to go out to lunch. It is not very expensive.)
5. Now that you have assisted your loved one in getting into the program and making all
necessary provisions, get proper sleep and nutrition yourself.
6. If the addict complains to you about the program or staff ask if these concerns have been
taken up with a staff member or a written complaint made. (This is in accordance with
student rules.) If the student has not done so, do not engage in any more discussion
about the matter, but rather tell the student to follow the student rules.
7. Do not take up major life issues with the your loved one over the phone. The student needs
to be paying attention to the Narconon program. Now is not the time to discuss how angry
you are about all the grief that the student has caused you in the past. In time, students learn to
see this for themselves. Our program is arranged so this happens.
8. Realize that phone time is limited and phones are shared with other students. Be polite and
please limit your phone calls to 10 minutes.
9. If you are truly concerned about something having to do with the program then email
us at chari@narcononflorida.org. This email is answered every day. Be sure to leave out
the student’s name and use the student ID number.
10. Narconon staff members are happy to assist in providing transportation from the airport or
bus station at the time of arrival and after graduation. We also provide transportation for
initial medical exams. Due to the fact that a lot of valuable staff time can be taken driving
students around for other purposes, distracting from our valuable work at the center, the
following applies:
a. Narconon will not provide transportation to the airport for holidays. Travel to the airport
for a Leave of Absence must be paid for by the family. You also have the option of
paying for a cab or shuttle.
b. Often medical or dental situations are first detected when a person gets off drugs, starts
feeling better and realizes there are some problems. Our Medical Director is happy to
refer students to specialists as needed and we have several dentists who service our
students very well. We will assist in finding care. Narconon will be present at the
initial appointment so the practitioner understands our program, however, we cannot
continue to provide transportation for situations that require multiple trips to the
doctor or dentist. We will be happy to work with the student and family in finding
transportation – to be paid for by the family. In the long run, with this rule in place your
family member will receive better service.
11. Infrequently, some students will break the student rules and refuse to be corrected.
While Narconon does not like to expel students, for the safety and morale of others, we must
have the right to suspend them. This helps us maintain order at Narconon and gives the
student the opportunity to decide if they want to really get off drugs or not. Most students
return after a suspension with the realization that the Narconon program offers hope for them
and decide to follow the rules. Some of our most successful graduates have been suspended.
It is part of the learning process. If your family member is suspended, we need your
cooperation. Please help provide a means for them to leave the facility and a place to stay.
Do not ask that we “take them to a homeless shelter”. This has never proven to work. Our
ethics department will work with you closely to guide you through this, should it occur.
(It is infrequent.)
12. At all times encourage and commend efforts by the student to get through the program.
At the end of the program we offer a course for families intended to give you some
understanding of some basic principles that your loved one has learned and tools that aid one
in continuing to live a drug free life. We encourage you to take advantage of this.
Realize that staff members have the same goal as you - to assist your loved one to get off drugs
and lead a happy life. They do a good job as evidenced by our statistics. Please give them a
hand by abiding by our guidelines.
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