Return to Work After Rehab
A lot of union members think rehab means, “I’m done working.” In reality, treatment is often what makes it possible to keep working. This page walks you through what a 90-day recovery plan can look like—and how it can support a safe, confident return to work or to the hall.
Not everyone chooses 90 days. Some stay shorter. Some return for a brief reset after relapse. Our job is to show you what’s possible and help you choose what’s right for you.
Why 90 Days Matters
Short stays can help you detox and catch your breath, but they rarely give you enough time to:
- Stabilize physically
- Work through underlying issues and patterns
- Rebuild trust with family and yourself
- Learn and practice new coping skills in a structured environment
A 90-day plan:
- Uses your time away from the jobsite wisely
- Lines up with many benefit structures and FMLA windows
- Gives you a real chance to come back different—not just temporarily “dried out”
We’ll never hard-sell you on a length of stay. We’ll give you an honest recommendation based on what we see clinically and what’s possible with your benefits.
Phase 1: Detox & Stabilization (Weeks 1–2)
You can’t do deep work when your body is still in withdrawal and your mind is foggy. The first phase focuses on:
- Medically supervised detox in a state-licensed detox house
- Managing withdrawal safely and as comfortably as possible
- Getting hydrated, fed, and sleeping again
- Beginning basic education on addiction and recovery
Goal: Help you get clear and stable enough to fully participate in the next phase.
Phase 2: Residential Treatment (Weeks 3–6)
Once you’re stabilized, you move into full residential treatment in one of our licensed homes near the coast. This phase includes:
- Group therapy and 1-on-1 counseling
- Trauma-informed work when appropriate
- Education about addiction, mental health, and family dynamics
- Early work on repairing relationships and rebuilding trust
- Introduction to support meetings or other ongoing support that fit you
You’re away from the job-site noise, phones, and distractions long enough to see things clearly and start building a different way of living.
Phase 3: Men’s Empowerment & Women’s Wellness (Weeks 7–12)
In this phase, many union members step into:
- A Men’s Empowerment track (for men), or
- A Women’s Wellness track (for women),
while staying in short-term executive lodging homes a short walk from the sand—not crowded sober living houses.
You continue:
- Groups and 1-on-1 counseling at a lower intensity
- Accountability and structure
- Life skills, budgeting, and relationship work
- Planning for triggers back on the jobsite
- Building a realistic return-to-work plan
You’re still supported—but you’re also testing your skills with more real-world responsibility.
Building a Real Return-to-Work Plan
We don’t just send you home and wish you luck. Together, we:
- Review what your schedule might look like when you return
- Identify high-risk situations (certain jobsites, coworkers, bars, or patterns)
Create strategies for:
- Saying “no” on the job
- Handling stress without picking up
- Getting support if cravings or old patterns resurface
- Coordinate documentation with EAP/MAP, trust funds, and—when appropriate—union reps or employers
The goal is to give you a clear, written plan you can use when you leave—not just vague intentions.
Life After the 90 Days
Recovery doesn’t end when you walk out the door. We help you set up:
- Ongoing therapy or counseling, locally or via telehealth
- Support groups or meetings that fit your style and schedule
- Check-ins with trusted people in your life
- A realistic structure for sleep, exercise, and nutrition that supports your work and mental health
The idea isn’t to make your life smaller, it’s to build something stable enough that you can keep working, keep providing, and keep showing up.
Your Next Step
If you’re a union member or tradesperson who knows you need help, your next step is simple:
- Call us for a confidential conversation.
- Ask about building a short stay, a 90-day plan, or something in between that fits your life and benefits.
- If you want, ask to speak with one of our retired union team members—Ironworker, Electrician, or Longshoreman—for a straight conversation about what this really looks like.
Reviewed and approved by Sanjai Thankachen, MD — Supervising Physician
Dr. Sanjai Thankachen graduated from Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medicine in 2000. He completed his residency in psychiatry in 2008 from Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in New York, where fifty percent of his rotations were at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. After his residency he worked at Ventura County Medical Centers in an adult out-patient setting and now lives in Orange County, California.