In the eyes of the law, it is not a right to have a driver’s license it is a privilege. Many states have different laws regarding time period that a drivers license is taken away, but generally after the license revocation period expires, those individuals who would like to get their licenses back will need to earn them back, usually through completion of an educational program known as “DUI School.” Before enrolling in school, most states require that the individual meet with a counselor who is qualified to evaluate if a drinking problem or alcohol abuse is present. If the individual is found to have an alcohol dependency problem or at least a problematic relationship with alcohol, a treatment referral will be made to one, or a combination of, the following:If the individual is found to have an alcohol dependency problem or at least a problematic relationship with alcohol, a treatment referral will be made to one, or a combination of, the following:
- A medical detox program
- An outpatient alcohol recovery program
- An inpatient alcohol recovery program
- A local support group, such as Alcoholics Anonymous
When it comes to court-ordered alcohol abuse recovery treatment, there may be a concern as to its effectiveness because the decree is coming from an outside authority and not the convicted individuals themselves. It is well established that recovery must come from within, but that does not undermine the role of outside encouragement or even a court order. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, most studies support that individuals who are referred to treatment through the legal system have treatment outcomes as good as, or better than, those individuals who entered treatment on their own. In addition, individuals under legal pressure to attend rehab tend to have higher rates of attendance and remain in rehab for longer periods of time both things that contribute to better chances at sustained recovery.