My son has agreed to sign himself in.

He crapped out of a 5 day a week "IOP" (Intense Outpatient Program) for alcohol addiction.. That was one with a psychiatrist available to prescribe mental health medications.

Now he has no psychiatrist, and the only way to get one is to sign himself in to a "higher level of care". In other words a long term inpatient psychiatric unit at a hospital.

The insurance company will probably only pay for this as long as they think he's in imminent danger of attempting suicide. Apparently abusing alcohol when you are taking psych meds doesn't count. When they kick him out, they will probably refer him back to a program like the one that didn't work.

He doesn't drink to kill himself. He doesn't even drink to get high. He drinks to "feel normal". until he gets real

Why don't insurance companies pay for REAL psychiatric care. With REAL time with REAL PSYCHIATRISTS? A 15 minute appointment and a medication adjustment are not enough.