Deciding to seek treatment for a substance use disorder is one of the most important — and often, most difficult — steps in recovery. Because the prospect of living at an inpatient rehab center can be daunting, ensuring you bring everything you’ll need during your time at Orlando Recovery Center can help you stay committed to your recovery. This guide can make preparing for treatment easier, and make sure you’re aware of what you can and cannot bring with you.

Knowing what to bring with you and what to leave at home can help you focus on recovery during treatment.

What Can I Bring With Me to Treatment?

Bringing essential items with you to treatment can help make your transition to inpatient living at Orlando Recovery Center as seamless as possible.

Documentation

Proper identification is essential for checking into Orlando Recovery Center. We recommend you bring:

• If vaccinated: a copy or picture of your COVID-19 vaccine card
• Photo ID: State/Government valid ID/Driver’s License/Passport
• Necessary travel documentation
• Relevant medical records/list of providers with contact information
• A list of family members and their contact information

Financial

• Small amount of cash ($200)
• A form of payment for co-pays (debit card, cash, or checkbook)
• Prepaid Visa gift card (only this will be used for all purchases facilitated by staff on your behalf)

Clothing

We recommend packing enough season-appropriate clothing to last nine days, including a jacket for chilly evenings. Comfortable pajamas are also essential. Recreational therapy is an important part of treatment at Orlando Recovery Center, so make sure to bring comfortable, modest activewear, athletic shoes and at least one bathing suit. For ladies, this bathing suit should be a one piece; for men: knee-length board shorts. You should also pack comfortable, closed-toed shoes.

Recommended clothing:

• Season-appropriate clothing
• Sweater or jacket for indoors and outdoors
• Long pants, shorts, socks, undergarments
• Ladies’ proper undergarments
• Men’s proper undergarments
• Hat, beanie, warm gloves
• Tennis shoes, flip flops, sandals
• Comfortable & discrete work-out wear
• Comfortable sleepwear
• Ladies: one-piece swimsuits
• Men: knee-length board swim shorts

To help clients stay focused on recovery, inappropriate clothing items — including short shorts, tank tops, yoga pants and clothing with drug-related or obscene words and images — are not permitted at the facility.

Toiletries and Personal Care Items

To help ensure the safety and security of staff and clients at Orlando Recovery Center, the majority of toiletry items brought to the facility must be new and unopened. Be sure to bring enough to last for 30 days. 

Permitted and recommended toiletry items include:

• Personal masks (optional, as facility supplies are available)
• Eyeglasses/contacts/sunglasses
• Dental flossers
• Hairbrush
• Unopened supplies (optional, as facility supplies are available)
• Alcohol-free mouthwash
• Toothbrush, unopened toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Alcohol-free shampoo and conditioner
• Sunscreen
• Face wash and moisturizer
• Lotion
• Lip balm
• Feminine products
• Alcohol-free contact lens solution
• Disposable razors (secured and checked in/out at specific times)
• Blow dryer/styling tools (secured and checked in/out at specific times)
• New, unopened pillows, blankets, and comforters
• Denture adhesive (gel form only)

Hygiene products with alcohol listed among the first three ingredients will not be allowed at the center. The facility can supply residents with shampoo, conditioner and other items upon request.

Medications

The Orlando Recovery Center staff understands that many residents rely on specific medications to maintain their health. Please communicate with intake coordinators and other staff members regarding medicine you’ll need during your stay and provide a list of all medications you’re currently taking. Medication plans will be assessed upon admission. While the team wants you to be as comfortable as possible, please understand that staff will inspect medication to ensure that no unauthorized substances are brought in. If authorized, medications will be kept with staff and dispensed as medically appropriate.

Tobacco

• All products must be new, sealed and unopened upon arrival at facility. Bring enough for your entire stay.
  • Cigarettes
  • Chewing tobacco
  • Disposable vapes and e-cigarettes (labeled as Pure Nicotine with no additional additives)

Electronics

• Cell phone
• E-reader
• Music (MP3, iPod, earbuds, headphones)

Journal/Hobby Items

Inpatient treatment at Orlando Recovery Center involves a full, daily schedule of group therapy, informational classes and support group meetings, as well as time for recreation and reflection. As you progress through treatment, you will gradually gain more free time to decompress and unwind in healthy, ways. Some of the hobby items clients can bring include:

• Journals
• Sketchbooks
• Art supplies
• Books

Please note that any hobby items that could interfere with you or another resident’s recovery will not be permitted at the facility.

What Not to Bring

While client comfort is important to the staff at Orlando Recovery Center, safety is our primary concern. To help ensure that our facility is a space that fosters recovery and wellness, we do not permit certain items that could distract, endanger or violate the privacy of our clients. Items not allowed at Orlando Recovery Center include:

• Drug or alcohol paraphernalia including CBD and THC products (will be destroyed upon admission)
• Prescribed narcotic or controlled substances (will be destroyed upon admission.)
• Drugs or alcohol (will be destroyed upon admission)
• Black and mild’s, cigars, pipes and pipe tobacco.
• Laptop, tablets, iPad, Kindle, smartwatch
• Cameras, handheld video camera, audio recorder
• No iPods, music devices, earbuds
• Overly revealing clothing
• Short shorts
• Tank tops and loose tee’s
• Clothing depicting: drugs, drug paraphernalia, explicit language and/or images, politically charged slogans
• Perfume, cologne
• Opened toiletry products
• Exercise/metabolic supplements
• Protein powders
• Essential oils
• Non-ADA Certified service animal/emotional support animal
• Weapons (including pocketknives)
• Pornographic material: literature, video, audio, or clothing
• Card decks, games, and sporting equipment
• Aerosol products (hairspray, deodorant, etc.)
• Wire clothes hangers

If you have any additional questions about what to pack for treatment, reach out to us. Representatives with Orlando Recovery Center are available to clarify any confusion, provide assistance and help prepare you for treatment.