The ARISE Invitational Intervention Model
ARISE turns the old intervention picture on its head. Nothing happens behind your loved one’s back. They are invited from the first call, and the process grows only as much as it needs to.
ARISE, short for A Relational Intervention Sequence of Engagement, is an invitational intervention model developed by James Garrett and Dr. Judith Landau. Unlike a surprise confrontation, ARISE has no secrets: the loved one is told what is happening and invited to participate from the very first contact. It works in three escalating levels, and a family only moves up a level if the previous one does not lead to a yes. Published figures report roughly 56% of loved ones engage at level one, about 80% by level two, and around 83% by level three.
What ARISE stands for and where it came from
ARISE stands for A Relational Intervention Sequence of Engagement. It was developed by James Garrett and Dr. Judith Landau, who wanted an approach that respected the loved one’s dignity and used the family’s care as a source of motivation rather than pressure. The word relational is the heart of it. ARISE assumes that people are more likely to accept help when the people who love them are honest, coordinated, and hopeful, not covert.
The defining feature is that it is invitational. There are no secrets and no ambush. From the very first phone call, the loved one is told what is happening and invited to take part. That single choice changes the emotional tone of everything that follows, which is why we describe it in detail across our intervention models guide.
How the three levels work
ARISE is designed as a graded sequence, so a family uses only as much intervention as the situation requires. Level one begins with the first call and a family meeting that the loved one is invited to attend. Many people say yes to help at this stage, simply because they were included rather than cornered.
Level two adds structure over subsequent meetings if the loved one is not yet ready, strengthening the family’s consistency and communication. Level three introduces a more formal, though still transparent, intervention with clear consequences, only if it is genuinely needed.
Reported figures across the three levels show engagement rising at each step: roughly 56% at level one, about 80% by level two, and around 83% by level three, according to the Association of Intervention Specialists. The takeaway is not the exact number but the shape: transparency and persistence, together, tend to work.
A key detail is that the family never sits in the dark between levels. At every stage a trained interventionist is coordinating the family, coaching what to say, and keeping the effort loving rather than pressured. The graded structure is what keeps ARISE from either giving up too early or overwhelming a loved one too soon.
Why invitational often protects trust
The strongest argument for ARISE is what it does to the relationship. A surprise meeting can succeed, but it can also leave a loved one feeling ambushed by the very people they need to trust during treatment. Because ARISE keeps them inside the conversation, it tends to protect that trust at the exact moment it matters most.
That continuity carries into recovery. The same honesty that got someone to say yes supports them through the first hard weeks. If you want to see how invitational compares point by point with the surprise-based approach, our side-by-side comparison lays it out, and our Johnson Model explainer gives the other side a fair hearing.
When ARISE is and is not the right fit
ARISE is a strong default for many families, especially when there is some relationship left to work with and no immediate danger. It also pairs naturally with the family-training principles of CRAFT, since both value coaching the family over cornering the individual.
It is not a fit for every crisis. If a loved one is at immediate risk of overdose, suicide, or violence, safety comes before any model. Call 911 in an emergency, or call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In high-risk situations, a professional assessment determines whether a slower invitational process is safe or whether more direct action is needed. That judgment is exactly what our intervention team and family consulting provide.