How to Find Treatment

An assessment is the most important first step to treatment. When getting an assessment, a person will meet with a provider who will ask questions to better understand that person’s substance use, medical history, and mental health needs.

An assessment is required for admission to most treatment programs.

Many treatment programs use evidence-based treatment, which means that the treatment and services used in that program have been researched many times and have been shown to help people.

Alabama steps to receiving treatment:

C.A.R.E.

• • Contact the 24/7 helpline at 844-307-1760 or visit mh.alabama.gov for information.

• • Access screening and assessments to find what treatment choice is best for you.

• • Receive a referral to the right services.

• • Engage with your referred treatment facility and services.

After deciding they are ready for treatment, the first step is that the person with the substance use disorder needs an assessment. Getting an assessment is important because it determines what kind of treatment service is best for them, so they can get the help they need!

In some cases, there may be a waitlist for a treatment program. If so, it may be useful for people waiting to call the person or agency that has completed their assessment and ask if they can refer other treatment programs or set up other services while they wait.

The ROSS 24/7 helpline is always available to help people interested in starting treatment or their loved ones. They connect them with a peer specialist in recovery and can provide support or answer questions about seeking or starting treatment: 1-844-307-1760.

Although each treatment program is different, the basic ingredients are similar.  One can expect services like individual, group, and family counseling.

The professional who helps you with your assessment will explain what the treatment program will look like and what you can expect!

The most common treatment programs are explained within this application, under the “Types of Treatment” section.

Financial concerns should not stop people from getting treatment. There are a few ways to get evidence-based treatment without insurance like state or federal programs and payment aid options.

If someone does not have insurance, there are Alabama Department of Mental Health associated treatment facilities where payment is based on one’s income and their ability to pay.

If someone has insurance, their provider is required (by law) to financially cover the cost of treatment.

Some tips for dealing with insurance companies for treatment:

• Call your insurance provider to see who is in their network.

• It is possible that your insurance will not cover the type or length of the program that is best for your needs.

• • In these cases, you should speak to your provider, or someone at the center, about the best options for your situation.

• In rare cases, if coverage is denied, you may contact the Alabama state insurance board commissioner.

Signs of higher-quality programs:

• Evidence-based behavioral health therapies are used in this program.
• Medications are available for MAT (medication-assisted treatment)
• The program is certified by the state of AL.
• The program addresses mental and physical health needs.
• Clients/patients can be tested for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, TB and other infectious diseases.
• The program has a long-term strategy to support recovery even after the person has left the treatment center.
• The program is available for individuals who need treatment right away.
• There are personal treatment plans available because no one treatment is right for all.
• The program provides a minimum of 3 months of treatment.[SM1]

• • SBIRT stands for screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment.

• • SBIRT is a screening technique used in primary care settings by doctors.

• • When a person goes to see their doctor because they are sick or need a checkup, the doctor will screen them for risky drug and/or alcohol use.

• • SBIRT catches early risky substance use that can develop into a substance use disorder later in life.

• • This is a good technique to use to find a person who may be using alcohol or street drugs/prescription medications in ways that are harmful to their heal

• • The patient will answer questions about mental health symptoms and drug and/or alcohol use. Then, the doctor will discuss how this can affect their health and what services may be right to deal with the impact.

Detoxification, also called detox or withdrawal management, is when the body is cleared of drugs.

• • Detox is not treatment. It only helps the physical withdrawal symptoms from substance use.

• • Detox is only used for people who need to safely manage withdrawal symptoms when they stop using alcohol, benzodiazepines, and/or opioids, before going to treatment.

• • Going to a monitored facility to detox from these substances is necessary because withdrawals can be fatal.

During or before leaving detox, a person should complete an assessment to get a recommendation and referral for treatment.

Most times, a person will go to treatment after detox. In treatment, they are given a treatment plan to best address the challenges they have because of their substance use or that led to their use.

• • These issues can be anything from relationships to other mental health problems (like depression or anxiety).

• • If a person only goes through detox and does not carry on to treatment, they are more likely to relapse.

If an individual is in treatment for less than 90 days, the treatment will be much less effective.

• • In fact, people who stay in treatment longer than 90 days are more likely to stay in recovery and are less likely to relapse.

• • There are several types of outpatient and residential treatment. The intensity of the treatment program determines the time required and what someone will do in treatment. Program intensity ranges from low to high.

• • Treatment is personalized, meaning it is special for each person. Because of this, each person may stay in the same program for different lengths of time and will all receive different types of services.

• • Treatment does not just stop one day; it should decrease in intensity over time.

• Outpatient is at a low to medium intensity program.
• People attend treatment anywhere from 1 to 9 hours a week, and treatment can be offered at night or on weekends so people can stay in school or go to work

• Intensive Outpatient Programs range from medium to high intensity.
• This option is better for individuals who are dealing with multiple issues, such as a substance use disorder and trauma[SM3] , or for individuals who have tried a lower-level program before, but it was not successful.

• Partial Hospitalization Programs are medium to high intensity programs.
• Programs require individuals to attend treatment anywhere from 4 to 8 hours a day.
• These programs are often best for people who need intense, structured treatment and/or have a co-occurring mental health problem (such as anxiety) but want or need to stay at home.

• These programs range from medium to high[SM5] [BO6]  intensity.
• People stay at residential treatment centers anywhere from 2 weeks to 1 year.
• In most treatment programs, individuals move through phases in the program where the longer they have been there or the better they are doing in treatment, the more freedom they will have.

• This is the best known and used residential treatment model.
• The planned length of stay for people is 6 to 12 months.
• The goal of these programs is to teach each resident new skills, values, and practices that will help them be more productive members of society by using everyone at the treatment facility, including other residents and staff, to help residents with this transition.

• These programs are only rated high intensity programs. Most of these programs offer both detox and treatment.
• This type of treatment is best for people with serious medical conditions or severe mental disorders that need to be addressed as well as substance use.

• Recovery housing is an option for people who want to live around others who are also newly in recovery.
• Recovery homes are a safe place for people moving from treatment back to their daily lives.
• This gives people another place to go to after treatment instead of returning to an old environment where they might be around substance use.
• Recovery houses help residents by making their living cost-effective, providing a community of sober residents, and providing an environment that supports their long-term recovery.
• Studies have shown that most people who go to sober living homes after treatment are less likely to relapse.
•  The Alabama Alliance for Recovery Residences (AARR) has recently been certified as Alabama’s affiliate of the National Alliance of Recovery Residences (NARR). AARR-certified recovery homes give Alabamians in recovery a home environment that includes a caring community, accountability, and support to help individuals transition from treatment to the outside world.

• Oxford House is the most common type of sober living.
• This type of sober house highlights peer support and is run by residents.
• Residents do not have to do any type of treatment but 12-step support groups, like AA, are common in most facilities.
•  To get accepted into the house, the new member is interviewed by the current residents and voted in.
• Residents also choose officers, pay their own rent, and break up chores.

• Medication-Assisted Treatment, or MAT, are special programs that combine medication with counseling to help people who are physically dependent on specific substances.
• Substances effective to treat by using MAT are opioids (like heroin) and alcohol. In these programs, people take medication to help with physical dependency and withdrawals and get counseling and other services they need.
• There are several types of medications, but they are used to lessen cravings and/or help withdrawal symptoms.
• Studies have shown that MAT programs are safe, profitable, reduce overdoses, increase treatment retention, and improve social functioning.
• The goal of MAT is for people to make a full recovery and be productive and independent.