At Start Your Recovery, we understand that looking for substance use treatment—whether for yourself or someone you care about—can be overwhelming. Finding the right treatment center can be overwhelming—especially when information can be unreliable, options seem endless, and it’s hard to know which facilities offer quality, trustworthy care. That’s why we’re here: to provide a single, reliable source of clear information to help people navigate their options and choose the support that’s right for them—wherever they are in their recovery journey.
With deep public health knowledge and experience, we provide expert-reviewed resources, ensure a trustworthy and in-depth process for evaluating facility listings, and offer practical guidance to help individuals navigate treatment options with clarity and confidence—delivering an experience designed to help them connect with the right care for their unique needs.
Our goal is to make it easier for people to find treatment options that truly meet their needs. Every part of our site—and every facility listing on it—is intentionally designed to support informed, confident decisions. That means prioritizing transparency, clarity, and user control at every step.
We don’t promote or prioritize any one facility. Instead, we focus on presenting accurate, fact-based information in a way that makes it easy to compare options based on what matters most to each person—whether that’s accreditation, distance, availability, or treatment approach.
We build our listings by starting with trusted national and state sources, including:
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) database
State-level health departments, licensing boards, and regulatory agencies
Direct outreach to providers that appear to meet our inclusion criteria
Our team curates this information with care, focusing on facilities that are already recognized by established authorities and that meet consistent quality benchmarks.
Facilities must meet at least one of the following inclusion standards to appear on Start Your Recovery:
Be listed in the SAMHSA treatment locator, or
Hold recognized accreditation from a trusted body, such as:
CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities)
The Joint Commission
State licensure or certification
LegitScript certification
We highlight these accreditations prominently in our listings so people can easily identify programs that meet rigorous standards for safety, quality, and ethical care.
Our vetting process is thorough and grounded in transparency. It includes:
Government and licensing data review
Validation through accrediting and oversight bodies
Direct communication with facility staff
In-depth editorial review to ensure that listings are accurate, unbiased, and clearly presented
While we present facts—not endorsements—we’re intentional about how facilities are described. Our goal is to reflect each provider’s unique strengths while giving users the tools to decide what’s best for them.
We don’t just publish information—we continually maintain it. Our commitment includes:
Annual editorial reviews of almost all treatment facilities on the site
Ongoing updates when we verify changes to accreditation, contact details, or program offerings
Reviewed by Experts Trained in Behavioral Health Best Practices:
Our team participates in ongoing training, attends industry conferences and webinars, regularly consults with leading addiction medicine specialists, and is encouraged to attain industry certifications.
This commitment to continuing education helps us provide accurate, trustworthy, and up-to-date information.
A focus on providing the unique offerings of each facility—making it easy for people to compare facilities and pick which one is right for them
We are not owned or operated by any treatment facility.
Our content is guided by a commitment to objectivity—we present clear, fact-based information about providers, treatment approaches, and services to help people make informed choices without pressure or bias.
We review facility listings to ensure that the information presented is accurate, clear, and helpful to people exploring their options.
Our resources are shaped by experts in substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery.
We work with respected clinicians from nonprofit, academic, and government institutions to ensure the information we publish is accurate, unbiased, and useful.
These experts also help guide how we frame treatment options, so the way we present care reflects clinical insight, real-world experience, and a deep respect for individual recovery journeys.
We don’t diagnose or treat substance use disorders.
But we do offer a path to understanding—one that’s compassionate, accurate, and designed to meet people where they are.
Whether you’re learning more, starting a conversation, or actively looking for help, we hope StartYourRecovery.org is a trusted step forward.
Help is available. Treatment works. And finding support should feel possible—not impossible.