Choosing the right treatment for you
Once you’ve narrowed down a few options from this list, call and ask questions to ensure a facility is the right fit for your needs. Their answers can tell you a lot about how patient-centered they are, whether they support MAT, and how well they help you move through different levels of care.
Patient-centered care:
A strong program focuses on you as a whole person and does not use a one-size-fits-all plan. Look for programs that:
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Offer a range of effective, evidence-based therapies (not just one or two approaches).
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Can treat both substance use and mental health conditions when needed.
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Tailor treatment and length of stay to your goals, preferences, and progress.
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Are clear about what’s expected of you and open to involving your family or support system.
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Begin the process of preparing you for next steps in treatment from the beginning.
Questions about therapies and staff
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“What types of therapies and services do you offer (for example, individual, group, family, mental health, peer support)?”
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“Do you use evidence-based therapies? Can you give some examples?”
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“Are your staff members qualified to treat both substance use and mental health conditions?”
Questions about length of stay, insurance, and coordination
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“How do you decide how long I stay — do you base it on my progress and goals rather than a fixed timeline?”
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“How do you work with insurance to advocate for coverage for as long as I may need to meet my goals?”
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“What’s your track record with getting insurance to approve or extend coverage for your patients?”
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“What is your ratio of care coordinators to patients or clients?”
Questions about your role and your support system
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“How will I be involved in setting my treatment goals and creating my care plan?”
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“How will I be involved in monitoring my own progress in treatment?”
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“What will be expected of me during rehab (for example, groups, meetings, chores, curfews)?”
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“How can my family or support system be involved while I’m in treatment?”
Questions about culture, identity, and safety
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“Do you have experience serving people with my background or identity, and how do you make the environment welcoming and safe?
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“Do you offer group sessions in multiple languages? What interpreter services are available?”
Medications for addiction treatment (MAT):
For alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder, medications can lower your risk of relapse and overdose. Quality programs should either:
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Provide these medications on site, or
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Actively support you in getting them from an outside prescriber.
They should not pressure you to stop a helpful medication too soon or limit doses in ways that conflict with your clinical needs.
You might ask:
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“Can I start MAT quickly (for example, the same day or during detox or residential) and continue it through step-down levels of care?”
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“If you don’t prescribe on site, will you coordinate same-week access with an external MAT provider — and help with scheduling or transportation if needed?”
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“Do you complete insurance requirements, like prior authorization paperwork, so I can keep getting my medication after I leave?”
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“Do you have a maximum dose or ‘ceiling’ for buprenorphine or other MAT medications, and how flexible is that based on my needs?”
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“For substances without FDA-approved addiction medications, do you work with prescribers who may use off-label medications when clinically appropriate?”
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“For inpatient or residential care: How do you coordinate with outpatient MAT providers in preparation for discharge? Do you provide a bridge prescription until my first appointment, and is there a maximum length for that prescription?”
Services on a continuum:
Care usually works best when you can move smoothly between levels of care — for example, from detox to residential to intensive outpatient (IOP) and then weekly therapy — without long gaps.
Look for programs that:
You might ask:
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“Do you offer multiple levels of care within your organization (detox, residential, IOP, outpatient)? If not, how do you coordinate with outside programs?”
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“Is there ever a waitlist when stepping down to a lower level of care? If so, how do you bridge my care so I don’t have gaps — for example, interim groups, check-ins, or short-term medications?”
Program quality, safety, and accountability
Beyond services and medications, it’s important to understand how a program measures success, responds if you resume substance use during treatment, and protects your rights.
Measuring effectiveness and outcomes
Quality programs track how patients are doing over time and use that information to adjust care. You might ask:
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“How do you measure my progress while I’m in treatment?”
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“How do you determine whether treatment has been effective?”
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“Do you track long-term outcomes for your patients, and can you share any data or summary information?”
Handling substance use during treatment
Resuming alcohol or drug use during treatment (sometimes called a relapse or “return to use”) is common in recovery. Programs should respond with more support and adjusted care — not punishment.
You might ask:
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“What happens if I use alcohol or other drugs while I’m in treatment?”
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“Do you discharge patients for using alcohol or drugs?”
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“Are staff trained to respond if someone resumes substance use, adjust the treatment plan, and help patients move to a higher level of care when appropriate?”
Ideally, programs do not automatically discharge people for resuming use. Whenever it’s safe, they should first adjust the treatment plan so you can continue in care. If it’s not safe or effective to stay at the current level, the program should help you transition smoothly to a higher level of care.
Rights and responsibilities
You deserve to know your rights, what you can expect from the program, and how to raise concerns if needed.
You might ask:
