THE SAMHSA TREATMENT LOCATOR

If you’re beginning the search for an addiction treatment facility, either for you or someone else, all of the options can be pretty overwhelming. Do you want inpatient or outpatient? A hospital setting or something more casual? Science-based treatments or something more holistic? Do you want to stick close to home or go out of the country? If you need some help getting started, there is a tool available online through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA.

SAMHSA has a searchable list called the Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator. It’s an anonymous way to search for treatment facilities for both substance abuse and mental health disorders, and there are a variety of ways to filter the results to streamline the process.

If you aren’t terribly comfortable with technology, don’t panic. The search tool is pretty intuitive, and there are even video tutorials if you need help. Type in an address – anything from as specific as your home address to an entire state – and you’ll get a list of results with addresses, phone numbers, and additional information. You can choose how close you want the facility to be, such as less than five miles from the address you entered, or less than 100. There are pull-down menus, where you will find information such as:

• Whether the provider focuses on mental health or substance use, or both, and whether they provide treatment for other types of addiction like gambling or food
• The type of care provided (such as whether they have medically assisted detox)
• Whether the program includes medication to help with withdrawal symptoms
• Whether it’s in an outpatient or inpatient setting
• What sort of licensing or certification the facility and its staff have
• The preferred types of therapy (like cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, anger management, etc.)
• The type of payment accepted (such as private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, and military insurance) and whether any payment plans or a sliding fee scale are available
• Languages spoken by the stuff
• Whether it caters to any specific group, such as being for women only, or teenagers or LGBT people
• What the assessment or pre-therapy plan will entail
• What sort of screening or testing will take place before you’re admitted (drug or alcohol testing, whether via breathalyzer, urine test, or blood test; screening for mental health disorders)
• Whether they provide aftercare or continuing care
• Whether there are any ancillary services, meaning help with housing, employment, further mental health care, obtaining government benefits, getting out of a domestic violence situation, etc.
• What type of counseling is available (individual, group, family, marriage, HIV or AIDS)
• Whether smoking is permitted anywhere on campus.

Hopefully, having all this information at your fingertips will make the decision a little easier. If you do find a treatment center that looks right for you, call and speak to someone to confirm that all the information is still correct, particularly whether your insurance is accepted.

If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504 to get started.