The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline is a free referral service that provides information about mental health and substance use disorder treatment options. The helpline is available in both English and Spanish, and text messaging service 435748 (HELP4U) is available in English. If you are uninsured or underinsured, SAMHSA can refer you to state-funded treatment programs or facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, it is recommended that you contact your insurer for a list of participating providers and healthcare facilities.
The helpline does not ask for any personal data. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on communities across the United States. Substance abuse affects the entire family, and SAMHSA provides resources to help families understand how treatment works, how family interventions can be a first step to recovery, and how to help children from families affected by alcohol and drug abuse. Several faith groups often support drug addiction recovery in their community, offering free drug treatment financed by private donations or money from national church organizations. To participate in these free alcohol rehabilitation programs, individuals may need to be prepared to accept the spiritual aspect of their treatment program. SAMHSA's search tool allows individuals to filter programs based on their specific requirements and displays the various free inpatient rehabilitation centers and outpatient rehabilitation centers available to them.
If individuals are unable to cover the cost of rehabilitation, there are other ways to help, including private inpatient treatment centers. Most states offer affordable treatment for addiction by providing funding for drug and alcohol rehabilitation services through public mental health or abuse treatment centers. Outpatient treatment such as alcohol and drug counseling, pharmacological treatments given in the doctor's office, and patient education are covered by Medicare Part B at a rate of 80-20, meaning that Medicare pays 80% and consumer or supplemental insurance is responsible for 20% remaining. Peers work with syringe exchanges, recovery centers, alumni groups, mutual support groups including Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, and more. Yes, there are free drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers available for those who do not have the means to pay for addiction treatment. If professional rehabilitation and faith-based rehabilitation clinics are not viable options for you, seek treatment at state- and government-funded alcohol rehabilitation centers.
Use the SAMHSA Directory of Individual State Agencies for Substance Abuse Services to find the local resource to contact in your state and find affordable rehabilitation options.
