Recovery Guides

Understand your treatment options and how to find the right care using official federal data.

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Call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 — free, confidential, 24/7, 365 days a year. This content is for informational purposes only.

Understanding Treatment Data

What SAMHSA tracks, how facilities report to the Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator, and what the data tells you about care availability.

Types of Treatment Facilities

Outpatient vs. inpatient vs. residential, detox services, MAT programs, and the difference between mental health and substance use specialization.

Finding Treatment Near You

How to use PlainRecovery to find the right facility, what to look for in a treatment program, and how to navigate insurance and payment options.

Types of Addiction Treatment Programs

Compare inpatient vs. outpatient, medical detox, MAT, IOP, PHP, 12-step, and specialized programs. Includes ASAM levels of care and cost ranges.

How to Choose the Right Facility

Step-by-step guide: verifying insurance, checking licensure and accreditation, evaluating clinical staff, matching specialization, and red flags to avoid.

Understanding Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

What MAT is, how methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone compare, the evidence behind MAT, and how to find providers.

How to Pay for Addiction Treatment

Insurance coverage, Medicaid, sliding-fee scales, state-funded programs, and financial aid options for substance use treatment.

Methodology

Our guides are based on publicly available data from authoritative government sources. All statistics, ratings, and figures cited in these guides are drawn directly from official datasets and publications, with sources clearly referenced throughout.

We aim to present complex government data in plain language that is accessible to general audiences. When methodologies differ between data sources or change over time, we note these variations inline. Our editorial process includes regular reviews to ensure accuracy and timeliness of the information presented.