Types of Treatment Facilities

Outpatient, inpatient, residential, detox, and MAT — what each level of care means and when it's appropriate.

The Continuum of Care

Treatment for substance use and mental health conditions is not one-size-fits-all. The appropriate level of care depends on the severity of the condition, medical risk, living situation, and prior treatment history. SAMHSA and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) describe a continuum of care — ranging from early intervention to intensive inpatient — designed so people can step up or step down based on their needs.

PlainRecovery lets you filter facilities by care type so you can identify which facilities offer the level of care you need.

Outpatient Treatment

Outpatient programs are the most common level of care. You attend scheduled appointments — individual therapy, group counseling, medication management, or peer support — and return to your home or housing after each session. Outpatient care varies significantly in intensity:

Standard outpatient: 1-3 sessions per week, typically 1 hour each. Suitable for early-stage or mild-severity conditions, or as ongoing maintenance after more intensive treatment.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): 9+ hours per week across multiple days. Structured group and individual therapy, usually in the morning or evening to allow work or family responsibilities.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP): 20-30+ hours per week. Near-daily structured programming without overnight stay. A middle level between outpatient and residential.

Outpatient care is generally most appropriate when a person has stable housing, a supportive home environment, and does not require around-the-clock medical supervision.

Residential Treatment

Residential programs require clients to live on-site for the duration of treatment, typically 28 to 90 days though some long-term programs run 6-12 months. The structured environment removes people from settings that may trigger substance use, while providing intensive therapy, peer community, and daily routines that support recovery.

Short-term residential (28-30 days): Often called "28-day programs." A foundation of group and individual therapy, psychoeducation, and relapse prevention planning.
Long-term residential (90+ days): Research consistently shows that longer stays are associated with better long-term outcomes, especially for severe or chronic substance use disorders.
Therapeutic communities: A specific model of long-term residential treatment emphasizing peer accountability, structured daily living, and community as the treatment agent.
Sober living / halfway houses: A step-down from residential treatment that provides supervised, substance-free housing while residents work or attend outpatient programming.

Inpatient / Hospital-Based Treatment

Inpatient treatment takes place in a hospital or medically supervised facility with 24-hour nursing and clinical staff. It is reserved for situations with significant medical or psychiatric risk — acute withdrawal with potential for seizures, co-occurring severe mental illness, or medical complications that require monitoring. Stays are typically shorter than residential programs (days to 1-2 weeks) because inpatient care is intensive and expensive. Discharge usually leads to a residential or outpatient step-down program.

Medical Detoxification

Detox is the managed process of clearing substances from the body under clinical supervision. It addresses the acute physical phase of withdrawal — which can range from uncomfortable to life-threatening depending on the substance. Detox is not treatment by itself; it must be followed by a rehabilitation program to address the behavioral and psychological components of addiction.

Alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can cause seizures and death — these substances require medically supervised detox, not self-managed withdrawal at home. Opioid withdrawal, while extremely uncomfortable, is rarely fatal in otherwise healthy adults, but medical supervision significantly improves the experience and reduces dropout rates.

Browse facilities offering detox services in the PlainRecovery search tool.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

MAT uses FDA-approved medications alongside counseling to treat opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder. It is the most evidence-supported treatment for opioid addiction, associated with reduced overdose mortality, reduced illicit drug use, and improved treatment retention.

Common MAT medications include:

Methadone: A long-acting opioid agonist dispensed daily at certified Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs). Requires daily clinic visits initially, with take-home doses earned over time.
Buprenorphine (Suboxone, Subutex, Sublocade): A partial opioid agonist available by prescription in office-based outpatient settings. More accessible than methadone for many patients.
Naltrexone (Vivitrol): An opioid antagonist that blocks the effects of opioids. Available as a monthly injection. No abuse potential but requires full detox before starting.

Find facilities offering MAT services on PlainRecovery.

Mental Health vs. Substance Use Specialization

Some facilities specialize exclusively in substance use treatment, others in mental health treatment, and many offer integrated dual-diagnosis programs that address both simultaneously. Because mental health conditions and substance use disorders commonly co-occur — anxiety, depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorder are all strongly associated with substance use — integrated programs are often the most effective for people dealing with both.

When reviewing a facility, check whether it treats your specific condition and substance, and whether it has staff licensed to handle both mental health and addiction medicine if you need integrated care. See our guide on finding the right treatment facility for more evaluation criteria.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between outpatient and inpatient treatment?

Outpatient treatment means you attend scheduled sessions (therapy, counseling, medication management) and return home afterward. Inpatient treatment means you stay at the facility around the clock — typically in a hospital setting — for intensive medical care. Inpatient is used when there are serious medical or psychiatric risks that require 24-hour monitoring. Outpatient is appropriate when you have stable housing, a supportive environment, and a lower-acuity level of need.

What is residential treatment and how does it differ from inpatient?

Residential treatment involves living at the facility for weeks to months in a structured therapeutic environment, but without the acute medical intensity of inpatient hospitalization. Residents follow a daily schedule of group therapy, individual counseling, life skills work, and peer support. Residential programs are well-suited for people who need to step away from their home environment to focus fully on recovery. Most residential programs do not provide the same level of acute medical monitoring as hospital inpatient programs.

What is Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)?

MAT combines FDA-approved medications with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat substance use disorders. For opioid use disorder, common MAT medications include methadone (dispensed daily at certified opioid treatment programs), buprenorphine (prescribed by waivered providers in outpatient settings), and naltrexone (an opioid blocker). For alcohol use disorder, medications include naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram. MAT is considered the gold standard evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder and significantly reduces mortality risk.

What happens during detox?

Medical detoxification (detox) is the supervised process of clearing substances from the body while managing withdrawal symptoms. Detox can be medically managed (hospital or residential setting with 24-hour clinical supervision) or clinically managed (residential setting with clinical staff available but less intensive monitoring). Detox alone is not treatment — it is the first step before entering a rehabilitation program. For alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal, medical supervision is essential because withdrawal can be life-threatening.

Can a facility treat both substance use and mental health at the same time?

Yes. Facilities that treat co-occurring disorders (sometimes called dual diagnosis programs) address both substance use disorders and mental health conditions simultaneously. This integrated approach is considered best practice because the two conditions frequently co-occur and each can worsen the other if left untreated. Look for facilities that describe themselves as offering "dual diagnosis," "co-occurring disorders," or "integrated treatment" when both types of care are needed.

What is a partial hospitalization program (PHP) or intensive outpatient program (IOP)?

PHP and IOP are levels of care between standard outpatient and residential treatment. A Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) typically involves 5-6 hours of structured programming per day, 5 days per week — more intensive than standard outpatient but allowing you to return home each evening. An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) usually means 3 hours of programming, 3-5 days per week. Both are often used as step-down levels after residential or inpatient care, or as a higher level of support before inpatient care is needed.

Sources

SAMHSA — Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator (findtreatment.gov)
SAMHSA — Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs)
American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) — Patient Placement Criteria
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) — Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction

Related Guides

This content is for informational purposes only. If you or someone you know needs help, call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

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