Methodology & Data Sources

Primary Data Source

All facility data comes from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) — specifically the National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (N-SUMHSS). This is the annual federal census of all known substance use disorder and mental health treatment facilities in the United States.

SAMHSA conducts the N-SUMHSS annually, surveying facilities through the National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs. The survey is voluntary but achieves very high participation rates because facilities use SAMHSA's Treatment Locator as a referral source.

Cross-referenced where available with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) research literature, the CDC's Overdose Prevention program, and the DEA Diversion Control Division for context on treatment approach efficacy and licensing requirements.

What the Survey Covers

Each facility record in our database reflects what the facility reported to SAMHSA. Fields include:

  • Location (address, county, state)
  • Services offered (detox, residential, outpatient, MAT, telehealth)
  • Populations served (adults, adolescents, veterans, LGBTQ+, pregnant women, criminal justice clients)
  • Treatment approaches (12-step, cognitive behavioral, trauma-informed)
  • Medications offered (methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone)
  • Payment options (Medicaid, Medicare, sliding scale, free)
  • Insurance accepted

Processing Pipeline

We download SAMHSA's annual N-SUMHSS dataset and process it through our ETL pipeline to build searchable state and service-type views. Each facility record is parsed to extract location data, service offerings, treatment approaches, populations served, medications offered, and payment options. Facility details are presented exactly as reported in the survey. We do not add or infer service information not present in the original data.

State-level summaries aggregate facility-level data to count the number of facilities by service type, population served, payment accepted, and treatment approach. This provides an overview of treatment availability in each state, helping users understand the landscape of available resources in their area. Geographic coverage spans all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and US territories.

Data Collection Method

SAMHSA mails the N-SUMHSS survey annually to all known substance use disorder and mental health treatment facilities identified through the National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs, state substance abuse agencies, and prior survey responses. Facilities self-report their services, payment options, and populations served. SAMHSA performs follow-up with non-responding facilities to maximize coverage. The resulting dataset represents the most comprehensive federal inventory of addiction treatment resources in the United States.

Update Schedule

SAMHSA conducts the N-SUMHSS annually and publishes the results approximately 12 months after the survey year. We update our database when each new annual release becomes available. Between releases, facility information may become outdated as facilities open, close, change services, or update insurance acceptance policies. For the most current information, always contact a facility directly before visiting.

Important Limitations

  • N-SUMHSS is a point-in-time annual survey. Facility offerings, bed availability, and operational status change between survey years.
  • Not all treatment providers participate in the survey. Facilities not in the N-SUMHSS do not appear in our database.
  • Private practitioners and solo counselors who do not operate as facilities are generally not included in the N-SUMHSS.
  • Always call a facility to verify current services, bed availability, insurance acceptance, and whether they are accepting new patients before visiting.
  • PlainRecovery does not provide medical advice. Facility listing is not an endorsement of quality of care.

Crisis Resources

If you or someone you know needs immediate help with substance use or mental health issues, please contact one of these free, confidential resources:

  • SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English and Spanish)
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 for crisis support

Not Affiliated

PlainRecovery is not affiliated with SAMHSA, the Department of Health and Human Services, or any government agency or treatment facility. We are an independent data portal making SAMHSA treatment facility data more accessible.