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NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

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NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator

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  • What to Know About Alcohol Treatment
  • How to Find Quality Alcohol Treatment
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  • What to Know About Alcohol Treatment
    • What Is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)?
    • What Types of Alcohol Treatment Are Available?
    • Why Do Different People Need Different Options?
    • What About Costs and Insurance?
  • How to Find Quality Alcohol Treatment
    • Step 1: SEARCH Trusted Sources
    • Step 2: ASK 10 Questions
    • Step 3: CHOOSE Quality Care
  • Support Through the Process
    • Starting the Conversation
    • Managing Expectations
    • Understanding Relapse
    • Long-term Recovery Support
    • Caretaker Support Resources
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Toolkit for Your Search
  • Spread the Word
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FIND YOUR WAY TO QUALITY ALCOHOL TREATMENT

In addition to in-person options, you can access alcohol treatment
through telehealth services and other online options.
Learn how to find quality care
for yourself or a loved one or for patients or clients.

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  1. What if I can't find a nearby addiction therapist?

    If you want to work with an a therapist with an addiction specialty but cannot find one using the directory we offer, here are some additional suggestions:

    • The American Psychological Association maintains a database of clinical psychologists throughout the United States. These are usually PhD-level psychologists with a variety of specialties. Go to their website (locator.apa.org/), enter your zip code, and select “Addictions/Substance” from the drop-down list labeled “Area of Specialization.” If you find one near you, remember to call and ask the 10 recommended questions before scheduling an appointment.
    • If necessary, you might consider traveling to a distant addiction therapist for a consultation that includes a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan that could be carried out in collaboration with providers closer to your home. Call ahead to explain your situation and arrange a visit.
    • In many states, insurance companies and Medicaid have begun to cover “telehealth” services. This can include telephone or video sessions with professional health care providers, including licensed therapists. You might ask a therapist whether this option is available. Check with your insurance company about coverage.
  2. What if I can't find a nearby board-certified addiction doctor?

    If you want to work with a doctor with an addiction specialty but cannot find one using the directory we offer, here are some additional suggestions:

    • Check with the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), which is the professional organization for physicians who have an interest in treating addiction. Some physicians may be interested in (and good at) treating people with alcohol and drug problems, but they may not have completed the board certification process. You can find out if there is one near you by contacting the chapter president for the ASAM chapter in your state. Find that person’s contact information at the ASAM State Chapters page.
    • If there is not an ASAM-affiliated doctor near you, you might try working with your own or your loved one’s primary care doctor. We recommend this especially if the person has a medical condition that needs monitoring in addition to an alcohol use disorder. NIAAA has developed a Clinician’s Guide called Helping Patients Who Drink Too Much that is designed to help doctors and other health professionals feel more comfortable assessing and treating alcohol use disorder. You might share this link to the Clinician’s Guide with your doctor, or download it and bring it with you to an appointment.
    • If there are no nearby options, you might consider a single day of travel to a distant board-certified addiction medicine or psychiatry specialist for a consultation. A goal would be to have him or her conduct a comprehensive assessment and create a treatment plan that could be carried out closer to home in collaboration with your local primary care physician and a nearby therapist. Call ahead to explain your situation and arrange a visit.
    • In many states, insurance companies have begun to cover “telehealth” services that link physicians or therapists to patients by phone or video conference that might be used for counseling and follow-up. Check with your insurance company about coverage.
  3. What are some possible components of continuing care?

    A variety of recovery support services are available. As with treatment services, continuing care services will vary from one person to the next depending on their specific needs.

    • The best-known type of continuing care is involvement in a mutual support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or SMART Recovery, in which persons in recovery meet with peers to share their experience and support.
    • Professional counselors might provide telephone-based continuing care (sometimes called recovery management “checkups”), in which they call the patient periodically to check in and to provide or arrange for any additional needed support.
    • Recovery coaching involves one-on-one support from a peer recovery support specialist.
    • If needed, recovery housing (sometimes called “sober living” or a “halfway house”) is available for people who need the time and support to transition from a structured treatment setting back into their community.
    • For people requiring ongoing monitoring as part of a formal job-based or criminal justice program, continuing care might also include periodic alcohol and drug testing, with support available to prevent or interrupt a relapse.
  4. What is relapse? Does it mean treatment didn’t work?

    Relapse is a return to drinking after a period of abstinence. Relapse is common among people in treatment for alcohol use disorder. People with an alcohol problem are most likely to relapse during periods of stress or when exposed to people or places associated with past drinking.

  5. Why Do Different People Need Different Options?

    Searching for alcohol treatment? Learn why different people may need different types of treatment and what information to gather before you start your search.

  6. What about mutual help groups? How can they be helpful?

    Many individuals find that participation in mutual help groups helps to reinforce and extend the benefits of professional alcohol treatment services. These groups—including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), SMART Recovery, Women for Sobriety, and others—provide a ready-made social network that is supportive of recovery and abstinence.

  7. Frequently Asked Questions: Searching for Alcohol Treatment

    Find answers to common questions about alcohol use disorder, alcohol treatment, and how to search for treatment providers.

  8. Q&As FOR ALCOHOL TREATMENT PROGRAMS

    As you seek treatment for alcohol use disorder, see the 10 questions to ask accredited treatment programs, and the answers to listen for, before making your decision.

  9. Q&As FOR THERAPISTS WITH ADDICTION SPECIALTIES

    As you seek alcohol treatment, see the 10 questions to ask addiction therapists (psychologists, counselors, and social workers), and the answers to listen for, before making your decision.

  10. What About Costs and Insurance?

    Concerned about paying for alcohol treatment? Find out about comparing the costs of different kinds of alcohol treatment, the role of health insurance, and options for people with a limited budget.

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