Credentials, costs and the care actually provided
NAATP recommends looking for accreditation from CARF or The Joint Commission, along with state licensing that covers every level of care a program offers. The association cautions against "Top Ten Treatment" lists, rankings that cannot be verified, and commercial directories that appear to be informational resources while offering treatment-placement help.
The association also warns that some providers describe their services as residential or inpatient treatment when they actually combine outpatient care with unlicensed housing.
Offers of free travel, no out-of-pocket costs, assistance obtaining insurance or other substantial gifts or incentives can signal potential insurance fraud, according to NAATP. Such offers may also constitute illegal inducements.
Finding a program and getting a referral
The federal treatment directory covers thousands of facilities with different services and payment options. According to rehab.help, an independent guide that uses SAMHSA's FindTreatment.gov directory for its finder, the directory contained 11,833 substance use treatment facilities in 54 states and territories as of October 2026.
Among those facilities, 9,569 accepted Medicaid, 2,318 offered detox services, 2,541 provided residential programs and 1,506 were certified methadone clinics.
For referral assistance, SAMHSA's National Helpline is available at 1-800-662-4357 around the clock in English and Spanish. The service is free and confidential; people can also text their ZIP code to 435748. Rehab.help notes that FindTreatment.gov recommends contacting another program when a facility cannot offer an appointment within 48 hours.
Telehealth access and its limits
An initial six-month supply of buprenorphine for opioid use disorder can be prescribed through telemedicine, including an audio-only visit, under a Drug Enforcement Administration rule in effect since December 31, 2025. The prescriber must first check the state's prescription drug monitoring program, according to the treatment guide addictions.com, last updated October 30, 2026.
A separate timeline applies to Medicare: its remaining temporary telehealth flexibilities for addiction treatment continue through December 31, 2027, the guide reports.
Recovery, co-occurring conditions and treatment duration
The 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, published by SAMHSA in 2026 and summarized by addictions.com, found that 30.6 million U.S. adults said alcohol or drugs had been a problem for them at some point. Within that group, 22.3 million identified themselves as being in recovery or having recovered.
The survey also found that 18.5 million adults had both a substance use disorder and a mental illness. Of that group, 57.4%, or 10.6 million people, received substance use treatment or mental health treatment during 2025.
Relapse rates for drug addiction range from 40% to 60%, compared with 50% to 70% for hypertension and asthma, according to NIDA figures summarized by addictions.com. NIDA also says most people require at least three months of treatment to substantially reduce or stop drug use, and that longer treatment yields the best outcomes, according to rehab.help.
