Expert Insights
Birmingham is having its annual CityWalk BHAM soon, and it’s for a great cause. In 2022, there were 418 confirmed overdose deaths in Jefferson County. An astounding 80% of those were related to fentanyl. By taking part in community Walks Like CityWalk BHAM, you can help make change happen. When you sign up, you can raise funds or simply show up to show your support. It helps to spread awareness about the serious drug epidemic in Birmingham and Alabama as a whole. The money collected goes towards funding addiction treatment resources in the area, something that Birmingham desperately needs – especially in the rural areas of the city without access to vital treatment resources or clinics. I hope to see more of these community efforts pop up around the country.
~ Rita Milios
Cost of Drug Rehab in Birmingham
Birmingham drug and alcohol rehab costs vary depending on whether they are inpatient or outpatient. Inpatient or residential facilities, with room and board included, generally cost more than outpatient programs. Facilities with upscale amenities, such as pools and tennis courts, are more expensive, too. And longer courses of treatment increase the cost.
Rehabilitation may be expensive, but the cost of remaining addicted is even more costly in lost health, lost relationships, and lost work.5
Many private insurances, Medicare, Medicaid, and military insurance, cover a portion of your treatment. The portion covered varies from policy to policy and is something to check before you decide on a particular facility.
Birmingham Alcohol and Drug Use Statistics

The 2021 drug overdose rate in the state of Alabama is 16.3 (per 100,000).

Drug overdoses in the first quarter of 2021 climbed 77% in Birmingham.

More than 107,000 people died from an overdose (about one person every five minutes).

Around 71,000 of those deaths are caused by fentanyl, a 126% increase.
In 2019, 17,549 people 12 years and older were treated for alcohol and substance use disorders (SUDs) in Alabama rehabs.3
Below is the breakdown:
Unfortunately, the epidemic of drug overdoses has been on the rise in Birmingham, climbing 77% in the first quarter of 2021 as compared to a year earlier. Over this same time frame, overdose deaths from fentanyl rose 126%.4
These numbers represent lives lost, grieving families, and friends wishing they could turn back the clock.
In sharing these statistics, we hope you’ll realize how important it is to get help for your substance use disorder (SUD). It is a chronic medical condition that’s treatable.
Drug and Alcohol Laws in Birmingham
Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Law: This law protects you from being charged with misdemeanor drug charges when you call 911 for someone who has overdosed. You must use your own name when calling and stay with the person who has overdosed until medical personnel arrive.34
Naloxone Access Law: Naloxone (Narcan) reverses the effects of an opioid and is used when you suspect someone has overdosed. It is a life-saving medication. Alabama’s Standing Order for Narcan allows anyone to get naloxone from a pharmacy and administer it without fear of civil or criminal liability.34, 35
Drug Court: Jefferson County Drug Court is for first-time nonviolent drug offenders. You may receive treatment rather than punishment under this program. The program lasts at least 6 months and charges are dropped after successful completion of rehab.36
Lasting recovery is within your reach. Please call one of our treatment specialists. We’re available to help you find accredited alcohol and drug rehab centers in Birmingham today.
Resources
- FindTreatment.gov. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov.
- In Birmingham. (2021). The Top 5 Reasons Birmingham is in Travel + Leisure’s “Top 50 Places to Visit in 2021.”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Vital Statistics Rapid Release.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services. (2021). Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) 2019 (Revised).
- Yurkanin, A. (2021). Health officials raise the alarm over overdose deaths in the Birmingham area. Alabama News.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020, June 3). Principles of Drug addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition): Is drug addiction treatment worth its cost?
- Alabama Department of Mental Health. (n.d.). Substance Abuse Treatment Services.
- Abraham, A. J., Andrews, C. M., Grogan, C. M., D’Aunno, T., Humphreys, K. N., Pollack, H. A., & Friedmann, P. D. (2017). The Affordable Care Act Transformation of Substance Use Disorder Treatment. American journal of public health, 107(1), 31–32.
- Healthcare.gov. (n.d.). Mental Health and Substance Abuse Coverage.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.
- Alabama Medicaid. (2022). Qualifying for Medicaid.
- Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Mental health care (inpatient).
- CMS. gov. (2021, November 12). 2022 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles.
- Medicare. gov. (n.d.). What’s Medicare Supplement Insurance?
- Alabama Department of Insurance. (2020). Insurance Companies Offering Individual Major Medical Coverage in Alabama.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. (n.d.). What Health Coverage Can Do For You.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). What is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2019, January 17). Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction DrugFacts.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020, June 3). Principles of Drug addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition): Types of Treatment Programs.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020, September 18). Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition) Principles of Effective Treatment.
- Zgierska, A., Burzinksi, C. (2016). Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Complementary Approaches Clinical Tool.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2005). Substance Abuse Treatment for Persons with Co-Occurring Disorders
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. (HHS Publication No. PEP21-07-01-003, NSDUH Series H-56). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022, June 10). Medication-Assisted Treatment
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022). Medication-Assisted Treatment
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022, April 13). Methadone.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2021). Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022, April 21). Buprenorphine.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Advisory: Sublingual and Transmucosal Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder: Review and Update.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2021). Naltrexone (ReVia).
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Medications for Opioid Use Disorders.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2015). Medication for the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder: A Brief Guide.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2021). Acamprosate (Campral)
- Alabama Public Health. (2015). HB208.
- Alabama Public Health. (2021, December 8). Pharmacy.
- Jefferson County D.A. (n.d.). Drug Court.