Drug & alcohol rehab centers in Washington, DC

If you carry private health insurance, your plan should provide partial or full coverage for treatment at Washington, D.C., drug rehabs or alcohol rehabs. Be aware, however, that the of your coverage depends on your provider and plan and whether local rehab facilities accept your insurance.

Popular private health insurance providers in the Washington, D.C., area include Aetna, Cigna, CareFirst, Kaiser Foundation Health Plans, Optimum Choice, and UnitedHealthcare. If you have insurance through one of these providers, it should cover a portion or all of your rehab program at local facilities that accept your plan.

Medicaid is a public health insurance program jointly funded by the federal and state governments. This type of insurance is available to eligible low-income adults, their dependents, people over the age of 65, and certain people with disabilities. If you have Medicaid, you can use your plan to help cover the cost of alcohol and drug rehab. Medicaid also provides coverage for mental health benefits, such as treatment for co-occurring disorders.⁸

Medicare is a public insurance program provided by the federal government. This type of insurance is only available to elderly individuals over the age of 65 and some younger people with disabilities. Although Medicare does cover addiction treatment, it will only pay for treatment services deemed reasonable and necessary. These services include inpatient treatment, intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), certain medications, and mental health treatments.⁹

Addiction treatment scholarships provide funding for rehab that you never have to pay back. Generally, these scholarships are only available to people who do not have the resources to pay for treatment and would not otherwise be able to enroll in a rehab program.

According to SAMHSA, there are 25 Washington, D.C., drug rehabs and alcohol rehabs that offer various forms of payment assistance.⁵ If you're interested in applying for scholarships, call the treatment facilities you're interested in to ask whether they offer financial assistance and what the requirements are.

According to SAMHSA, there are 35 Washington, D.C., drug rehabs and alcohol rehabs that offer sliding scale treatment services.⁵ These rehabs use your monthly or annual income to calculate your out-of-pocket treatment costs and only require you to pay what you can reasonably afford. If you're interested in enrolling in a local sliding scale rehab program, you can find facilities that offer income-based services by calling your health services agency. You can also reach out to our helpline at 800-681-1058 (Sponsored) for assistance locating these facilities.

If you can afford to pay for rehab out of pocket but lack the resources to pay a lump sum upfront, you may be eligible for a payment plan through your chosen rehab center. Rehab payment plans finance the total cost of your treatment and require you to pay back your balance in manageable increments over time. To qualify for this type of financing, you'll need to fill out an application and provide proof of income and information about your credit history. If approved, you'll sign a financing contract that details the length of your payment plan and payment amounts. Depending on your needs, you may be able to defer payments until your treatment program is over and you resume your job.

Whitman Walker Health has two locations in the D.C. area that provide outpatient treatment programs for adults with addiction. This facility offers both abstinence-based and harm reduction programs, as well as special services for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Specialized programming for those who use heroin, opioid, and methamphetamine is available here, as is dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders.

Life Stride offers a wide range of behavioral health services for adults and young adults with addiction and/or mental health disorders. This facility provides outpatient group programming for substance abuse, evidence-based behavioral therapies, specialized day programs for adults over the age of 55, housing support, and employment assistance.

Federal City Recovery specializes in treatment for substance use and mental health disorders and offers targeted programs for men, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Intensive residential treatment, outpatient programs, recovery and transitional housing, social detoxification, employment preparation workshops, and aftercare support are all available here.

Kolmac Outpatient Recovery is a CARF-accredited alcohol and drug rehab facility that offers a wide range of outpatient services for adults with alcohol and/or drug addiction. Detoxification, intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), standard outpatient rehab, telehealth IOPs, telehealth detox, and low-intensity virtual rehab programs are available here.

Inpatient alcohol or drug rehab in Washington, D.C., may be right for you if you live with severe addiction or a co-occurring mental health condition. Inpatient treatment takes place in a stable, highly structured residential environment that provides an inclusive and immersive setting where recovery and healing are the primary focus. Depending on your needs, you may need to undergo medical detox before your formal treatment program begins. This pretreatment program will allow you to withdraw from alcohol and/or drugs as safely as possible.

While engaged in residential treatment, you'll participate in daily therapy sessions, either individually or with a group of your peers. You'll live at the rehab facility for the duration of your treatment program, which may last 30 to 90 days. If your treatment team believes you can benefit from a longer stay, your program may last longer than three months.

Most inpatient rehab facilities provide access to a wide variety of evidence-based addiction therapies, such as talk therapy. Many also offer holistic therapies like yoga, nature therapy, art therapy, animal therapy, and meditation.

Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) provide the highest level of addiction therapy available in an outpatient setting. These programs typically provide five to seven days of treatment per week, and treatment sessions usually last several hours per day. While in treatment, you'll participate in a variety of evidence-based therapies and can return home each day when treatment concludes. Often, PHPs function as step-down treatment after inpatient rehab. This level of care may also be a good option if you have a solid support system at home and can travel daily for rehab.

Intensive outpatient programs, also called IOPs, provide three to five days of intensive addiction therapy per week, with each session lasting several hours. These programs typically involve group and individual therapy, relapse prevention education, and substance abuse education. Vocational training, life skills training, and family counseling may also be part of an IOP.

While enrolled in an IOP, you can live at home, but you must have transportation to and from each treatment session. This type of rehab program may be a good option for your needs if you must continue going to work or school or caring for family members while engaged in treatment. IOPs can also function as step-down care to help you gradually transition back to normal, daily life after inpatient treatment.

Standard outpatient programs provide the least intensive form of addiction treatment. Generally, these programs meet one to three times per week for group therapy and substance abuse education. Most programs provide five to 10 hours of treatment per week and offer flexible meeting times for persons who have other obligations like school, work, or family care. Often, standard outpatient treatment functions as a form of aftercare, which provides ongoing community and relapse prevention support.

Telehealth has grown rapidly in recent years, making many forms of behavioral healthcare more accessible to more people. If you can't travel to an alcohol or drug rehab in Washington, D.C., because you lack transportation or have other health issues, online treatment may be for you. Virtual rehab programs typically meet via video calls, so you'll need an internet-connected device to access therapy sessions. Generally, these programs provide a variety of services, which may include:¹⁰

• Substance use assessments and treatment referrals
• Group therapy
• Evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement therapy
• Individual counseling
• Peer support services

Medical detox is a pretreatment program that provides you with 24/7 supervision and care, allowing you to withdraw from substances as safely and comfortably as possible. If you need to eliminate alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, or barbiturates from your system, medical detox will likely be the first step in your addiction treatment program. Be aware that although detoxification can help you jumpstart your road to recovery, it is not treatment in and of itself. Rather, a supervised detox program will help you manage withdrawal symptoms with medications and IV fluids. It will also help ensure you're physically and mentally prepared to begin your formal rehab program.

Veteran-specific rehab programs are sensitive to retired military members' unique experiences and needs in addiction treatment. These programs not only provide invaluable support and community with other former military members but also address the mental health repercussions of involvement in active duty. Because many veterans are susceptible to developing co-occurring addiction and mental health conditions, such as PTSD, veteran rehab programs often specialize in dual diagnosis treatment.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community often experience strained family relationships, family rejection, societal pressures, homophobia, gender dysphoria, and other highly burdensome challenges. These mental, emotional, and physical challenges can contribute to substance abuse and the development of co-occurring mental health conditions, which can complicate recovery. If you identify as LGBTQ+, you may benefit from a rehab program that's sensitive to the challenges and obstacles you face, as well as your lived experiences. Being in community with other LGBTQ+ persons who are also working through recovery can provide you with invaluable support and understanding throughout your treatment program.

Men-specific rehab programs are sensitive to the unique challenges that men with addiction often face, such as career obligations, reputational damage, and societal pressure to be non-emotive. Addiction treatment programs for men can provide you with a supportive and encouraging environment where you can feel accepted and understood as you work through recovery. Men-specific programs can also provide you with valuable community with other men in treatment whom you can lean on for long-term support.

Many Washington, D.C., drug rehabs and alcohol rehabs offer women-only treatment programs that cater to the unique needs of women in recovery. These programs provide a safe, supportive space where women can talk freely about their lived experiences and unique challenges, such as traumas and partner violence. Many women-specific programs also offer special services to make treatment more accessible for women, such as childcare and educational services. Perinatal treatment services, which provide parenting education and supportive resources, are often available through women-only rehab programs, too.

Adolescents experience a wide range of developmental, cognitive, and emotional changes as they approach the transition to adulthood. Teen-specific rehab programs are sensitive to these changes and the unique needs that accompany them. Teen programs also recognize that adolescents may be more prone to co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders due to bullying and peer pressure in schools. These programs provide a supportive and understanding environment where teens can feel safe and accepted in expressing their needs and working through recovery together.

In Washington, D.C., the Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Law provides limited legal protection for any person who in good faith contacts emergency medical personnel or the police to report a suspected overdose. Neither the person experiencing an overdose nor the person who calls 911 can be arrested nor prosecuted for possession of or use of illicit substances or paraphernalia. However, this law only protects those who have illicit substances intended for personal use.¹⁴

The D.C. Naloxone Standing Order allows eligible persons to get a prescription for pharmacy-provided naloxone if they cannot obtain the medication from their healthcare provider. This law aims to reduce overdose-related deaths by providing this life-saving drug to people who are at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose.¹⁵

When your rehab program ends, aftercare begins. Also known as continuing care, aftercare provides ongoing counseling, education, and other supportive resources to help you avoid relapse and stay strong in your recovery. Your rehab program may provide aftercare support and will base your care options on your unique needs.

If you need more time in treatment at a less intensive level, a step-down care program may be part of your aftercare plan. Aside from step-down care, other supportive aftercare resources you may want access to include:¹⁶

• Peer support groups
• Recovery support groups like AA, NA, and SMART Recovery
• Sober-living housing
• Ongoing individual, family, or group counseling
• Ongoing alcohol and drug education
• Skill building and vocational training

Whatever your addiction treatment needs may be, Washington, D.C., has many alcohol and drug rehab facilities that can help you begin your path to recovery. If you need assistance finding the best rehab program for your unique needs and budget, we're always here to help. Call our free, 24/7 helpline at 800-681-1058 (Sponsored) to speak with a specialist who can help you learn more about your local rehab options.