Expert Insights
Data shows that from 2019 to 2021, the number of kids between the ages of 14 and 18 who died from accidental overdose increased by over 65%. That number was what prompted two mothers – who are also school board members – to create a new program in Virginia Beach City Public Schools that hopes to get kids thinking and talking about the dangers of drug use.
Carolyn Weems and Shannon Doyle visited several different classrooms over one week, telling students the heart-wrenching tales of losing their daughters to accidental overdoses. Shannon’s daughter had just celebrated her 16th birthday when she overdosed on fentanyl and died in her sleep. Carolyn’s daughter was 21 when she suffered a fatal overdose after injecting heroin.
The mothers hope that, by telling their daughter’s stories, they can save lives and create something positive out of such a tragic loss.
How We Rank Listings
Every facility on this page is drawn from public records and provider-reported data, then organized to help you compare your options quickly. We prioritize listings that hold current state licensure and recognized accreditation, publish the levels of care they provide and accept a range of payment types including Medicaid and private insurance.
Rankings are not paid placements. We weigh the factors that matter most to people seeking care: verified treatment services, accepted insurance and payment options, specialty programs for specific populations and accreditation from bodies such as the Joint Commission or CARF. Listings with incomplete or unverifiable information rank lower. We update this directory as new facility data becomes available, and we encourage you to confirm current services and availability directly with any provider before enrolling.
Rehab in Virginia Beach: What to Know
Virginia Beach is Virginia’s most populous city and an independent city that belongs to no specific county. It was formed in 1963 when the former Princess Anne County merged with the town of Virginia Beach. Its 25 rehab providers sit within the larger Hampton Roads region, so residents can weigh care here or across nearby Norfolk, Chesapeake and Portsmouth. You can also browse the full list of Virginia rehab centers for options beyond the city.
Public behavioral health care in the city runs through the Virginia Beach Department of Human Services, the local Community Services Board that provides substance use and mental health treatment, crisis response and same-day access to care for residents regardless of ability to pay. On the private side, Sentara Health operates hospitals and dedicated behavioral health locations across the region, giving people a mix of public and private addiction treatment options close to home.
Virginia Beach also has one of the largest military communities on the East Coast, anchored by Naval Air Station Oceana, Dam Neck Annex and nearby Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. That concentration of active-duty service members, families and veterans is why TRICARE acceptance and veteran-focused care carry real weight when you compare local programs.
Like much of Virginia, the area’s overdose picture has been driven largely by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, even as statewide overdose deaths fell sharply in 2024. Alcohol remains the most common reason people enter treatment locally, reflected in the 22 area programs that treat alcohol use disorder.
Cost of Rehab in Virginia Beach
The price of treatment in Virginia Beach depends far more on the type and length of care than on the city itself. Medical detox and residential (inpatient) stays are the most expensive because they include 24-hour supervision and housing, while standard outpatient care and medication-assisted treatment cost considerably less per week. Given the higher cost of living across the Hampton Roads region, out-of-pocket prices here tend to sit at or above the statewide average.
Cost is rarely the barrier people expect. Virginia’s Medicaid program covers a full continuum of addiction treatment, private plans are required to cover substance use care and several local providers offer sliding-scale fees or financial assistance. Verifying your insurance benefits before you enroll is the single most useful step for understanding what you will actually pay.
How to Pay for Rehab in Virginia Beach
Across the 25 rehab providers in Virginia Beach, most accept more than one form of payment, so cost does not have to stand between you and care. Here is how payment breaks down across local facilities.
The right option depends on your coverage and income. The sections below explain the most common ways people pay for treatment in the area.
Medicaid
Virginia’s Medicaid program, Cardinal Care, covers addiction treatment through its ARTS benefit (Addiction and Recovery Treatment Services), administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services. ARTS pays for the full continuum of care, from inpatient detox to outpatient counseling and medication-assisted treatment. Eleven local providers accept Medicaid, and adults earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level have been eligible since Virginia expanded Medicaid in 2019.
Medicare
Medicare covers medically necessary addiction treatment, including inpatient care, outpatient services and prescriptions used in recovery, for adults 65 and older and some younger people with disabilities. Seven Virginia Beach facilities accept Medicare. Coverage details and out-of-pocket costs vary by plan, so confirm the specifics with the facility and your plan before starting.
Military Benefits
With a Navy and veteran community this extensive, military coverage matters locally. Seven providers accept TRICARE, and veterans may also qualify for care through the VA. If you or a loved one has served, rehab resources for veterans and military families can help you understand what your benefits cover.
Insurance and Private Pay
Seventeen local centers accept private health insurance, and under federal parity rules most plans must cover substance use treatment comparably to other medical care. Twenty-four providers also accept self-payment, and two offer financing so you can spread the cost over time.
Major insurance carriers accepted at Virginia Beach-area facilities include:
- Aetna
- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Cigna
- Kaiser Permanente
- Medicaid
- Medicare
- Sentara Health Plans
- TRICARE
- UnitedHealthcare
Other Low-Cost Options
For people who are uninsured or underinsured, six providers offer financial assistance and four use sliding-scale fees based on income. The Virginia Beach Department of Human Services and area community health centers provide low-cost care as well, and treatment scholarships can help close the gap when other funding falls short.
Levels of Care Available in Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach offers a broad range of care, with 17 detox facilities, 12 inpatient rehab programs, 24 outpatient clinics, and 14 programs equipped for co-occurring mental health conditions. Choosing the right level usually starts with how severe the substance use is and whether medical supervision is needed early on.
Medical Detox
Detox is often the first step, giving the body time to clear substances under medical supervision that keeps withdrawal safe and manageable. With 17 medical detox options locally, most people can begin treatment without traveling far.
Inpatient Rehab
Inpatient or residential programs provide structured, round-the-clock care in a live-in setting, which suits people with severe use or unstable home environments. Twelve area centers offer residential treatment.
Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient care lets people live at home while attending treatment on a set schedule. It is a good fit for milder cases or as a step down after residential care. Virginia Beach has 24 outpatient rehab clinics.
Dual Diagnosis Care
Many people in treatment also live with conditions such as depression or anxiety, and 14 local programs are set up to treat substance use and mental health together rather than in isolation.
Sober Living
After formal treatment, sober living homes offer a substance-free, supportive place to rebuild daily routines. Three operate in the area, and strong aftercare planning is one of the best predictors of lasting recovery.
Specialty Programs in Virginia Beach
Treatment works best when it fits the person, and many Virginia Beach providers tailor care to specific groups. The specialty programs below reflect the populations most commonly served in the area.
Free and Low-Cost Rehab Resources in Virginia Beach
Cost and coverage should never be the reason someone goes without help. The resources below offer free or low-cost support for people in Virginia Beach, whether you need immediate crisis help, treatment referrals, or overdose-prevention supplies.
Crisis and Helplines
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 for free, confidential support 24/7. Learn more about crisis and suicide-prevention resources.
- SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357, a free and confidential 24/7 treatment referral and information line in English and Spanish.
- Virginia Beach Community Services Board crisis line: 757-385-0888 for around-the-clock behavioral health crisis help.
Virginia Beach Public Behavioral Health
- Virginia Beach Department of Human Services: 757-385-0511 for adult substance use and mental health intake, or 757-385-3200 for the main line. Care is offered on a sliding scale regardless of ability to pay. virginiabeach.gov
Community Health and Referral
- 2-1-1 Virginia: dial 211 or 1-800-230-6977 for 24/7 referrals to local health and human services. 211virginia.org
- Virginia Beach Family Medical Center: 757-425-3610, a federally qualified health center offering sliding-scale primary and behavioral health care. https://sevhs.org/
Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention
- REVIVE! Virginia: free naloxone and overdose-reversal training through the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and local health departments dbhds.virginia.gov/revive.
Veterans and Military
- Hampton VA Medical Center: 757-722-9961, serving area veterans with substance use and mental health care. Veterans in crisis can call 988 and press 1. va.gov/hampton-health-care
Medicaid and Coverage Help
- Cover Virginia: 1-855-242-8282 for help applying for Cardinal Care (Virginia Medicaid) and its ARTS addiction benefit. dmas.virginia.gov
Drug and Alcohol Use Statistics in Virginia Beach
City-level figures for Virginia Beach shift from year to year, but the statewide trend gives useful context for what local families are facing. Virginia recorded a sharp drop in overdose deaths in 2024, though fentanyl still drives the majority of them. Virginia Beach sits within the Hampton Roads region, where a 2025 Old Dominion University analysis found wide differences in substance use from one city to the next. You can weigh these figures alongside national substance use statistics for more perspective. The numbers below are statewide unless noted; confirm current Virginia Beach city figures with the Virginia Department of Health.
Resources
- Virginia Department of Health. (2025). Drug Overdose Data. https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/drug-overdose-data/
- Old Dominion University. (2025). Hidden Patterns, Urgent Realities: Uncovering Substance Misuse and Overdose Trends in Greater Hampton Roads. https://www.odu.edu/hidden-patterns-urgent-realities-uncovering-substance-misuse-and-overdose-trends-greater-hampton
- United Health Foundation. (2024). America’s Health Rankings: Excessive Drinking in Virginia (CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System). https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/ExcessDrink/VA
- Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services. (2024). Addiction and Recovery Treatment Services (ARTS) and Cardinal Care. https://www.dmas.virginia.gov/
- Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. (2024). REVIVE! Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Education. https://dbhds.virginia.gov/revive/
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2024). National Helpline. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
- City of Virginia Beach, Department of Human Services. (2025). Behavioral Health. https://hs.virginiabeach.gov/behavioral-health
- U.S. Census Bureau. (2024). American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Virginia Beach city, Virginia. https://www.census.gov/
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2025). Hampton VA Medical Center. https://www.va.gov/hampton-health-care/
