Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders must handle both issues if there is any hope for them to recover completely. Some people take drugs or alcohol to alleviate symptoms of mental health problems, and some individuals take drugs which then, in turn, causes symptoms which mimic mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. Addiction treatment professionals know how to differentiate between the two, and can work with clients to appropriately treat real mental health conditions in tandem with any other substance abuse treatment that is done with the person. This has proven to be effective in keeping individuals with mental health problems off of drugs and mentally stable and healthy.

People can become addicted to drugs or alcohol no matter their handicap, disability or personal physical challenge. This sometimes makes individuals particularly more vulnerable to becoming involved in substance abuse, because of the various challenges that this can bring about in the person's life. This is true for those people in the deaf and hearing impaired community as well, and treatment for substance abuse and addiction is sometimes required. Deaf or hearing impaired individuals will need ASL or other assistance as part of their treatment needs, and there are drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers available which provide these services. Professional substance abuse counselors who know ASL and can provide other necessary assistance to deaf or hearing impaired substance abusers.

Self payment drug and alcohol treatment facilities are a great alternative to other types of rehabilitation facilities i.e. private medical insurance and state funded programs. Individuals who are able to attend self payment programs pay for their entire rehabilitation process out of pocket. Keep in mind though, this does not mean that they will not have access to financial assistance if needed. It just means that self payment is their primary method of covering the cost of their substance abuse rehab program. In order to learn more about self payment programs, make contact with a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program and ask about their payment options. It is a good idea to contact several programs so that you have a comparison of your choices with regards to rehab options and payment methods.

Medicaid is a type of health insurance which is accessible to people in certain low-income tax brackets. Eligibility for Medicaid is dependent on income and other circumstances such as whether or not the person has dependents and if they receive any other assistance. Medicaid may even cover the costs associated with drug or alcohol rehab, and there are many drug and alcohol treatment facilities throughout the country which are covered through Medicaid. Many drug rehab programs which are covered through Medicaid may only deliver a limited treatment curriculum and may only deliver such treatment on a short term basis, usually 30 days or less. Individuals who have Medicaid should explore which programs cover the greatest amount of treatment for the most amount of time to reap the full rewards of a Medicaid rehab program.

Paying for drug treatment can be a challenge, because typically all resources have been exhausted because of the persons addiction. Many drug treatment facilities fully grasp this fact which is why many drug and alcohol rehab programs across the nation provide payment options known as a sliding scale fee. There are various variables put into the equation of determining what the fee will be from person to person, and these factors are based on individual circumstances such as income, cash on hand, living circumstances, the size of one's family etc. Sliding scale fees have been in use for some time as most drug and alcohol treatment programs would rather find a way to make it work financially so that those suffering with addiction can receive the help they need.