Hospital inpatient drug or alcohol rehabilitation is performed in a hospital or similar setting and is overseen by doctors and other medical staff. Hospital inpatient treatment is sometimes necessary in the beginning stages of abstinence when the client may encounter the onset of life threatening withdrawal symptoms, which is sometimes the case when quitting alcohol as well as a category of prescription drugs known as benzodiazepines which should be supervised very carefully by medical professionals to minimize ant dangerous health complications. Hospital inpatient treatment is also delivered to individuals who desire a medication assisted withdrawal, as is the case with individuals who are addicted to opiates and wish to use this type of detoxification approach to avoid the harsh withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin or other opiate withdrawal. This type of opiate detox is not treatment in itself however, and these people will require additional counseling and therapy to completely recover from addiction.

Drug or alcohol treatment services which are offered on an outpatient basis are available to addicted individuals who have circumstances which prevent them from being able to take part in an inpatient treatment facility. An outpatient drug rehabilitation facility delivers many of the same services as an inpatient program, but allows for flexibility as opposed to an inpatient drug or alcohol rehab facility where the person is expected to remain at the treatment program until the treatment process is complete. Outpatient drug or alcohol rehabilitation is also available for those who have already gone through residential or inpatient treatment but require a comprehensive aftercare program which will offer additional support and treatment to help them remain clean and sober.

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

Criminal justice clients often need drug treatment because of their problems with drug and alcohol abuse. Due to the nature of the criminal justice system, there are specific steps and guidelines that must be adhered to in order to be admitted into a criminal justice drug or alcohol rehabilitation facility or recovery program. The first step is to determine the criminal justice clients eligibility. This step is completed by a panel of officials who decide how much and what type of drug or alcohol is necessary. Often, the criminal justice clients receive their drug and alcohol treatment while they are incarcerated. For the best possible results, they are encouraged, if not strictly directed, to continue their recovery process once they leave jail and enroll in a sober living home or a therapeutic community.

People can become addicted to drugs no matter their handicap, disability or personal physical challenge. This sometimes makes individuals particularly more vulnerable to becoming involved in drug or alcohol use, because of the difficult challenges that this can bring about in the individual'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 necessary. Deaf or hearing impaired persons will require ASL or other assistance as part of their treatment needs, and there are drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs available which provide these services. Professional treatment counselors who know ASL and can offer other necessary assistance to deaf or hearing impaired substance abusers.

Military health insurance usually pertains to TRICARE and is a commonly recognized insurance for specific drug rehab programs. A drug rehab that accepts military insurance will typically accept most other types of insurance as well. TRICARE generally covers detoxification, rehabilitation and outpatient treatment.