Substance abuse treatment takes place in a wide range of different treatment settings with a variety of different treatment approaches. For example, some substance abuse treatment can be performed on an outpatient basis, where the individual will typically attend treatment during the day but is allowed to return home daily. Other substance abuse treatment requires the person to stay in a hospital or residential facility during the entire course of treatment, which is especially helpful in handling more severe cases of addiction. Inpatient and residential substance abuse treatment can be done on a short term or long term basis, depending on unique circumstances which can be different for each person. Most substance abuse treatment will focus on getting the person physically rehabilitated, and then concentrate on the root psychological and emotional issues.

Drug rehabilitation programs which are offered on an outpatient basis are available to addicted people who have circumstances which prevent them from being able to take part in an inpatient rehabilitation center. An outpatient drug and alcohol treatment facility offers many of the same services as an inpatient program, but allows for flexibility as opposed to an inpatient drug or alcohol rehabilitation facility where the person is required to remain at the rehabilitation program until treatment has been fully completed. Outpatient drug or alcohol treatment is also offered for those who have already gone through residential or inpatient treatment but also need a thorough aftercare program which will provide additional support and therapy to help them remain clean and sober.

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

Self payment substance abuse treatment programs are an outstanding alternative to other types of treatment centers i.e. private medical insurance and state funded facilities. People who are able to attend self payment programs pay for their entire rehab 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 treatment program. In order to learn more about self payment programs, make contact with a drug or alcohol rehab facility and inquire as to their payment options. It is beneficial to contact several programs so that you have a comparison of your choices regarding treatment options and payment options.

Medicaid is a type of health insurance which is made available to people in certain low-income tax brackets. Eligibility for Medicaid is dependent on income and other factors such as whether or not the individual has dependents and if they receive any other financial assistance. Medicaid may even cover the costs associated with drug treatment, and there are many drug and alcohol treatment centers throughout the country which are covered through Medicaid. Most drug rehab facilities which are covered through Medicaid may only deliver a limited treatment curriculum and may only supply such treatment on a short term basis, typically 30 days or less. People 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.

Some people are covered through state financed insurance because they do not qualify for Medicaid. Some states however offer affordable health insurance to those individuals who cannot afford private health insurance. State financed health insurance programs will in some cases cover the costs associated with substance abuse treatment at a variety of drug rehabilitation programs around the country. State financed insurance other than Medicaid may cover both inpatient or outpatient drug rehabilitation services. To find out which rehabilitation programs will accept state financed insurance, consult a drug treatment professional.

Paying for drug rehabilitation can be a problem, as all resources have been exhausted because of their drug habit. Many drug rehab programs fully grasp this reality which is why many drug rehabilitation programs across the nation offer payment arrangements 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 treatment programs would rather find a way to make it work financially so that those that need addiction help can receive the help they need.