Substance abuse treatment takes place in a wide variety of distinct treatment settings with a variety of different treatment methods. For example, some substance abuse treatment can be performed on an outpatient basis, where the person will typically attend treatment during the day but is allowed to return home daily. Other substance abuse treatment requires the person to reside in a hospital or residential facility during the entire course of treatment, which is especially beneficial in resolving more serious cases of addiction. Inpatient and residential substance abuse treatment can be done on a short term or long term basis, depending on various circumstances which can be different for each individual. Most substance abuse treatment will focus on getting the person physically rehabilitated, and then focus on the root psychological and emotional issues which will help them avoid relapse in the future.

Detoxification is generally the very first step in getting off drugs. It enables an individual to be in a supervised setting while they go through withdrawal symptoms for drugs and/or alcohol. There are different types of detoxification. Theyvary from drug-free to medically supervised. A frequent mistake that many addicts make is to think that detox is sufficient to kick their habit. This is seldom the case. All detox does is get somebody through the withdrawal when they stop using. It is always recommended that detox be followed up with some type of treatment plan to uncover the root of why a person was using drugs in the first place.

Methadone detoxification is a course of action which must be overseen by drug addiction professionals within a drug rehab program who realize how difficult and challenging methadone detox can be. Methadone detox is regarded to be far more severe in terms of symptoms and duration than even heroin detox, and users often revert back to methadone to ease withdrawal symptoms or, worse yet, turn to heroin or prescription opioids to relieve symptoms. This is why methadone detox must only be done under strict supervision at a drug rehabilitation facility which has practical experience in dealing with this type of detox, and where the person can receive additional treatment services to deal with all addiction issues.

Hospital inpatient substance abuse rehabilitation is performed in a hospital or similar setting and is overseen by doctors and other medical staff. Hospital inpatient treatment is often necessary in the beginning stages of abstinence when the person may encounter the onset of life threatening withdrawal symptoms, which is sometimes true when quitting alcohol as well as a category of prescription drugs known as benzodiazepines which should be monitored very carefully by medical professionals to minimize ant dangerous health complications. Hospital inpatient treatment is also administered to individuals who choose to undergo medication assisted withdrawal, as is the case with opiate addicted individuals who wish to use this type of detoxification technique to manage the harsh withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin or other opiate withdrawal. This type of opiate detoxification is not treatment in itself however, and these people will need additional counseling and therapy to completely recover from addiction.

Drug treatment services which are provided on an outpatient basis are available to addicted individuals who have circumstances which prevent them from being able to take part in an inpatient rehabilitation program. An outpatient drug and alcohol treatment center provides many of the same services as an inpatient program, but allows for flexibility as opposed to an inpatient drug rehabilitation facility where the individual is expected to remain at the treatment facility until treatment is complete. Outpatient drug or alcohol rehab is also available for those who have completed residential or inpatient treatment but also need a thorough aftercare program which will offer further support and treatment 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 people particularly more vulnerable to becoming involved in substance abuse, 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 required. Deaf or hearing impaired persons will require ASL or other assistance as part of their treatment needs, and there are drug rehabilitation centers available which cater to these needs. Professional substance abuse counselors who know ASL and can provide other necessary assistance to deaf or hearing impaired substance abusers.

Self payment drug rehab centers are an excellent alternative to other types of rehab centers i.e. private medical insurance and state funded programs. People who are able to attend self payment programs pay for their entire treatment 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 rehabilitation program. In order to learn more about self payment programs, contact a drug or alcohol treatment program and ask about their payment options. It is beneficial to contact several programs so that you have an understanding of your choices with regards to treatment options and payment methods.

Medicaid is a type of health insurance which is made available to individuals 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 financial assistance. Medicaid may even cover the costs associated with drug rehab, and there are many drug rehab centers throughout the country which are covered through Medicaid. Many drug and alcohol rehabilitation 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. People who have Medicaid should explore which programs cover the greatest amount of treatment for the most amount of time to acquire the full rewards of a Medicaid rehab program.

Drug addiction and alcoholism affects many older Americans and seniors, and this issue is projected to only worsen in the coming years. Seniors who are covered by Medicare, an insurance program funded through the federal government for Americans in this age bracket, can use their Medicare benefits to receive treatment services for substance abuse at a variety of substance abuse treatment programs around the country. Medicare covers both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs, and seniors who wish to receive treatment can consult with their primary care physician to choose a treatment program covered by Medicare which would fit his or her particular needs.

Some individuals are covered through state financed insurance because they do not meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid. Some states however offer affordable health insurance to those individuals who cannot afford private health insurance plans. State financed health insurance programs will sometimes cover the costs associated with substance abuse treatment at a wide variety of drug and alcohol rehab facilities around the country. State financed insurance other than Medicaid may cover both inpatient or outpatient substance abuse rehab providers. To find out which rehab programs will accept state financed insurance, speak with a substance abuse treatment advisor.

When someone is abusing drugs or alcohol and is looking for help, many effective substance abuse rehabilitation facilities accept private health insurance. Whereas some outpatient and short term rehab facilities accept private health insurance, far more effective substance abuse rehab facilities which provide an inpatient or residential stay for at least 90 days are also an available option. These programs which accept private health insurance can vary in terms of treatment curriculum, but those individuals who are covered by private health insurance are fortunate enough to have financial assistance when it comes to attending a drug or alcohol rehabilitation facility. For more information, consult with a treatment professional at a drug rehabilitation facility in your area to find out which services your private health insurance will cover.