Substance abuse treatment is offered in a wide variety of different treatment settings with a variety of different treatment approaches. For example, some substance abuse treatment can be carried out on an outpatient basis, where the person will typically participate in 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 particularly 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 focus on underlying psychological and emotional issues.

Drug rehab services which are delivered on an outpatient basis are available to addicted individuals who have circumstances which prevent them from being able to participate in an inpatient rehab center. An outpatient drug rehab program provides many of the same services as an inpatient program, but allows for flexibility as opposed to an inpatient drug or alcohol treatment facility where the individual is expected to remain at the rehabilitation center until the treatment process has been fully completed. Outpatient drug or alcohol treatment is also available for individuals who have already gone through residential or inpatient treatment but also need a thorough aftercare program which will provide additional support and treatment to help them remain clean and sober.

DUI/DWI offenders are usually required to participate in a specific number of hours either in counseling, meetings or a drug or alcohol treatment program. Each state has its own requirements when it comes to sentencing for the DUI/DWI offender. Offenders who are considered to be low to moderate DUI/DWI offenders will typically be required to participate in some form of group counseling or therapy. These are sometimes referred to as "Level I & Level II Alcohol Classes". These meetings are typically held by a professional in the field of addiction recovery or a person with long-term sobriety involved in the Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous groups. DUI/DWI offenders considered to be serious offenders will likely have to serve jail time at a minimum before beginning their mandatory counseling or alcohol rehab program.

Criminal justice clients frequently need drug or alcohol treatment because of their problems with drug or alcohol addiction. Due to the nature of the criminal justice system, there are distinct steps and guidelines that must be adhered to in order to be accepted into a criminal justice drug or alcohol rehab facility or recovery program. The initial step is to determine the criminal justice clients eligibility. This step is accomplished by a panel of officials who determine how much and what type of substance abuse [[[rehabilitation is necessary. Sometimes, the criminal justice clients obtain their substance abuse rehabilitation while they are incarcerated. For optimum results, they are encouraged, if not strictly directed, to continue their recovery once they leave jail and enroll in sober living or a long-term residential transitional living program.

There are more and more Spanish speaking clients walking into drug and alcohol treatment facilities every day needing help. Because Spanish is such a common language in this country, many substance abuse treatment programs are prepared to deliver services to Spanish speaking individuals. Additionally, many treatment professionals make it a point to learn the language so as to be able to provide the support and therapy needed for Spanish speaking clients.

Self payment drug and alcohol rehab centers are a great alternative to other types of rehabilitation programs i.e. private medical insurance and state funded programs. 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 drug or alcohol treatment program. In order to learn more about self payment at a specific program, make contact with a drug treatment facility and ask about their payment options. It is a good idea to contact a number of programs so that you have a comparison of your choices regarding rehab options and payment options.