Drug and Alcohol Treatment Programs in Alabama

Alcohol and Drug Rehab Centers in Alabama

Alabama offers numerous choices for patients seeking drug rehab services, including

Alabama's addiction treatment services make it easier for patients to find a program that fits their circumstances and rehab goals.

About 13.7% of Alabama's drug rehab services are long-term residential programs where patients live at the treatment facility and receive intensive, round-the-clock support during their recovery for more than 30 days.

In addition, that state's rehab programs often provide specialized services for specific demographics in order to tailor treatment to the unique needs of individual groups.

Alabama Drug Rehab Breakdown

Demographic Breakdown (By percentage of drug rehab facilities):

• Adult women: 39.6 percent
• Pregnant or postpartum women: 21.9 percent
• Adolescents: 31.3 percent
• Adult men: 37.5 percent
• Seniors: 13.5 percent
• LGBT: 11.5 percent
• Patients with co-occurring mental health disorders: 53.1 percent
• Patients who have suffered domestic abuse: 25 percent
• Veterans: 13.5 percent
• Payment Options Breakdown (By percentage of drug rehab facilities):
• Cash or self-payment: 90.2 percent
• Private insurance: 71.9 percent
• Medicaid: 67.3 percent
• Sliding fee: 66 percent
• Federal military insurance: 43.1 percent
• Medicare: 29.4 percent
• ITU funds: 3.9 percent
• Free or minimal cost treatment: 2 percent

With so many specialized programs and payment options, there is a treatment program for anyone seeking support in Alabama.

Treatment Approaches in Alabama

12 Step Programs

12-step programs guide individuals toward recovery through 12 principles, or actions. Typically combined with regular meetings with other addicts, these programs provide structure, community, and support to encourage a long lasting recovery. These programs are also effective: One study of veterans found that the group who attended a 12-step program experienced an abstinence rate at 18 months that was twice as high as those who did not.

Dual Diagnosis/Co-Occurring

Individuals who struggle with addiction often also struggle with mental health issues such as depression or anxiety. According to a report by SAMHSA, 9.5 million people in 2019 suffered from both a mental illness and substance abuse disorder. In an effort to meet these patients' complex needs, more than half of all rehab programs in Alabama treat patients who have a dual diagnosis.

Detox

Detox is often the first step in recovery. During detox, patients undergo medical supervision while the drugs and/or alcohol leave their systems. Usually, detox programs within Alabama are part of a medical center or standalone detox center that provides the medical support patients need to safely withdraw from the substance to which they are addicted. These centers will usually direct patients to additional rehab programs, such as long-term inpatient rehab, after they complete their detox.

Short-Term Inpatient Rehab

Rehab programs of less than 30 days where patients live at the rehab facility and receive services round the clock are called short-term inpatient rehab. About 9.2 percent of the rehab programs in Alabama provide this type of service.

Long-Term Residential Rehab

Long-term residential rehab refers to programs that provide inpatient care for more than 30 days. These intensive programs can help patients to overcome longstanding or complex addictions. Within Alabama, 13.7 percent of programs are classified as long-term residential rehab, with specializations that include many demographic groups.

Rehab Costs In Alabama

No one in Alabama should hesitate to seek addiction recovery support because of concerns about cost. The exact costs of rehab vary depending upon factors such as the following:

• Rehab program
• Therapy
• Aftercare
• Insurance coverage
• And more

However, Alabama and the rehab programs within the state, provide options for affordable rehab support, regardless of an individual's financial circumstances or insurance.

Medicaid and Medicare for Addiction Rehab

According to SAMHSA, 67.3 percent of rehab facilities in Alabama accept Medicaid payment for drug and alcohol rehab. A smaller percentage, 29.4 percent, of programs accept Medicare. These federal programs provide healthcare coverage for individuals who meet certain low income requirements, and include drug and alcohol rehab under this coverage. Often, rehab expenses are fully covered for patients with Medicaid or Medicare policies.

Private Insurance for Addiction Rehab

Patients who hold private insurance policies can also use their benefits to pay for drug and alcohol rehab. Most (71.9 percent) of rehab facilities in Alabama accept private insurance, which puts thousands of facilities within reach of individuals who carry private insurance plans. The exact coverage patients receive from private insurance depends upon their specific policy, and patients should consult with their provider regarding the exact benefits they will receive. Patients wishing to use private insurance should look for a rehab facility that accepts their specific private insurance plan.

Uninsured Addiction Rehab

For patients who do not have insurance, there are still ways to receive drug and alcohol rehab services in Alabama. Some of the state's facilities provide financial support and/or payment plans to make rehab possible for these patients. Here are some of the options available to uninsured patients:

Sliding Scale Payments

A majority (66 percent) of rehab facilities in Alabama provide services on a sliding scale. This means that the facility charges the individual based upon their ability to pay. The lower the patient's income, the greater the discount they will receive on their rehab services.

Free drug rehab

A small number (2 percent) of drug rehab facilities in Alabama offer their services for free to all patients. These rehab programs are often nonprofit and community or donor funded to provide addiction recovery support free of charge to uninsured or underinsured individuals who seek addiction recovery.

Patients wondering how to pay for the cost of their rehab can call any of the addiction treatment centers in the state. These facilities are equipped to help patients discuss their rehab needs, costs, and payment options in order to identify a program that they can benefit from and afford.

Alabama Drug Treatment Overview

Alabama's drug rehab options and resources are abundant, but offer both pros and cons that patients should be aware of when seeking addiction treatment.

Pros

Alabama's state-funded treatment programs support women with priority admission to programs for pregnant women, no admission fees for mothers, and the option to bring their child with them to treatment.

All of the state-funded programs provide treatment on a sliding scale to make rehab affordable for those who need it.

Free treatment is available to patients who cannot afford to pay for rehab.

Alabama's drug rehab facilities offer specialized services to a wide range of demographics, from adolescents to veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community to pregnant and postpartum women. This makes it easier for patients to access tailored, effective rehab services that meet their individual needs.

As a whole, the state's drug rehab programs offer comprehensive support for every stage of a patient's recovery, from assessment and pre-treatment services to transitional services, counseling, and recovery support.

Cons

Some of Alabama's drug rehab services are limited. For example, only 8.5 percent of programs in the state offer hospital inpatient detox services. The limited nature of these services can make it difficult for patients to access these services in a timely manner.

Some payment options, such as ITU funds,Medicare, and no payment options are limited in Alabama.

Certain state-funded programs are only available in certain counties. For example, co-occurring services are only available in 10 of the state's 67 counties.

While children can accompany patients to treatment, beds and care for them are extremely limited, with just 2.5 percent of facilities providing beds and 3.9 percent providing childcare.

Alabama Drug Use Statistics

Substance abuse skyrocketed in response to pandemic stress and isolation, and Alabama was no exception. While the state is seeing a decrease in opioid-related deaths, it is experiencing a corresponding rise in deaths related to fentanyl overdoses. Here is a look at some of the state's most important drug use statistics.

From the Medical Association of the State of Alabama:

• Johnson County drug overdose deaths increased 25 percent in 2020.
• Drug overdoses from illegal fentanyl increased by 500 percent between 2015 and 2019.
• Fentanyl is being used to create counterfeit pills that are then sold as opioids.

From the SAMHSA:

• Almost 15,000 individuals over the age of 12 were admitted for substance abuse treatment in Alabama in 2020.
• 19.8 percent of treatment admissions in Alabama were for amphetamines
• 15.9 percent of treatment admissions in Alabama were for heroin
• 16.3 percent of treatment admissions in Alabama were for other opiates
• 40.7 percent of opiates treatment admissions in Alabama were between 30 and 40 years old

From the NSDUH:

• 7.2 percent of youth ages 12-17 in Alabama had participated in illicit drug use in the past month in 2019.
• 1.5 percent of young adults between 18 and 25 years of age suffered from an opioid use disorder in 2019.
• 7.9 percent of young adults between 18 and 25 years of age suffered from an illicit drug use disorder in 2019.
• 12.3 percent of young adults between 18 and 25 years of age suffered from a substance abuse disorder in 2019.