Addiction Treatment Programs in Utah

Utah Alcohol and Drug Rehab Facilities

As of March 2019, Utah's 310 substance abuse treatment centers were serving 29,186 patients. These treatment centers break down into a variety of types, including

Many of the facilities in the state specialize their services for certain demographic groups. Some of these groups include the following:

• Active duty military members
• Pregnant and postpartum women
• Patients with co-occurring disorders
• Adolescents
• Members of the LGBT community.
• Utah Drug Rehab Breakdown
• Demographic Breakdown (By percentage of drug rehab facilities):
• Patients with co-occurring mental health disorders: 66.5 percent
• Adult men: 52.9 percent
• Adult women: 52.6 percent
• Patients who have suffered domestic abuse: 44.8 percent
• LGBT community members: 32.3 percent
• Seniors: 29.7 percent
• Veterans: 27.4 percent
• Adolescents: 27.1 percent
• Pregnant or postpartum women: 23.5 percent
• Active duty military: 19.7 percent
• Payment Options Breakdown (By percentage of drug rehab facilities):
• Cash or self-payment: 95.2 percent
• Private insurance: 85.5 percent
• Federal military insurance: 55.5 percent
• Medicaid: 52.9 percent
• Sliding fee: 48.7 percent
• State-financed plans: 37.7 percent
• Minimal charge or no-charge treatment for patients in need: 30.3 percent
• Medicare: 30.3 percent
• ITU funds: 17.7 percent
• Free treatment: 1 percent

Utah's many treatment and recovery options make it easier for patients to find the program that fits all of their needs.

Treatment Approaches in Utah

12 Step

For almost 90 years, 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous have provided a structured and community-driven approach to addiction recovery. Their focus on following the 12 steps of recovery, their use of sponsors for each participant, and their emphasis on regular meetings with other addicts has created a successful approach that often allows addicts to maintain their recoveries over the long term. As a result, 74 percent of drug rehab facilities nationwide use these programs at least occasionally to help their patients heal. In Utah, this number is a little lower than the average. A total of 66.1 percent of facilities provide 12-step facilitation for patients.

Dual Diagnosis/Co-Occurring

When mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD) occur together, the individual is said to suffer from a dual diagnosis. This type of co-occurring illness afflicted 17 million Americans in 2020, often because people used addictive substances to manage the symptoms of their mental illness. In Utah, 66.5 percent of facilities offer integrated treatment to address both the mental illness and the SUD in order to help the patient heal more completely.

Detox

Medically-supervised detox refers to programs that provide patients with round-the-clock medical care as they go through the uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous process of withdrawal. In Utah, patients can access these services on an outpatient, inpatient, and hospital basis, although it is most common in outpatient and inpatient settings.

Short-Term Inpatient Rehab

Inpatient rehab programs provide patients with a safe place to live and receive treatment over the course of the program. The specific treatments provided can vary, from medical intervention to holistic approaches. Inpatient facilities whose programs last 30 days or less are referred to as short-term inpatient rehab. In Utah, 25.5 percent of facilities provide this type of program for patients.

Long-Term Residential Rehab

Inpatient rehab programs that last more than 30 days are referred to as long-term residential rehab. The most effective ones, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, last 90 days or more. In Utah, 28.4 percent of facilities offer long-term residential rehab to patients.

Rehab Costs In Utah

Rehab costs vary widely in Utah, thanks to differences among treatment programs and the specific services individual patients require. Any of the following can affect the cost of recovery in the state:

• Type of program
• Medication received
• Services used
• Length of treatment

As a result, patients should talk to their preferred addiction treatment center about their recovery needs in order to receive an accurate estimate of the costs they should expect to pay.

Private Health Insurance for Addiction Rehab

Between employer-provided and individual health insurance, more than 70 percent of Utah's residents have private health insurance. Private health insurance is widely accepted as a payment option in the state: 85.5 percent of facilities accept it. As a result, patients can simply consult their insurance company about the specifics of their coverage (copays, deductibles, covered treatment programs, etc.) and look for a treatment center that accepts their specific insurance.

Medicaid and Medicare for Addiction Rehab

Two federal healthcare programs provide coverage for people who may struggle to afford healthcare otherwise. Medicare provides coverage for individuals who are at least 65 years old, while Medicaid is designed for low-income individuals. In Utah, 30.3 percent of facilities accept Medicare, and 52.9 percent accept Medicaid.

Uninsured Addiction Rehab

Utah's uninsured population can also access addiction rehab, thanks to services designed to make treatment more affordable for patients who have limited financial resources.

Sliding Scale Payments

In Utah, 48.7 percent of drug rehab facilities provide their services on a sliding scale. This means that their fees adjust based on a person's income. The less that person makes, the less they have to pay for their treatment. This approach makes treatment available to a wider range of patients.

Free drug rehab

A total of 3 drug rehab centers in Utah offer free treatment for every patient. Free treatment or treatment at a minimal charge is available to patients who cannot afford to pay, however, at 30.3 percent of facilities.

As a result, patients should not avoid treatment because of concerns about cost. Instead, they can consult with addiction counselors about the best course of treatment and the most affordable way to pay for those services.

Utah Drug Treatment Overview

Here is a look at some of the pros and cons that come with drug treatment in Utah.

Pros

Only 88.2 percent of designated residential beds in Utah are being used, which may make it easier and faster for patients to get this type of treatment when they need it.

Utah has a relatively high number of residential programs. 25.5 percent of facilities offer short-term rehab, while 28.4 percent offer long-term residential rehab. 60.2 percent of facilities in Texas provide services in a language other than English, making it easier for patients to access treatment in their preferred language.

The rehab facilities in the state also offer many detox options in both the outpatient and inpatient settings.

Cons

64.8 percent of facilities in Utah are private, for-profit organizations. Often, this type of facility is associated with fewer payment options for financially needy individuals.

The designated bed utilization rate for hospital beds is over 122 percent. As a result, patients who need this type of treatment may need to wait for a bed to free up before they can receive it.

Utah has low rates of acceptance of Medicare and Medicaid, as well as limited free treatment options: 30.3 percent, 52.9 percent, 1 percent, and 30.3 percent respectively.

Utah Drug Use Statistics

Utah struggles with a drug abuse epidemic similar to that faced by the rest of the nation. Here is a look at some of the state's most important drug use statistics:

From the NSDUH Report:

• For the years 2005-2010:
• 130,000 people in the Salt Lake City area used illicit drugs within the past year.
• 6.3 percent of the area's residents used prescription opioids in a non-medical manner in the past year.
• 76,000 people over the age of 12 had a substance use disorder in the Salt Lake area.

From the SAMHSA:

• 11,413 individuals over the age of 12 were admitted for substance abuse treatment in Utah in 2020.
• 30 percent of these admissions were for amphetamines.
• 23.2 percent of these admissions were for heroin.
• 3.1 percent of these admissions were for other opiates.