Twelve questions to ask a program

Last reviewed 18 Sep 2026 Clinical review: pending

Tip: print this page, or keep it open while you call. Ask the same questions of two or three programs so you can compare.

The questions

1. When could care start?

   Ask if there is a wait list, and what to do while you wait. If you need care today, say so.

2. Do you take my coverage, and what will I pay?

   Give your plan name and member ID. Ask if you need approval from the plan first, and what costs the plan will not cover. See our guide to paying for treatment.

3. Are you licensed by the state? Are you accredited?

   Ask for the license number. Ask which group accredits them, then look it up with CARF or the Joint Commission.

4. Who provides the care?

   Ask about the staff and their licenses. Listen for licensed counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses, and doctors or psychiatrists.

5. How do you assess someone and build their plan?

   A good program does a full assessment first and makes a plan for that person. Ask how often the plan is reviewed and changed.

6. What kinds of therapy do you use?

   Ask which approaches they use and why. Listen for treatments that research supports, like cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, family therapy and peer support.

7. Do you offer medication for addiction?

   Ask if they prescribe medicines for opioid or alcohol use disorders. If the person already takes one, like buprenorphine or methadone, ask if they can keep taking it during treatment.

8. Can you treat mental health and substance use together?

   Many people have both. Ask if the program treats both, or how it works with other providers.

9. What medical care is there, day and night?

   Ask who is on site at night and on weekends, and what happens in a medical emergency. This matters most for detox and residential care.

10. How are families involved?

    Ask about family sessions, visits and phone calls. Ask what the program can share with family, and what consent the person needs to sign.

11. What happens if someone uses again during treatment?

    Ask whether a relapse means being discharged, or whether the program adjusts care and keeps working with the person.

12. What is the plan after discharge?

    Ask whether they set up the next step before discharge, like outpatient visits, a prescriber, support groups or sober living.

Warning signs

Be careful if a program or a caller:

• Promises a cure, or a certain result
• Offers free travel, a free stay, gifts or cash to go there
• Pushes you to decide right away, or to leave your home state
• Will not give a license number, an address or clear prices
• Asks for insurance details before answering your questions
• Says they take every insurance plan without checking yours
• Does not say which program you are talking to. Some phone numbers in search ads reach call centers instead of the program.

To be sure you are talking to the program, find its phone number on its own website. You can report a dishonest business to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

More help

• Not sure what a word means? See levels of care, explained.
• Need help finding programs? Call the free SAMHSA National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, open 24/7.
• For alcohol treatment, the NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator has more questions and tips on what to listen for.

Sources

• NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator: Questions to ask treatment providers
• SAMHSA: Finding quality treatment for substance use disorders
• SAMHSA: Quality treatment for mental health, drugs and alcohol
• FTC: How to avoid scams when looking for drug treatment
• FTC: Seeking treatment for addiction? Some things to know before you search