800-671-4304Free Detox Centers
Detox is the first step in recovery, but treatment costs may discourage some people from seeking support. Fortunately, free detox centers offer an affordable alternative.
What Is the Difference Between Free and Paid Detox Centers?
Detoxification is the process by which the body clears itself of drugs, and detox centers are designed to manage the acute and potentially dangerous physiological effects of stopping drug use.
Free detox centers offer their services at no cost to the patient, while paid detox centers have a cost associated with the treatment program. Free centers receive their funding through various sources, including private endowments, government funds, and charitable donations.
Free Detox Centers
You can expect quality treatment at a free detox center. Free detox centers have medical and mental health professionals on staff to guide individuals through their recovery process, just like paid detox centers.
However, because the funds used to run these centers are contingent on many factors outside of the center’s control, treatment options may not be as varied as those offered at paid treatment facilities.
Free clinics may be slower to offer new, more experimental or expensive treatments even if they appear to provide promising results. Until these treatments become mainstream, free centers may not have the funding to train their staff in the techniques, get the equipment, or receive approval from their funding sources.
At free detox centers, patients usually share rooms with other patients to reduce costs and minimize wait time. However, free centers can have long waitlists. For this reason, some centers have limits on the amount of time they will keep someone in a recovery program to make space for a new patient.
Call now to speak to our treatment specialists about detox!
SponsoredPaid Detox Centers
Paid, private, and luxury detox centers offer some amenities that the free centers do not, but it does come at a cost. Prices vary based on many factors, but you can expect the following average prices for recovery services:
- $250-$900 per day for 30-day drug detox
- $1,450-$11,000 for 3 months of outpatient care
- $3,100-$10,000 for a 30-day intensive outpatient program
- $5,300-$80,000 for residential treatment that includes detox services, depending on the length of stay
Paid centers may have a lower staff to patient ratio, providing more individualized attention for each patient. They may also allow patients to stay in treatment longer and offer supplementary treatments.
How Do I Find Free Detox Centers?
If you are worried about the potential costs of treatment, you are not alone. In 2023, only 24.2% of U.S. adults aged 26 or older who needed substance abuse treatment received it, and cost is one of the most common barriers. To overcome this, many detox centers offer free treatment. To locate these centers, you can get a referral or find a free detox center online.
Referral
Many individuals enter detox treatment after being seen by their doctor or in another medical setting like an emergency room. A medical professional can provide a referral to a detox center in your area.
If you feel concerned about the cost of services, be clear with your provider about your insurance and income situation.
Online
You can find free detox centers online.
The government entity, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has a directory of each state’s free agency that provides substance misuse services. Most state-run programs will ask you to prove that you live in the state to access services. If you find there is a long waiting list for your state’s agency, there are other options for you as well.
You can also search our online detox center directory to find facilities in your state.
How Can I Get Coverage for Detox Services?
If you cannot find easy access to a free center, you can look into insurance coverage options. Many types of insurance cover the cost of addiction treatment and rehab.
Insurance
The Affordable Care Act made it mandatory that insurance policies issued under the state health exchanges and through Medicaid programs under the ACA expansion provide coverage for addiction treatment.
You can use Healthcare.gov to find insurance plans that fit in your financial budget and qualify for subsidies to lower your monthly premium costs.
Medicaid
Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides health coverage to over 78 million Americans and is the single largest source of health coverage in the United States.
You have to meet qualifications to be eligible for Medicaid coverage. Eligible groups include:
- Low-income families
- Qualified pregnant women and children
- Individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
All state Medicaid programs provide some mental health services, and some offer substance use disorder services that include counseling, therapy, medication management, social work services, peer supports, and substance use disorder treatment.
Medicare
Medicare offers healthcare to Americans who are 65 or older and to young people with disabilities. Medicare covers a wide range of mental health services including inpatient hospital care, visits with a psychiatrist or counselor, and prescription drugs that may be used to help you detox.
Grants
If you do not have insurance or find that you can’t afford your insurance co-pays and deductibles, you have another option to apply for grants through SAMHSA’s website.
You will need to fill out applications to see if you qualify for government assistance that can help pay for your treatment.
Payment Plans and Discounts
Many treatment centers offer discounted services to patients who cannot afford the full cost of treatment or who do not have insurance. You can also ask your local detox centers if they offer payment plans that allow you to pay a monthly fee instead of paying for the entire cost at once.
Are Free Detox Centers Effective?
Studies indicate that any type or level of treatment increases positive recovery outcomes compared to no treatment.
It is challenging to accurately measure the effectiveness of free detox centers specifically because substance use disorder treatment is currently not well integrated and multiple systems often provide services.
Some research points to specific factors related to effective treatment of substance misuse:
- Seeing your primary care physician annually after substance use disorder treatment has shown to produce better outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. This is partly because substance misuse is often a chronic issue that can reoccur after initial treatment.
- Detoxification alone does not address the psychological, social, and behavioral problems associated with addiction and, therefore, more positive outcomes occur when detox is followed by a formal assessment and referral to drug addiction treatment.
- Completing an inpatient stay at a treatment center is related to a reduced risk of relapse.
Call to learn more about your detox treatment options!
SponsoredWhich Treatment Option Is Best?
Free centers often have long waiting lists, and researchers have found that 25-50% of persons on waiting lists are never admitted to treatment. The reasons for this are varied, but often if you have a substance use disorder, you have better outcomes when treatment is offered at the moment you seek it. For this reason, finding a center that can offer treatment immediately may be best, especially if you find yourself in a time of health or personal crisis.
Another study suggests that patients who received treatment at a short-term clinic (i.e., 2-4 months) were at an increased risk of relapse compared to those who received treatment at a long-term clinic (i.e., over 6 months).
The bottom line, however, is that all forms of treatment are associated with more positive recovery outcomes than no treatment. If you are concerned about your substance use or an addiction, please call 800-996-6135 to speak to a specialist about treatment options, including free detox centers.
