How to Choose a Treatment Program

Start With the Same Questions for Every Program

Comparing programs is easier when each one answers an identical set of questions. Writing the questions down first also makes phone calls shorter and less stressful, especially when several people are helping with the search.

The checklist below groups the questions that most often turn out to matter. Use as much or as little of it as you find helpful, and add your own questions about the practical details of your situation.

Verify What You Are Told

Ask each program to share its licensing information, then confirm it independently through the state rather than relying on a website badge or brochure. If a program describes medical support, ask specifically which licensed professionals provide it and during which hours.

Two Things Worth Checking Before You Call

The guide to accreditation and program verification covers how to confirm what a program claims before you start calling. Once you have a shortlist, the guide to finding a detox bed covers how availability is checked and who decides on admission.

Keep Your Notes in One Place

Use the print button above to keep a paper copy of the checklist while you make calls. Your selections stay in your own browser — nothing on this page is submitted, transmitted, stored on a server, or tracked, and we do not ask for any health or personal information.