What the different kinds of treatment mean

The vocabulary in this industry is not designed for the person who needs it. Here is what the terms actually mean.

Detox, or withdrawal management

Getting the substance out of the body safely, under medical supervision. How long it takes varies by person and program. On its own it is not treatment; it gets someone stable enough to start. Withdrawal from alcohol and benzodiazepines can be genuinely dangerous, which is why doing it under supervision matters.

Residential, or inpatient

Living at the facility. How long varies by person and program. Structure, therapy and distance from whatever the environment at home was contributing. The most expensive option and the most disruptive to work and family.

Partial hospitalization (PHP)

Treatment for much of the day, on most days, but sleeping at home or in sober housing. Often used as a step down from residential.

Intensive outpatient (IOP)

Several hours of treatment a week, often in the evenings so someone can keep working. The exact amount varies by person and program. Frequently what people mean when they say they want help without disappearing for a month.

Standard outpatient

Regular sessions at a lower intensity than the levels above. How often varies by person and program. Usually a step-down, or appropriate where the problem was caught early.

Medication-assisted treatment

Methadone, buprenorphine or naltrexone, usually for opioid dependence, alongside counseling. Programs providing methadone are federally certified and appear as opioid treatment programs in the record.

Which one?

That is a clinical judgment, and any facility worth using will assess before telling you. Be wary of anyone who recommends their most expensive level of care before asking questions.

Not sure which of these applies? Twelve questions worth asking any facility, or if they won't go at all.