Getting treatment

How to find treatment 

Looking for help for yourself or someone you love? Treatment programs across Iowa can help. Every day, individuals learn to take back their lives from addiction. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind while you look for help: 

• You'll work with an addictive disorder professional. Their goal is to help individuals along their recovery journey.
• Programs assign patients to a treatment team. Team members are other licensed or certified professionals (nurses, psychologist, psychiatrist, recovery coaches, recovery navigators, etc.).  They also support the individual in meeting their goals.
• Programs invite family members to be part of the treatment process. It is important for families to be part of the treatment process. This helps with their understanding of addiction, treatment and recovery.
• Addiction is a chronic disease. Ongoing support is also important. Your treatment team members will support you after leaving treatment. This could be ongoing counseling, recovery coaching, sober housing, or even employment support.

Find help near you

Types of treatment

There are many types of treatment and for you it may include one or more of these:

• Outpatient: Frequency of appointments will vary on the individual's situation and program expectations.  In some cases, sessions are weekly, but could also be daily, or several times per week.  Individual, group, and educational sessions are common.  How long treatment may last will vary depending on each individual’s situation. 
• Residential: Sometimes, individuals need a safe place and daily support in their recovery journey.  Residential treatment provides a stable treatment setting, keeping individuals safe in early recovery.  It will also help the individual develop and practice recovery skills and behaviors. Residential care may last from a few weeks to a few months, or longer, depending on the individual's needs.
• Withdrawal Management: Sometimes, individuals need help with symptoms of withdrawal from a specific drug (s).  Once withdrawal symptoms are stable, an individual can then move on to the next step in treatment.   Length of care is usually a few days.
• Medication Therapy: Assessment of current medications and any related problems. Creating a plan to resolve and improve outcomes.
• Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Treatment: At times, people will have mental health issues and substance use issues.  Getting integrated care for both at the same time is important for success. Co-occurring services treat the whole person.  These services can be in outpatient and residential settings.

Costs

Understanding the costs of and how to pay for treatment can be confusing. The best way to make sure you find a good program is by asking questions.  Take notes and ask follow-up questions if something is not clear. 

Don't let money stop you from finding treatment. Iowa has treatment programs that offer free and low-cost services.  Many will accept Medicaid or private insurance. 

Limited insurance coverage? The Mental Health and Addiction Insurance Help tool can provide helpful information.