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Step 1
Common levels of care
Detox focuses on withdrawal management. Residential care provides a live-in setting. Partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs offer structured care while a person lives elsewhere. Standard outpatient care is generally less intensive.
- Withdrawal management or detox
- Residential treatment
- Partial hospitalization (PHP)
- Intensive outpatient (IOP)
- Outpatient counseling
Step 2
Medication and continuing support
FDA-approved medications may be part of treatment for alcohol or opioid use disorder when prescribed by a qualified clinician. Recovery support may also include counseling, peer support, family education, and care for co-occurring mental health needs.
Step 3
How providers decide on a level of care
Many programs use The ASAM Criteria, a framework that looks at several areas of a person's life. These include withdrawal risk, physical health, mental health, readiness for change, risk of returning to use, and the recovery environment at home. The goal is to match care to current needs rather than to place everyone in the same program.
Because needs change, a person may move between levels. For example, someone might go from detox to residential care, then to intensive outpatient, then to regular outpatient counseling.
Step 4
What effective treatment often includes
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) explains that addiction is treatable and that care works best when it addresses a person's whole set of needs, not just substance use. Treatment may combine counseling or behavioral therapy, medication when appropriate, care for mental health conditions, and support for family, work, and housing needs.
Step 5
Medications as part of care
The FDA has approved buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone for opioid use disorder. Medications are also approved for alcohol use disorder. A qualified clinician decides whether medication fits a person's situation. Ask any program whether it provides these medications or works with providers who do.
Common levels of care at a glance
| Level of care | Where the person lives | General intensity |
|---|---|---|
| Withdrawal management (detox) | Inpatient unit or at home with outpatient medical support | Short-term, focused on safe withdrawal |
| Residential treatment | At the treatment program | Structured care throughout the day |
| Partial hospitalization (PHP) | At home or in supportive housing | Several hours of treatment most days |
| Intensive outpatient (IOP) | At home | Several sessions per week |
| Outpatient counseling | At home | Usually weekly or less often |
Questions to ask about any treatment program
- How do you decide which level of care someone needs?
- Do you use The ASAM Criteria?
- Do you provide or coordinate medications for opioid or alcohol use disorder?
- How do you treat co-occurring mental health conditions?
- How are families involved?
- What happens when this level of care ends?
Related guides
Continue reading: learn what detox and withdrawal management involve · prepare for insurance and cost questions · plan recovery support after treatment begins
Sources and further reading
- About The ASAM Criteria (levels of care) (American Society of Addiction Medicine)
- Treatment and recovery (NIDA)
- Information about medications for opioid use disorder (FDA)
- Alcohol Treatment Navigator (NIAAA)
Links are provided for education and do not imply endorsement of this site. Medical information should be reviewed with a qualified professional. See all authoritative sources.