Residential Treatment

Residential Alcohol and Drug Treatment

What is Residential Treatment?

Residential treatment provides 24-hour supervision and structured care within a safe, non-hospital environment.3 In contrast to outpatient treatment, people remain in the facility and do not return home or to work during treatment. Residential treatment programs typically include counseling and other behavioral health services, and many also support co-occurring mental health disorders, depending on the level of care and a person’s needs.2, 3, 5

Residential treatment is appropriate for people who:^{3, 6}

Have recurring issues with substance misuse.
Have severe substance use disorders (SUDs).
Have co-occurring mental health disorders and/or other medical conditions.
Do not require medically managed services.

Examples of residential treatment include:^{3, 5}

Short-term residential treatment programs lasting 3-6 weeks.
Long-term residential treatment programs lasting 6-12 months.
Sober living homes.
Therapeutic communities (TCs).

The 24-hour supervision found in residential treatment can provide a safe place for people to recover with ample support from staff and peers.³ While some residential treatment centers may provide a certain level of medical monitoring, it is typically not to the extent of medically managed intensive inpatient treatment that serves subacute and acute addiction and mental health disorders.²

What Services are Included in Residential Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programs?

The types of services that are offered and the settings in which they are provided can vary widely. Individualized care allows treatment to be tailored to meet a person’s unique needs, which takes into account the substances being used and psychiatric, social, emotional, and legal factors.