Check a Treatment Program’s Claims
A treatment program should be able to explain who will care for you, what it offers and what it costs. Use these questions when you call or compare programs, and keep the answers together.
For: People seeking help or planning their own support · 3 PDF pages
No email or account is required. Use the PDF or printed spaces for private notes. This guide does not collect worksheet answers. Save and reopen a completed PDF to check your notes.
Check the Program and the People Providing Care
Scroll the table sideways on a small screen to compare all columns.
| What to check | What it means | How to check it |
|---|---|---|
| Program license | A state agency gives the program permission to provide certain services. Requirements vary by state. | Ask for the program’s legal name, street address, license number and the agency that issued it. Check that location with the agency. |
| Accreditation | An outside organization has reviewed the program against its standards. Accreditation is separate from a state license. | If the program says it is accredited, look it up in that organization’s directory. Match the location and the services you would use. |
| Clinician credentials | The qualifications of the person who will assess or treat you. | Ask who you will see and which professional board or organization can confirm their qualifications. |
Look Up Accreditation
Use the program’s legal name and street address when you search. If you cannot find it, ask the program and the accrediting organization for help. A missing result alone does not tell you whether the program is licensed or safe. Accreditation is one part of choosing care. You still need to ask whether the services fit your needs. Some smaller alcohol-treatment programs offer quality care without accreditation.
Sources: [2]
Get Clear Answers About the Care
| If a program says… | You can ask… |
|---|---|
| “Personalized care” | Who will assess me? What will you ask about, and how will we choose and adjust my plan together? |
| “Medical care available” | Who provides medical care, and when are they available? What happens after hours? What would I need to see another provider for? |
| “Evidence-based treatment” | Which treatments do you offer for my concerns? How will we decide what to try and check whether it is helping? |
| “We accept your insurance” | Which facility, clinicians and services will send bills? Can I have an estimate that lists each charge? I will also check coverage with my insurance plan. |
| “Medication support” | Can you provide or arrange the medication care I need? Who prescribes it? Will I get a separate bill for that service? |
Sources: [2]
Keep Your Answers Together
- Program and location
- Legal name, website, street address and phone number.
- What you checked and what you found
- Include the date, license or accreditation number, and agency or directory you used. Note anything that did not match.
- What you still need to ask
- Write your question, who to contact and when you will follow up.