Check a Treatment Program’s Claims
Before choosing a program, check who provides the care, which services you would receive, and who can verify the answers. Use the same questions for each option. A reassuring logo is a starting point for a check, not the whole check.
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Three Different Checks
Scroll the table sideways on a small screen to compare all columns.
| Check | What it tells you | How to follow up |
|---|---|---|
| Program license | Whether the relevant state authority permits the program to provide the licensed services. Requirements vary by state. | Ask for the legal name, site address, license number and issuing agency. Check that exact site with the agency. |
| Accreditation | An outside organization has reviewed the program against its standards. It is separate from a state license. | If accreditation is claimed, look up the program in that organization’s directory and check the service and location. |
| Clinician credentials | The qualifications of the person who will assess or treat you, rather than just the company. | Ask who will provide care and which professional board or credentialing body can confirm the credential. |
Official Accreditation Lookups
Search by the legal name and the street address, not only the brand name. If you cannot find a match, ask the program and the accreditor to clarify it. A missing search result is an unanswered question; it does not prove that a program is unlicensed or unsafe. Accreditation also does not establish that the program is the right fit for you. Some smaller alcohol-treatment programs provide quality care without accreditation.
Sources: [2]
Turn a Claim Into a Specific Answer
| Claim you hear | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| “Personalized care” | Who assesses me, what does the assessment include, and how do we choose and adjust my plan together? |
| “Medical care available” | Who provides it, when are they available, and what happens after hours? Which medical needs require another provider? |
| “Evidence-based treatment” | Which treatments do you offer for my concern? How do you decide what fits, and how do you assess progress? |
| “We accept your insurance” | Which facility, clinicians and services will be billed? I will confirm each with my plan. Can I have an itemized estimate? |
| “Medication support” | Can you provide or coordinate the medication care I need? Who prescribes it, and is that service billed separately? |
Sources: [2]
Keep the Check Verifiable
- Program and exact location
- Legal name, website, street address and phone number.
- Claim, evidence and date checked
- License or accreditation number; official agency or directory; what matched and what did not.
- Still unconfirmed and next contact
- Write the question, who can answer it and how you will follow up.