Am I Eligible for Free Inpatient Alcohol Rehab?
With the skyrocketing rates of addiction around today, there’s no shortage of rehab programs from which to choose, provided a person has some form of health insurance or can pay out-of-pocket. Unfortunately, many people who want to enter rehab have come to the end of their line in many respects, one of which is money.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an estimated 136.9 million Americans reported using alcohol in 2013, with 17.3 million meeting the criteria for alcohol abuse disorder. In cases of moderate to severe alcoholism, the likelihood a person can afford needed treatment help is slim to none.
Fortunately, free inpatient alcohol rehab programs do exist for people who have no other means to pay. As with anything “free,” certain eligibility requirements do exist to ensure those who most need free inpatient alcohol rehab help can access these services. Eligibility requirements consider a person’s income, his or her individual circumstances as well as funding availability.
Treatment Considerations
Free alcohol inpatient rehab offers psychological treatment.
Compared to other form of alcohol treatment, inpatient rehab costs can run considerably higher. Inpatient programs offer intensive medical and psychological treatment services with patients monitored on a 24-hour basis. This means, someone who’s eligible for free inpatient alcohol rehab will likely have multiple physical and/or psychological disorders in addition to an alcohol problem.
While free inpatient alcohol rehab programs come at little to no cost to patients, taxpayer dollars and contributions made to charity actually pay for program costs. Consequently, these programs must ration their dollars by ensuring the people they serve will most benefit from their services.
Assessment Procedures
Free inpatient alcohol rehab programs employ an extensive assessment process to determine a person’s treatment needs. Factors considered in an assessment include:
- Severity of alcohol problem
- Presence or absence of co-occurring disorders (both physical and psychological)
- Presence or absence of a support system
- Motivation to get well
- Financial means
- Substance abuse history
- Medical history
Ultimately, the more severe a person’s overall state and condition, the more likely he or she will be eligible for the program. In effect, alcoholism poses an even greater risk for people struggling with co-occurring psychological and/or medical conditions on top of alcoholism.
With psychological problems, the effects of alcohol combined with symptoms of mental illness form a vicious cycle where one condition feeds off the other. Likewise, someone with a medical condition, such as diabetes or heart disease stands to experience a rapid state of decline with ongoing alcohol use.
Free Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Program Options
Free inpatient alcohol rehab programs are usually offered through:
- State-funded agencies
- Nonprofit organizations
- Faith-based organizations
State-funded agencies can be found through your local Department of Health & Human Services office, whereas nonprofit organizations typically operate out of community-based agencies. Faith-based organizations to check into include local churches, the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities.
When looking for free inpatient alcohol rehab, it’s more than likely that more than a few programs will have lengthy waiting lists. In this case, it may be a good idea to check into programs that offer sliding-fee scales as a payment option or offer some form payment arrangements.