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Non-Profit Substance Abuse Treatment Options

by Marisa Serafini

Overview

Recovering from an addiction is extremely difficult to do on your own. For most people with substance abuse problems, intensive treatment is required and even then, failure is common. Addictions can leave a person's finances in ruins, making non-profit treatment programs important in local communities. Some popular options for non-profit treatment programs are discussed below.
Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous is a well-known non-profit treatment program for people who want to recover from alcohol addiction. Weekly AA meetings are widely available in most cities in the United States, many with meeting times at different days and times. Meetings are completely free, but members do have the option to contribute some money toward rent for the meeting space. AA is based on a twelve-step model of recovery. The program emphasizes that alcoholism is a disease and that alcoholics are powerless over the substance. The program suggests that members look to a higher power, religious or non-religious, to help them overcome the addiction. Another characteristic of AA is the use of sponsors, or people who have been in recovery from alcoholism for a long period of time. AA members are encouraged to get advice from their sponsors and contact them if they have thoughts of relapsing.

Narcotics Anonymous

Narcotics Anonymous is a variation of the Alcoholics Anonymous program. The main difference between the two is that NA does not focus on recovery from addiction to any specific drug. Anyone who has a substance abuse problem, no matter what the drug, can potentially succeed with the Narcotics Anonymous program. Like AA, NA subscribes to a disease model of addiction and suggests a sequence of twelve steps to recovery.
Non-Profit Residential Treatment Centers

Another option for substance abuse treatment is to reside in a non-profit residential treatment home or facility. Although these are not as easy to come by as Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, these facilities exist to help those who desperately need treatment, but may not be able to pay for it. Because these treatment centers do not require residents to pay for treatment, they are often short on beds. Unfortunately, many potential residents may be required to wait for weeks or months before a space becomes available.
Halfway Houses

Halfway, or sober living, houses are another non-profit option for substance abuse treatment. These are typically used as a second step after a primary treatment, such as an inpatient treatment facility. These houses allow a group of recovering addicts to live together in a completely sober environment, rather than re-entering old situations where addictions were spawned in the first place. These houses are typically led by a former addict who is stable in his or her sobriety. Residents are usually only required to pay their portion of the rent, utilities, and food expenses.