Substance Abuse Treatment: Various Degrees of Support Offered

Degrees of Intervention for Substance Abuse Rehabilitation

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has established a comprehensive "continuum of care" model for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment, offering a flexible system tailored to individual needs. This model, featuring four broad levels and an early intervention level, aims to provide effective treatment for those struggling with SUD.

At the entry level, Level 0.5, early intervention treatment is provided to adults and adolescents at risk for SUD but who do not yet meet the diagnostic criteria defined by the DSM-5. This level offers education, resources, and counseling to help individuals manage their risks and prevent the development of a full-blown disorder.

Moving forward, Level I outpatient treatment is the next step. For adults, this involves fewer than 9 hours of treatment per week, while for adolescents, it's fewer than 6 hours. Services include medication treatment, group and individual abstinence counseling, relapse prevention programming, drug and alcohol education, help with medical appointments, family therapy sessions, psychotherapy, and employment counseling.

For those requiring more intensive treatment, Level II outpatient/partial hospitalization treatment is available. Subdivided into levels 2.1 and 2.5, this level offers all the services provided by Level I outpatient treatment, plus additional services such as intensive group therapy, more frequent individual sessions, and more extensive case management. Level II.1 IOT, in particular, provides services for 9 or more hours a week for adults and 6 or more hours a week for adolescents, with a recommended minimum duration of 90 days.

The ASAM continuum of care also includes various residential and inpatient care settings. Level III, for instance, includes clinically managed low-intensity residential services (III.1), medium-intensity residential services (III.3), high-intensity residential services (III.5), and medically monitored intensive inpatient services (III.7).

In 2018, an estimated 21.2 million people in the United States, ages 12 and older, needed substance use treatment. With the ASAM continuum of care, treatment for SUD is designed to be adaptable, allowing people to move through various levels as needed. Outpatient programs, ideal for individuals with busy schedules and a strong personal support system, are often the first step in this journey.

It's important to remember that everyone's path to recovery is unique, and the ASAM continuum of care is designed to accommodate these differences. If you or someone you know is struggling with SUD, seeking help from a healthcare provider is the first step towards recovery.