About American Addiction Centers

VeteranAddiction.org is developed and maintained by American Addiction Centers, Inc. (“AAC”). AAC is a leading provider of both residential and outpatient addiction treatment services. For more information about VeteranAddiction.org’s affiliation with AAC, please see below under “How Our Helpline Works.”

VeteranAddiction.org aims to provide educational content and recovery resources to veterans struggling with alcohol abuse and drug addiction. We offer original content that explores the causes and effects of addiction in veterans, and educates veterans and their caregivers about how to receive addiction treatment under the VA.

How Our Helpline Works

For those seeking addiction treatment for themselves or a loved one, the VeteranAddiction.org helpline is a private and convenient solution. We are standing by 24/7 to discuss your treatment options. Our advisors work solely for AAC and will discuss with you whether an AAC facility may be an option for you. Click here to view a list of residential treatment centers operated by AAC.

If AAC cannot provide a treatment option that meets your needs, we may suggest that you search for a non-AAC treatment facility. Our helpline is offered at no cost to you and with no obligation to enter into treatment. Neither VeteranAddiction.org nor AAC receives any commission or other fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a visitor may ultimately choose. You can connect with hundreds of other facilities by visiting SAMHSA.gov.

VeteranAddiction.org Content and Contributors

The content provided on VeteranAddiction.org features valuable information to help you and your loved ones determine your needs when it comes to seeking treatment for drug or alcohol abuse. We strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information available in the field of addiction medicine and have enlisted an acclaimed team of authors, treatment professionals, and editorial experts – many of whom are veterans themselves – to write, review, and update content to check that it meets our high editorial standards.

Ethics

We commit to high ethical standards, in the interest of being as helpful as possible to those seeking treatment. We aim to make our site as transparent as possible by marking ads to distinguish them from editorial content, disclosing our sponsors, as well as AAC’s relationship with our website and our helpline. We take steps to ensure our advertisers are licensed, similar to the criteria used by the federally run Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provider directory at SAMHSA.gov.

Our content is impartial and unbiased. We do not endorse or subscribe to any particular recovery method, and we believe that the personal decision to seek treatment is one that should be done autonomously and with the support of all possible information.

We hold ourselves to the highest level of financial integrity, and we do not sell or broker admissions, or engage in unethical “consultant contracts.” If you encounter any marketing practices based on calls made to centers or helplines listed on this site that you feel are deceptive, unethical, or misleading, contact us and we will do our best to correct the situation and help you find a trustworthy provider.

Identifying an Appropriate Treatment Provider

The process of finding a treatment provider can feel overwhelming. Resources, like facility websites or VeteranAddiction.org and the following guide, can help you determine which options are best for you or your loved one.

Identify proper accreditation and licensure. 

Appropriate state licensure is important in determining what services and levels of care are permissible to be rendered at a treatment center. Some facilities voluntarily obtain accreditation from the Joint Commission or CARF, indicating that they have met quality and safety standards that go beyond those required by the state.

Determine if the program is a clinical match. 

Successful outcomes rely on appropriate clinical care. There is no one-size-fits-all method to treatment. When searching for treatment, ask an admissions counselor for details on the clinical program. Are the methodologies utilized evidence-based (meaning scientifically proven to produce better outcomes)? Does the treatment center employ medically licensed healthcare providers? Will the center provide the name and credentials of its providers? Has the treatment center published any outcome studies? Make note of the questions you are asked by the admissions team, and if they ask you for your medical history. This will help you and the facility’s staff determine if your needs match with the clinical program offered.

Assess your financial options. 

Discuss with your insurance provider or an admissions counselor if treatment is “in-network.” If your insurance provider will not cover treatment or a portion of treatment, determine what additional expenses you may have to cover ahead of time, and ask if payment plans are available.

Get as much information as possible. 

Read about the staff’s experiences, skills, and licenses online, and view videos and photos and read reviews to “see” what the treatment experience will be like. Ask an admissions counselor about how the intake, treatment, and discharge process work, and about what happens after treatment.

Look for red flags and possible warning signs. 

Some treatment centers advertise a “cure” or an unrealistic success rate. Others may only ask you about your ability to pay, and then determine a “fit” without getting any medical or clinical information about you. Some possible bad actors will even offer you gifts, cash incentives, help with obtaining insurance, or free travel. These are possible signs of illegal or unethical behaviors that can possibly harm you or your loved one.