Treatment Settings for Substance Use Problems

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) outlines levels of care for alcohol or other drug problems in a stepped care approach. The ASAM levels, from least to most restrictive, are Level 1: outpatient treatment; Level 2: intensive outpatient treatment and partial hospitalization; Level 3: medically monitored intensive inpatient treatment (residential); and Level 4: medically managed intensive inpatient treatment (hospital). Clients should use the least restrictive level of professional treatment possible unless they have serious medical complications, such as liver disease or gastritis, or serious psychiatric complications, such as feeling suicidal, persistently depressed, or paranoid. The goals of this chapter are to learn about the different types of professional treatments for substance use problems and for clients to work closely with their therapist or counselor to figure out their specific goals and what steps they can take to reach them.