Illinois Addiction Treatment Guide
Every year, more than 5,500 Illinois residents lose their lives. More than 5 percent of those deaths are due to drugs or alcohol. Those stats from the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) tell part of the story of addiction in Illinois.
Getting Help in Illinois
The Illinois Helpline connects residents with treatment programs. In 2018, 51 percent of people who called the helpline were actively abusing substances. They wanted to stop, and they knew treatment could help.
- Early intervention. These pre-treatment programs help people to cut back on dangerous habits before addictions form.
- Case management. Professionals design programs to help people develop healthy habits.
- Outpatient counseling. People work with mental health professionals alone or in groups to support sobriety. They may use medications to cut back on cravings.
- Intensive outpatient treatment. You’ll continue to live at home while you work on your addiction, but you’ll spend a significant amount of time in therapy.
- Detoxification. You’ll have physical and mental health support as you move from intoxication to sobriety.
- Inpatient programs. You’ll live in a treatment facility while you get care around the clock.
- Aftercare. You’ll continue to work on your addiction when your formal program is complete.
These programs should be available throughout the state, but according to The State Journal-Register, there are gaps in coverage. Many services are available in Chicago and some in Springfield, but there are spaces in the state where no help is provided. It’s not uncommon for people to travel long distances to get the help they need.
Getting Help in Illinois: Private Options
Public addiction agencies get funding from state or federal sources. Private companies don’t. They cover their expenses through insurance payments, private financial arrangements, grants, and other similar sources.
According to the 2017 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, there were 607 private treatment facilities operating in Illinois. There were only 24 local, state, or federal facilities in operation.
If you’re searching for treatment, and you can’t or don’t want to wait for public programs to assist you, a private facility is a good choice.
Private facilities offer many services that public programs provide, but they often offer various services that just aren’t available at public offerings.
Paying for Care in Illinois
State and federal dollars cover some forms of treatment in Illinois, but those programs have faced budget cuts. That means many people in Illinois are forced to pay for their addiction treatment.
- Referrals. Your doctor may need to write a note that outlines why you need care
- Networks. Your plan may cover care at some places but not others.
- Length of treatment. Your insurance program may only let you stay in a program for a short time.
- Copayments. You may have a portion of the bill to pay.
Supporting Your Recovery in Illinois
Treatment programs help you to understand your addiction’s past and your sober future. You work with skilled professionals who have licenses in mental health. In your therapy sessions, you learn a great deal. But you might need to learn even more to truly combat your addiction. Support groups can help.
In a support group, you meet with other people who are also in recovery. No mental health professionals lead your meetings. They are informal gatherings, and everyone gets a chance to work as a teacher and a student.
Each area works independently. All publish a schedule of meetings online, so you can find the one nearest you and determine which meeting time and place is best.
Most Illinois AA meetings are held in hotels, community centers, churches, and other open spaces. You don’t have to pay to attend, and you don’t have to register before you show up. Just find the meeting time and space that’s right for you, and make a point to appear.
Frequently Asked Questions About Recovery
It depends. If your addiction is severe and you’ve tried outpatient care and relapsed, inpatient care work might be best. But if you have a strong support system at home and can lean on them during treatment, outpatient care might be right for you. If you don’t have a safe home environment but prefer outpatient treatment, consider a sober living home. Your treatment team can help you decide.
You’ll go through an assessment when you enroll. You’ll develop a treatment plan, and you’ll have scheduled appointments. You’ll visit your team often in the beginning, but as you get better, you’ll taper away from intensive care.
You’ll spend time in group therapy, individual therapy, and other similar treatment modalities as you work on your addiction. When you’re not in treatment, you’ll work, live at home, and otherwise tend to your day-to-day life.
Yes. People can and do fight back against addiction every day. Many people do that work in outpatient treatment programs. The lessons you learn help you to understand what it takes to stay sober for the rest of your life.
You’ll need to practice your sobriety skills, and relapse isn’t uncommon as you learn. But with perseverance and support, you can get better.
Addictions are personal, and your treatment plan should be too. In most cases, your program will be measured in months. But you may need a shorter or longer stay, depending on your history and your treatment goals.
You may also set out a course for recovery at the beginning of care that changes as your needs change. Your team should work with you to design a plan that’s right for you.
Help at Footprints to Recovery
We have a facility in Illinois, and we have others in:
- Pennsylvania
- Colorado
- Arizona
- New Jersey
We believe in tailoring treatment to meet the unique needs of our patients. No two people have the same history, and they shouldn’t have the same treatment program. We offer a wide variety of resources and services, so we can create a personalized plan that’s right for you.
Our treatment facilities in Illinois offer:
- Partial hospitalization.
- Intensive outpatient treatment (daytime and nighttime options).
- Medication-assisted treatment.
- Alumni support.
We can connect you with a sober living home, if it’s not safe for you to tackle recovery while living in your old community. And our aftercare programs, including our Aftercare Club, connect you with other alumni members. Each group has a different theme, and they meet weekly to work toward a common goal.
We emphasize community in our treatment programs, and that’s often overlooked by other addiction treatment providers. We know people can lift you up, and we know you’ll feel better when you help others. You’ll find a deep connection with the peers you meet in our treatment program.
