Federally Assisted Drug and Alcohol Treatment
For many homeless people, life can move from self-imposed isolation to episodes of depression and drug abuse. Fortunately, the federal government works through community health centers across the nation that help the homeless by directly providing primary care services, including alcohol and substance abuse counseling and treatment.
It is essential to recognize that most people suffering from severe addictions to drugs and alcohol problems rarely become homeless because of their addiction. They become homeless because they lost their job or became ill or disabled. People also become sick from the unrelenting stress associated with living in extreme poverty.
Treating Drug Addiction – Variety of Approaches – Community Health Care Centers
Today, there are several approaches to treating drug addiction. They include short-term residential care, outpatient drug-free treatment, and therapeutic communities. Let’s look at each of these services.
Short-term residential treatment usually requires a 3 to 6-week inpatient phase leading to outpatient therapy. Outpatient therapy is typically some form of twelve-step program and often includes peer support group participation.
Outpatient drug-free therapy relies on clinic visits and individual and group talk therapy rather than medications. The outpatient drug therapy approach is said to work best for patients with a solid friend-and-family support network. Outpatient drug-free treatment is not recommended for those patients with life-threatening addictions.
Therapeutic communities are essentially residential programs. Patients typically reside in the facility between 6 to 12 months. This treatment classification is used for those whose substance abuse has made them violent to themselves or those around them.
Federally Qualified Community Health Centers -Substance Abuse Care
Community Health Centers are qualified by the US Department of Health and Human Resources. They are community-based patient-directed organizations that serve people with no or limited access to basic health care services, including the homeless and residents of public housing.
Community Health Centers see and treat more than 1 million homeless people a year and nearly 190,000 public housing residents. They also serve the health needs of almost 862,000 farmworkers and their families.
You only pay what you can afford based on your income. Health centers provide both mental health and substance abuse care and treatment.
To locate a center near you, visit the Community Health Centers website.
