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In the United States and U.S. territories, start with SAMHSA’s FindTreatment.gov or call its free National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Then contact programs directly to confirm openings, total costs, insurance coverage, and financial assistance: a directory listing is a lead, not a guarantee of availability or affordability.
Start with a treatment search by location and service
Use FindTreatment.gov, SAMHSA’s confidential, anonymous locator for mental health and substance use treatment in the United States and its territories. Enter a location, then look for the service type and level of care you need, such as outpatient or residential care. SAMHSA materials also describe filters for payment assistance, insurance, age, and recovery support; check the live locator for the filters currently available.
Call any promising program to verify that it is operating, has an opening, provides the service you need, and can explain its cost and eligibility rules. Listings do not guarantee current capacity, a particular price, or insurance coverage. SAMHSA’s low-cost treatment page was updated April 24, 2023, and directory details and filters can change.
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SAMHSA National Helpline
If you are uninsured or underinsured, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for treatment referrals. SAMHSA says the service is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English and Spanish. It can refer callers to state offices responsible for state-funded treatment and may identify sliding-fee facilities or providers that accept Medicare or Medicaid. The page also lists TTY at 1-800-487-4889 and a ZIP-code text option at 435748 (HELP4U), currently English-only; check SAMHSA’s page for current contact details.
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State agencies and health centers
Your state mental health or substance use agency may be able to explain state-funded treatment routes. Free or low-cost health centers are another avenue to check. Ask what services each organization offers, who qualifies, and how to get an assessment or referral; funding and eligibility differ by program and location.
Ask providers how to reduce the bill
Do not rely on a general promise of “low cost.” Ask the provider to explain its assistance rules and what you would owe. SAMHSA recommends asking about sliding-fee scales, grants or scholarships, and payment plans.
- Sliding-fee scale: Ask how fees are adjusted, how household income is assessed, and what documents you must provide.
- Grant, scholarship, or charity care: Ask what services and charges the assistance covers, whether eligibility is limited, and whether any amount must be repaid.
- Payment plan: Ask for the payment schedule, any fees or interest, and what happens if you cannot make a payment or stop care early.
There is no universal price list in the cited federal guidance, and a provider’s assistance is not guaranteed. Get the terms from the provider before agreeing to care.
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Check insurance and public payment options
If you have insurance, ask your insurer for participating providers and confirm network status, covered services, and estimated out-of-pocket costs with both the insurer and the provider. Ask the provider whether it can verify benefits before you begin. If you are uninsured or underinsured, ask the Helpline or your state agency about state-funded programs; ask providers directly whether they accept Medicare or Medicaid or offer sliding fees. A directory listing alone does not establish eligibility, coverage, or your final bill.
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Compare programs on more than price
When you have more than one option, compare the details that affect whether care is accessible and workable:
- Type and intensity of service offered, including whether it matches the care you are seeking.
- Total expected cost and what it includes; ask whether assessment, medication, lab work, counseling, or other required services may be billed separately.
- Insurance participation and the estimated amount you would pay out of pocket.
- Eligibility and terms for sliding fees, public funding, grants, scholarships, or payment plans.
- Earliest assessment and likely start date.
- Availability, schedule, language, and cost of peer, family, or community recovery support.
These are comparison questions, not a ranking of providers. Choose based on the combination of service fit, affordability, timing, and support that matters to you.
Use this checklist when calling a program
- Ask: “Do you currently have an opening for the service I need, and when is the soonest assessment?”
- Ask which financial assistance options are available, what income criteria or documents apply, what they cover, and whether repayment is required.
- Request the full expected cost, including assessment, medication, labs, counseling, and any other required services. Ask which items could be billed separately.
- Ask whether the program accepts your insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. Request confirmation of network status and an estimate of your out-of-pocket cost before care starts.
- Ask what services are offered and what happens if the first approach is not a good fit.
- Ask whether peer or family support is available, whether it is included in the cost, and how to access it.
Include recovery support in the search
Treatment is not the only form of support to ask about. SAMHSA’s recovery resources point to peer and community support; use the locator’s recovery-support information where available, and ask providers about options connected to care. Confirm directly with the organizer whether a group or service is accessible to you, when it meets, what it costs, and whether it fits your needs.
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If you or someone else is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988. If there is immediate danger or a medical emergency, call 911 or go to an emergency room.
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