The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) updated guide to finding local substance abuse treatment programs is now available. The guide, National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs 2004, provides information on thousands of alcohol and drug treatment programs located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and four U.S. territories.

The new directory includes public and private facilities that are licensed, certified, or otherwise approved by substance abuse agencies in each of the states. The directory is a nationwide inventory of substance abuse and alcoholism treatment programs and facilities that is organized and presented in a state-by-state format for quick-reference by health care providers, social workers, managed care organizations, and the general public. This latest and improved edition of the SAMHSA directory of treatment programs provides a listing of the most current information available on more than 11,000 substance abuse treatment programs at the community level.

The directory is designed to quickly provide the reader with important information on levels of care and types of facilities, including those with programs for adolescents, persons with co-occurring substance abuse and mental disorders, individuals living with HIV/AIDS, and pregnant women.

The 2004 directory identifies both long and short-term residential treatment facilities and facilities that provide residential beds for clients' children.

The new directory complements SAMHSA's internet-based Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator. The internet-based service, which is updated continuously, provides road maps to the nearest treatment facilities, as well as addresses, phone numbers and information on services available.

Uses of the new directory include:

·         Quick-reference data for substance abuse and mental health hotlines, crisis centers, and emergency services;

·         Patient referral for hospitals, health care providers, drug courts, and social service agencies;

·         Mental health and substance abuse planning at the community, state, and regional levels.

The Directory is designed to provide persons seeking treatment with critical information, such as:

·         The types of services provided – detoxification, treatment, methadone, or halfway house;

·         Level of care – outpatient, residential, and hospital inpatient;

·         The types of payment accepted by each facility;

·         Whether special language services are provided, such as assistance for hearing impaired or non-English speakers.

·         The availability of programs for special populations, such as adolescents, seniors, women or men only, or criminal justice groups.

In addition to alcohol and drug abuse treatment service providers, the directory also lists state-level substance abuse treatment authorities.

To obtain a free copy of the National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs 2004, contact SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, Maryland 20847, or call (800) 729-6686.