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For mothers in active addiction who fear losing their children for good, free rehabs in New York are proving to be a turning point.
At a Brentwood recovery residence for women, dozens of mothers are getting sober, learning parenting skills and working toward reuniting with kids who were placed in foster care.
Free Rehabs in New York Help Mothers Facing Addiction and Custody Loss
Outreach’s Recovery Residence for Women in Brentwood houses about 20 women at a time, offering family counseling, recovery planning, and a structured path back to their children, according to Newsday’s reporting.
Women typically live at the facility for about a month before moving into a three-to-six-month reintegration phase.
The roughly $2 million annual cost is covered through a mix of New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) funding, Medicaid insurance and commercial insurance, which is part of why programs like this stay accessible to mothers who couldn’t otherwise pay for treatment.
For many women in the program, addiction and motherhood are deeply intertwined. One mother, Laura Mullen, left her young son with relatives during what she described as a life-or-death moment in her addiction, and her son was later placed in foster care.
After years of addiction and homelessness, she found the Brentwood program while incarcerated and used it to rebuild her relationship with her son.
Another mother, Brandi Curiale, said that after losing custody following a difficult marriage, the program gave her the tools she needed to get her children back. “They’re my children; they belong with me,” she said.
Who Qualifies for Free or Low-Cost Rehab in New York
Free rehabs in New York like Outreach’s Brentwood residence are often funded through a mix of state dollars, Medicaid, and insurance, which means qualification tends to hinge more on need than on ability to pay.
Programs like this aren’t only for mothers tied to the child welfare system, though that overlap is common: nationally, an estimated 29% of children entering foster care in 2025 had a parent struggling with substance use disorder, and neglect was the leading reason children were removed overall.
On Long Island, the number of children in foster care has climbed in recent years; Suffolk County’s foster care population grew from 389 to 514 children between 2022 and 2025, while Nassau County’s grew from 124 to 180, according to state data.
Despite that growth, most children placed in foster care in both counties eventually go home, with reunification rates around two-thirds in Suffolk and roughly seven in ten in Nassau.
Eligibility for free or low-cost rehab generally depends on income, insurance status and in some cases, involvement with family court or child protective services.
New York’s family treatment courts work specifically with parents at risk of permanently losing custody, pairing court appearances with treatment requirements and parenting-skills work to keep reunification on track.
Child welfare officials note that removals only happen after a court determines a child faces significant risk, and reunification requires a parent to show long-term, demonstrated stability rather than a single milestone.
How to Access These Resources
Getting into a program is often the hardest step. Even parents who are actively complying with court requirements can stall out because treatment slots and waitlists remain scarce on Long Island, child advocates say, sometimes forcing families, attorneys, and judges to lean on county social services to secure an opening. If you’re searching for rehab centers near you, here’s where to start:
- Ask a family court judge, caseworker, or attorney about local family treatment court programs
- Contact your county’s Department of Social Services for referrals to state-funded treatment
- Call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free, confidential referrals to local treatment, available 24/7
- Ask any treatment provider directly whether they accept Medicaid or offer sliding-scale fees
Programs built around reunification, like the Brentwood residence that opened during the pandemic, typically start by helping a mother build a recovery plan focused on demonstrated stability, plus housing and employment support, while working directly with the courts and connecting women to legal services as their cases move forward.
Many also build in trauma-informed work, such as art and yoga instruction, to help women process the shame and stigma that often come with being both a parent and a person in recovery.
Medicaid and Other Ways to Pay for Rehab
Medicaid rehab coverage is one of the biggest reasons programs like Outreach’s are within reach for low-income mothers.
New York’s Medicaid program covers many substance-use treatment services, including residential care, outpatient counseling and medication-assisted treatment.
Beyond Medicaid, some programs combine OASAS funding, sliding-scale fees and nonprofit grants to keep costs low or free for qualifying patients.
For those wondering does insurance cover rehab, most commercial health plans are required under federal parity laws to cover substance-use treatment similarly to other medical care, though specifics on in-network providers and length of stay vary by plan.
Free and Low-Cost Rehabs Near You in New York
If you’re searching for free rehabs near you, New York residents can start with their county OASAS office or the state’s treatment locator.
Family members navigating a custody case involving addiction should also ask the court system about referrals, since many low-cost rehabs in New York work directly with family treatment courts to prioritize parents at risk of losing their children.
You can find Rehabs.org lists free and low-cost treatment facilities nationwide. Call
800-914-7089
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to start your recovery today.
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