The cost of addiction treatment can vary considerably, with outpatient care costing at least $250/per day, partial hospitalization costing between $350-$450 per day, and inpatient rehab costing up to $650/day. Because of this high cost of treatment, many people don’t end up getting the addiction care they need. However, cost doesn’t have to be a barrier to quality addiction treatment. Rehab scholarships are available to cover the costs of treatment for those who can’t otherwise afford care. Typically, drug and alcohol rehab scholarships are offered by individual facilities, though some may be offered by third-party organizations. Learn how to get a rehab scholarship and begin your recovery journey.
In this article:
- Who Offers Drug and Alcohol Rehab Scholarships?
- What Types of Treatment Are Covered by Rehab Scholarships?
- How Much of Treatment Do the Scholarships Cover?
- Who Should Apply for a Rehab Scholarship?
- Finding and Applying for Available Scholarships
- How to Get a Rehab Scholarship
Who Offers Drug and Alcohol Rehab Scholarships?
Individual Rehabs
Drug rehab scholarships are most commonly offered by the individual rehabs themselves. They offer rehab scholarships for people who need addiction treatment but don’t have insurance and don’t have the financial means to pay for rehab. In order to find these scholarships, you’ll have to contact rehab centers directly. But if you already have a list of programs you’re interested in, you should inquire about their rehab scholarships before making a decision.
Corporations
Some rehab facilities are independently owned and run, while others are owned by nonprofit and for-profit organizations. These organizations sometimes offer rehab scholarships to cover the cost of their rehabs.
Non-Profits
Non-profit organizations that don’t own rehabs may also offer rehab scholarships. One main example is 10,000 Beds, a non-profit that has provided millions of dollars in rehab scholarships and helped over 1,500 people and families get treatment. They do this by partnering with rehabs that currently have openings.
What Types of Treatment Are Covered by Rehab Scholarships?
Rehab scholarships are all different. Some cover both inpatient and outpatient treatment centers, others cover one or the other. Since inpatient drug and alcohol rehab tends to be more expensive than outpatient and thus, requires more financial assistance, there tend to be more rehab scholarships for inpatient programs.
Typically, rehab scholarships cover standard inpatient and outpatient programs and don’t cover luxury services that aren’t medically necessary. For example, a facility with a resort-like setting that offers spa treatments, massage therapy, and gourmet meals is not likely to be covered by a rehab scholarship.
How Much of Treatment Do the Scholarships Cover?
The extent of treatment coverage varies among rehab scholarships. Some may cover the entire cost of inpatient rehab while others may provide partial cost coverage.
To get a better understanding of how much you may have to pay, you’ll want to ask the individual facility or organization offering the scholarship.
Who Should Apply for a Rehab Scholarship?
Rehab scholarships are intended for people who cannot otherwise afford addiction treatment. If you have insurance or have the financial means to pay for rehab, then a rehab scholarship is probably not right for you. Here are some people who should consider applying for a rehab scholarship:
- People who are uninsured: If you don’t have insurance and are unable to afford purchasing it from the health insurance marketplace, then a rehab scholarship may be a good option.
- People who are underinsured: If your insurance company will only pay a portion of your addiction treatment, then you may want to consider applying for a rehab scholarship to cover the difference.
- People who have exhausted other financial options: If you’ve tried many avenues, such as Medicaid, family and friends, and church support, you may qualify for a rehab scholarship.
- People who need specialized treatment insurance won’t cover: If you need dual diagnosis treatment for addiction and a co-occurring mental health disorder, some insurance may not cover specialized care, in which case you could apply for a rehab scholarship.
- People who are committed to recovery: Many rehab scholarships require the individual to complete the program or else they won’t cover the cost of treatment. Some require a person to commit to at least 30 days of treatment.
Finding and Applying for Available Scholarships
Finding a rehab scholarship to cover the cost of drug and alcohol addiction treatment doesn’t need to be difficult. There are plenty of ways to find one you qualify for.
Use Our Rehab Directory
You can always browse our rehab directory to find treatment programs that suit your needs. Once you create a list of potential rehabs, you can then call them to find out if they offer rehab scholarships. If the rehab doesn’t happen to offer a scholarship, they may be able to refer you to a facility that does.
Ask Your Treatment Provider
If you aren’t sure where to begin, you’ll first need to get an assessment through your treatment provider. Once they evaluate you and diagnose you with a substance use disorder (the formal term for an addiction), they may also be able to refer you to rehabs that offer scholarships for those who need financial assistance.
10,000 Beds
If you’re unable to find a scholarship through an individual rehab, you can apply for a rehab scholarship through 10,000 beds. The criteria for a 10,000 Beds scholarship include:
- You need treatment for drug or alcohol addiction
- You want to get better and quit using substances
- You are willing to commit to a minimum of 30 days of inpatient care
- You are unable to cover treatment costs
- You have previously tried other forms of financial support
On the application, be prepared to provide the following information:
- Your full name
- Your birthdate
- Your email address
- Your home address
- Your phone number
- The substance you are addicted to
- The length of time you’ve been using substances
- Whether you’ve been to rehab before, and if so, where and when
- The details of your financial situation
- Where you feel your addiction began
- History of trauma or life-changing experiences
- Prescription medications you may be taking for conditions that are not your addiction
- Whether or not you need detox services
- When you are available to attend treatment
Sober Living Scholarships
Once you’ve completed an addiction treatment program and want to continue receiving ongoing care, you may want to consider a sober living scholarship through Herren Project Recovery Scholarships. This program offers scholarships to cover the rent of a sober living home. Returning home after rehab can be a financial burden and the Herren Project aims to relieve that burden and help you get back on your feet.
How to Get a Rehab Scholarship
In a perfect world, everyone would be able to get the financial assistance they need to attend addiction treatment, but there simply aren’t enough scholarships available yet. With tens of thousands of people applying for limited rehab scholarships, you will want to find a way for your application to stand out. Here are some strategies for filling out scholarship applications.
Establish Your Need for Financial Assistance
When you apply for a rehab scholarship, you’ll need to provide the facility or organization with your financial information, such as your income, your checking and savings account balances, your expenses such as rent, and more.
You will also want to list all of the steps you previously took in order to finance addiction rehab. These may include crowdfunding, asking for help from loved ones, applying for Medicaid, asking for help from local organizations, and applying for loans. Listing all of these steps will show just how serious you are about getting the help you need to change your life.
Explain Your Need for Professional Addiction Treatment
If you haven’t already, now is the time to get evaluated by a treatment professional who can diagnose you with an alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder. They may also diagnose you with any other co-occurring or comorbid conditions, such as mental health disorders or a medical condition, which necessitates specialized care. Having a formal diagnosis may help your cause. You can then use this assessment to explain why and how you think rehab will help you recover from your addiction.
Demonstrate Your Commitment to Recovery
Explain how substance use has negatively affected your life and your relationships, and why it’s so important for you to quit using drugs or alcohol. Explain what’s at stake and what inspired you to seek help. It might also be worthwhile writing a long-term relapse prevention plan that includes various forms of support you’ll receive after you finish rehab. These options may include joining support groups like Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), SMART Recovery, attending outpatient treatment, attending ongoing therapy, or entering a sober living home.
It’s Never Too Late to Seek Help
If you aren’t able to find or receive a rehab scholarship, you can still find affordable treatment options, such as state-sponsored low-cost and free rehabs or programs that offer sliding scale fees based on what you can reasonably afford.
No matter your addiction or situation, it’s never too late to seek addiction treatment. If you need help finding a rehab, contact 800-914-7089 (Who Answers?) . Help is available.