Christian Drug and Alcohol Rehabs

People who identify as Christians have several Christian drug and alcohol rehab options available to them throughout the United States.

A person’s faith can be an incredibly valuable tool and resource when undergoing rehab for drug or alcohol addiction.

People of faith call on a higher power during situations that may seem hopeless or that cause them to turn to alcohol and drug addiction.

These programs offer a wide range of services and treatments, and often use a combination of evidence-based treatments and faith-based treatments, as well as 12-step programming.

Christian addiction treatment centers incorporate Christianity and spirituality as a main component of the addiction recovery process.

While all rehab centers have the ultimate goal of helping people to reach recovery, Christian rehab centers do this by incorporating aspects of Christian faith.

These include prayer, worship time, chapel, and a belief in and practice of complete abstinence.

Like other rehab centers, they can come in either inpatient or outpatient form, offer multiple levels of care, and many are also residential work therapy programs.

• Benefits: sense of community and mentorship, help people to surrender to higher power, provide guidance, empower individuals throughout recovery, help participants renew their faith and find new meaning and purpose in their lives, provide people with the tools to achieve and maintain long-term sobriety
• Percent of rehab centers that offer a spiritual component: 73%
• Percent of Americans who possess some level of religious faith or belief in a higher power: 95%
• Types of substance addiction treated: Alcohol addiction, heroin addiction, marijuana addiction, cocaine addiction, prescription medication addiction, opioid addiction, methamphetamine addiction (some programs may also offer treatment for non-substance related addictions such as gambling addiction or pornography addiction)
• Treatments found in Christian recovery programs: Social and observational detoxification, counseling and therapy, peer support, chapel and worship, fellowship, 12-step programming, aftercare and relapse prevention support, gender-based care
• How to pay for Christian rehab: private or state-funded insurance, cash, financial assistance, finding a program that offers scholarships or donation assistance

Answer: Those who may benefit most from Christian rehab programs are likely to be people who are already of faith and believers in a higher power.

For people in this position, it may feel natural to call upon faith during a difficult time such as while struggling with a substance use disorder or mental health condition.

The higher power that a person believes in does not necessarily need to be Christ or the Christian God in order for them to see benefits from a faith-based addiction program.

This is not to say that people who are non-religious cannot benefit from Christian rehab programs, especially if they are open to surrendering to a higher power as part of their recovery.

Overview: Christian rehab centers and non-faith-based rehab centers offer many of the same treatment services, but have some important key differences between them.

Faith-based rehab programs are designed for people who identify with a path of faith and who want spirituality to be a part of their recovery.

Non-faith based rehabs take on a more research-based and evidence-based approach to recovery, and do not address any spiritual needs for people during their treatment.

There are also rehab centers which combine both treatment types, such as Christian-based rehabs that also offer evidence-based treatments, and traditional rehab centers which offer 12-step meetings.

Answer: In a Christian addiction treatment program, you can expect to take part in substance abuse treatments like detox and counseling, while accessing Christian values and teachings.

The specifics of what happens each day in a Christian rehab program can vary significantly between centers, especially in inpatient vs. outpatient treatment centers. But, there are certain services and treatments that you can generally expect.

Services, treatments, and activities that you can expect in Christian rehab include:

• 12-step meetings and programming, including the opportunity to connect with mentors and sponsors
• Individualized treatment plans designed to meet the unique needs of participants
• Access to onsite spiritual leaders such as a priest or pastor
• Therapy that can be individual or include loved ones such as family members or spouses
• Access to an onsite chapel, often available 24/7 for quiet prayer and reflection
• Peer support and group therapy
• Dual diagnosis treatment to address co-occuring mental health conditions
• Activities that promote community and friendship-building among participants
• Holistic treatments like art therapy and music therapy
• Evidence-based treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Christian addiction recovery centers may also offer at least some degree of research-based treatments in addition to those that are faith-based.

Many of the treatment services and activities offered within Christian rehab programs are much the same as those in traditional evidence-based programs, with a few additional options.

Inpatient or Residential Treatment

One of the most successful kinds of addiction treatment is inpatient or residential treatment, during which individuals live onsite and receive treatment along with others in recovery.

This type of treatment offers 24/7 supervision and relapse prevention support as well, including spiritual guidance.

Chapel, Prayer, and Worship

Christian rehab provides access to an onsite chapel, usually available for both quiet prayer alone or regularly scheduled services, Bible studies, and prayer groups.

No matter the style of worship that a person prefers, either alone or in groups, there are generally options available to suit these needs and preferences.

Gender-Based Care

Treatment within Christian rehab facilities is often gender-separate or gender-specific, and this is especially true within residential facilities.

This kind of treatment can be helpful for people who feel more comfortable healing in an environment free of the opposite gender, especially if they have been victims of sexual or domestic abuse.

Christian Fellowship

Fellowship is a key part of the Christian faith. It involves a meeting of Christians who form friendships and mentorships while sharing biblical knowledge and discussing Christian spiritual growth and development.

This can be a great resource for people in recovery to support and empower each other through the process of recovery and personal growth.

Outpatient Treatment

Christian rehab programs can also come in an outpatient program setting, which is less intensive and can be more convenient and comfortable for people who have families or jobs.

Outpatient treatment typically comes in the form of counseling, which can be individual counseling, group counseling, family counseling, and relationship/marriage counseling.

It can also include peer support groups, where people can talk about their recovery experiences and the spiritual aspects of them.

For people who need more intensive outpatient treatment, there are intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and partial hospitalization programs (PHP).

Counseling and Therapy

Counseling and therapy are an integral part of any drug and alcohol rehab program, and this is also true in Christian programs.

However, counseling or therapy is generally facilitated by a priest or pastor who can incorporate a spiritual aspect into their responses and guidance.

Detox

Detox is an important stage of recovery, and Christian rehab facilities often offer detox in the form of observational detox or social detox.

In these types of detox, individuals are monitored by professionals. They will be around others who are also going through detox, in an environment where they can support and encourage each other through their faith.

Because medical detox requires the use of opioid replacement medications, it is not always found in Christian rehab facilities, though this will vary depending on the specific program.

Support Groups

Support groups are important in Christian rehab centers and often take on a 12-step philosophy, which starts with individuals surrendering themselves to a higher power.

Community and camaraderie are incredibly valuable in both the Christian church and in addiction treatment, so it is natural for them to come together in Christian rehab centers.

The cost of Christian drug rehab centers can vary greatly depending on the type of treatment center and whether it is private or nonprofit.

For instance, a private Christian rehab center is likely to cost more but may offer financial assistance and accept multiple types of payments, including insurance.

Other Christian rehabs are work therapy programs or offered through a church or nonprofit organization, and these cases may be offered for free or very low-cost.

Some programs may offer scholarships or donation funding for participants to make them more financially accessible.

Answer: It is possible to find Christian rehabilitation centers that are covered by insurance, however, coverage will depend on several factors.

First and foremost, if the facility is a private facility, it must be one that accepts insurance in addition to other forms of payment, like self-pay or cash.

If the Christian treatment center does accept insurance, it should be a facility that is within your insurance coverage network. Otherwise, while they may still provide healthcare, the rehab program can charge you for a significant portion of your care, and potentially even the full cost.

Whether you are covered can also be dependent on your individual insurance plan and if it covers substance abuse treatment.

Answer: Recovery is a process, and one that is rarely over when a rehab program ends. For this reason, continuing care is very important for individuals who have completed rehab.

In addition to continuing therapy or support group meetings, people in this situation may want to try transitional housing in the form of sober living or halfway housing, which allows them to live with others who have a similar faith and goal of sobriety.

In addition to these aftercare options, people who are in work therapy programs may have the option to stay on and become mentors to others who are seeking recovery.

There are also Christian programs that connect rehab participants with fellow Christians in the church community where they can turn for help or fellowship support after rehab is over.

It is important to know where to find Christian drug and alcohol treatment centers if this is the type of facility that you are interested in.

Resources for finding Christian rehab centers include:

• Alcoholics Anonymous — a resource to help people find 12-step meetings in their area for alcohol addiction.
• Narcotics Anonymous — an organization that is partnered with and very similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, but which is open to people who struggle with substance abuse of any kind, not just alcohol addiction.
• Samaritans 24/7 Helpline — a free and confidential 24/7 helpline for Christians and people of faith who are experiencing an emotional crisis or who are in need of mental health assistance, the volunteers for this hotline may be able to refer callers to local help and assistance.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) — this government organization provides a treatment locator tool through findtreatment.gov, which allows people to search for treatment by criteria like location and treatment type.

We also offer a directory of drug rehab programs and facilities by state and treatment types if you need further assistance in locating treatment.

In addition to these options, people may also want to speak with their primary care physician or to members of their church or religious community for recommendations or referrals.

If you or a loved one is considering substance use disorder treatment, you may find that a faith-based recovery program is the right choice, even if you aren’t currently a religious person.

To learn more about Christian drug and alcohol rehab centers, or for help in finding an accredited treatment facility in your area, contact us at any time.

For many people, a spiritual path toward recovery is truly the best and most successful path to recovery. Call us today if you believe this is the right choice for you and to discuss your addiction treatment options.