Addiction in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, the statistics on drug use are alarming. Massachusetts rates were among the top 10 in the nation for several categories, including:1
- Past month drug use among young adults age 18 to 25.
- Drug dependence among young adults age 18 to 25.
Massachusetts ranks in the top 10 states in terms of opioid overdose rates. Approximately 1,900 people died in 2017 in the state due to opioid overdoses.2
Defining Outpatient Treatment
When you or a loved one needs treatment for addiction, the main goals are for the person to:3
- Stop using drugs.
- Maintain abstinence from drugs.
- Stay productive with family, work, and society.
Effective treatment for addiction includes a combination of approaches including counseling, medication, and follow-up to prevent relapse. However, these approaches to treatment do not require that a person enters a 24/7 inpatient program in a hospital or rehab center. Outpatient treatment is often an appropriate option. Outpatient programs can provide the treatment and support necessary for recovery but still allow a person to be at home with his or her family and be able to work or attend school.3
In some cases, a person may have to go to an inpatient detox program for a few days to make sure they safely withdraw from alcohol and certain types of drugs, such as benzodiazepines.4 Outpatient treatment usually includes one of the following approaches:3
How to Find Outpatient Rehab in Massachusetts
When you or your loved one is seeking drug rehab in Massachusetts, there are numerous treatment options for outpatient rehab. While many programs are in the Boston area, there are numerous other programs available all over the state, but the Western half of the state tends to have fewer options for treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration lists over 80 treatment centers in the state.5 This directory can be accessed here.
Dual-Diagnosis Treatment in Massachusetts
Many people who are struggling with addiction also have a mental health disorder, such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, or bipolar disorder. The terms co-occurring disorder and dual diagnosis refer to a person having both a substance use and a mental health disorder diagnosis.6 Many treatment programs offer interventions to address dual-diagnosis issues together to help a person work toward recovery from addiction and to help with the mental health disorder. Massachusetts has made a concerted effort to address dual-diagnosis patients. 7
Massachusetts-Specific Drug Stats
The number one drug associated with treatment admission in Massachusetts is heroin.1 In 2017, over 2,100 people in Massachusetts died of opioid overdose, which makes it one of the states with the highest rate of opioid overdose.8 Survey data show that 9.2% of adolescents in Massachusetts used marijuana in the past month compared to a national average of 7.2%.9 In addition, 6.7% of all residents over the age of 12 had an alcohol use disorder (AUD), which is slightly higher than the national rate of 6.1%.9
Massachusetts Treatment Facts
In 2017, over 111,000 people were admitted to drug treatment in Massachusetts. The primary drug for 52% of these admissions was heroin, followed by 33% reporting alcohol use as the primary drug, and about 4% reporting crack or cocaine.10
Massachusetts has more than 400 treatment facilities, with 283 having an outpatient program.11
Does My Insurance Cover Treatment in Massachusetts
Since drug treatment can be costly, you should seek a program that is covered by your insurance. The cost for inpatient treatment is around $1,000 per day and outpatient can range from $300 to $500 per day without insurance. State-funded programs for people without insurance are often cheaper.
The most popular insurance programs, which typically cover some form of substance abuse treatment, include:12
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
- Aetna.
- Boston Medical Center Health Plan.
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.
- Cigna.
- Connect Care of Massachusetts.
- Fallon.
Massachusetts Insurance (i.e. Medicaid) Treatment Facilities
Many treatment facilities accept Medicaid, which is called MassHealth. The qualification requirements and process for MassHealth coverage can be obtained at the Massachusetts Health Connector, but generally, a person must be a resident of Massachusetts and be at no more than 133% of the federal poverty level, or 200% of the poverty level if pregnant. Children are eligible for this program under certain circumstances as well. Even if you believe your income is too high, or you’ve been turned down before for MassHealth, consider applying as the income amounts have changed in the past few years under the Affordable Care Act of 2010.13
Other ways to get help
Sources
- Executive Office of the President of the United States. (n.d.). Massachusetts drug control update.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2019). Massachusetts opioid summary.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2019). Treatment approaches for drug addiction.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2006). Detoxification and substance abuse treatment.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Opioid treatment directory.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Common comorbidities with substance abuse disorder.
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts Health Policy Commission. (2019). Co-occurring disorders care in Massachusetts.
- Centers for Disease Control. (2019). 2017 Drug overdose death rates.
- National Survey on Drug Use and Health. (2017). Behavioral health barometer, Massachusetts.
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health. (2018). Description of admission statistics.
- National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services. 2018 state profiles.
- Center for Health Information and Analysis. (2015). Access to substance use disorder treatment in Massachusetts.
- Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Medicaid and CHIP in Massachusetts.
