Most people know they need help before they understand what help looks like. This hub explains the full process: what each level of care involves, what detox feels like day by day, how admission works, and what to look for when choosing a program. Clinical content reviewed by a licensed clinician.
Addiction treatment is not one thing. It is a connected set of programs, each designed for a different point in recovery. Understanding the continuum helps you identify where you are most likely to start and where you are headed.
Medically supervised management of withdrawal. Required for alcohol, benzodiazepines, and opioids in many cases.
24-hour structured care in a treatment facility. Therapy, medical monitoring, and peer support around the clock.
Intensive day program, four to six hours a day, five days a week. You live at home or in sober living.
Structured sessions three hours a day, three to five days a week. More independence, ongoing clinical support.
Weekly or bi-weekly individual or group therapy. Continuing care after completing a higher level of treatment.
TRICARE covers all five levels of care for substance use disorder. Residential and PHP require prior authorization. The appropriate starting point is determined by a clinical assessment, not by personal preference or insurance preference alone. Source: tricare.mil
What withdrawal actually feels like from day one through day ten. What medications are used, what to expect at each stage, and when the hardest part passes.
Read the timeline →A deeper guide to each level, what the daily structure looks like, how TRICARE covers each, and how to move between levels as you progress.
Read the guide →The full intake process from the first phone call through day one at a program. What you will be asked, what happens with TRICARE verification, and what to bring.
See the steps →What questions to ask before enrolling, what a TRICARE-accepting program must be able to confirm, red flags to avoid, and what matters most for veterans specifically.
See the checklist →Symptoms begin as the substance clears. Anxiety, restlessness, and physical discomfort start. Medical team establishes baseline monitoring and begins medication support where appropriate.
The most intense period for most substances. Alcohol and benzo withdrawal peaks here and requires the closest medical monitoring. Opioid withdrawal is intensely uncomfortable but rarely medically dangerous. Medications substantially reduce severity.
Physical symptoms ease for most people. Sleep, appetite, and mood begin to stabilise. Initial clinical assessment for co-occurring conditions such as PTSD or depression typically begins here.
Physical detox completes for most substances. The focus shifts to the next level of care. The clinical team works with TRICARE to secure prior authorisation for residential or PHP before discharge. No discharge without a plan.
Unlike most substances, alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can cause seizures and life-threatening complications. Never attempt to withdraw from heavy alcohol or benzo use without medical supervision. A medical detox setting is not optional in these cases.
The unknown is the biggest barrier. Here is exactly what the intake process looks like from first contact to day one.
You will speak with an admissions coordinator. They ask about your substance use history, current medications, medical and psychiatric background, and insurance. This call is confidential. You are not committed to anything.
The facility contacts TriWest to verify your TRICARE benefits and submits the prior authorization request. For residential treatment this takes one to several business days. You are updated at each stage. Emergency authorizations can be expedited.
On arrival you complete consent forms, a release of information if you want family contacted, and an initial treatment agreement. The paperwork is thorough but the staff walk you through it. Bring your insurance card and a photo ID.
A physician or nurse practitioner conducts a physical exam. A counselor or case manager completes a psychiatric and substance use history. For veterans this should include a PTSD screening. The assessment informs your treatment plan.
Your care team develops an initial treatment plan based on the assessment. It covers the recommended level of care, therapy modalities, medication, and discharge goals. Plans are reviewed and updated regularly throughout treatment.
You are oriented to the facility, shown your room or space, and introduced to the daily schedule. Phone and contact policies vary by program. Most allow family contact after the first day or two. The first 24 to 48 hours are about physical stabilisation and orientation, not intensive therapy.
Particularly for veterans, not every program is equally prepared. These are the questions that matter most before you commit.
Ask the facility to confirm they accept TRICARE and whether they are in the TriWest network. In-network significantly lowers your out-of-pocket costs.
Ask whether they have a dedicated veterans program or staff trained in military culture and trauma. PTSD-informed care is essential if trauma is part of the picture.
A program that treats addiction without addressing co-occurring PTSD or depression has lower success rates for veterans. Confirm they offer integrated treatment.
Confirm the facility holds a current license from the Texas Department of State Health Services. You can verify at the Texas DSHS licensing database.
Ask from the start what discharge looks like and what continuing care support they offer. A strong residential program with no aftercare plan is an incomplete plan.
Any program pressing you to sign paperwork or pay before TRICARE authorization is confirmed deserves caution. Authorised programs work through the verification process first.
If a facility cannot clearly describe their trauma-informed approach when asked directly, their treatment model likely was not designed with veterans in mind.
Good programs discuss aftercare from the intake assessment forward. A discharge plan that materialises only in the last few days is a sign of weak continuing care infrastructure.
A neutral directory of licensed treatment centers in the metro, each with a plain description of services. Listing is not an endorsement. Verify coverage directly with each center and your TRICARE plan.
Guides are added as they are published. Each is reviewed by a licensed clinician and sourced to official references before going live.
What physically happens during detox for alcohol, opioids, and other substances. Day-by-day breakdown of what to expect, what medications are used, and when the hardest part passes.
Detox, residential, PHP, IOP, and outpatient. What each level looks like day to day, how TRICARE covers each, and how to progress through the continuum.
When partial hospitalization is the right step down, when intensive outpatient is the right fit, and how TRICARE authorization works for each.
The complete intake process. What you are asked, how TRICARE verification works, what to bring, and what to expect in the first 48 hours.
A checklist of what to verify before enrolling, what matters most for veterans, questions to ask every program, and red flags to watch for.
A practical packing guide. What is allowed, what is not, what to do with your phone, and what paperwork you need ready before arrival.
Clinical content reviewed by a licensed clinician. Sourced to official guidance where applicable.
You do not need to have all the questions answered first. Free, confidential support for veterans and families is available 24 hours a day.
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