Treatment Facilities

Facilities intended specifically for the treatment of alcohol and substance use began to be developed approximately half a century ago. The rise in the number of treatment facilities may be attributable to an increase in the prevalence of addictions in the United States, as well as the proliferation of funding institutions, such as insurance companies, that provide payment for the treatment of addictions. Until such treatment centers were developed, individuals who [Page 944]experienced problems with alcohol or drug use were treated primarily with outpatient psychotherapy or through attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous.

Treatment facilities initially were based on the Twelve-Step principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. Although such centers provided good successes for individuals experiencing addictions to alcohol, they were less effective for individuals struggling with addictions to other ...