Alcohol Rehab in Chicago, Illinois

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Who Answers?

There are many options for quality alcohol rehab in Chicago. If you suspect you have alcohol use disorder, contact us to find an alcohol rehab in Chicago for a diagnosis and treatment if you live in the city or can travel to Chicago.

Chicago alcohol rehabs provide treatment in inpatient and outpatient settings to best fit your situation; they also offer different amenities and accept various forms of payment, including cash payments, health insurance, payment plans, sliding scale programs, and Medicaid.

Chicago Alcohol Statistics

With a city population of 2.95 million, about 1.2 million, or more than one in three Chicago residents, consume alcohol, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health.^1,2 Other informative statistics from the Department are as follow:^2,3

• At least 68% of self-identified white Chicago residents drank alcohol within a month preceding a survey in 2017. Comparable figures for Hispanics were 50%, 43.4% for black residents, and 43.4% for Asians
• Chicagoans aged 30-44 are the city’s leading alcohol consumers. At least 65.3% in this age group drank. Next in line were those aged 21-29 (63.2%), 45-64 (53.7%), age 65 and older (42.8%), and those aged 18-20 at 22.3%.
• Alcohol consumption was highest among affluent Chicagoans, at least 72.8% who drank, decreasing as incomes declined to 38.8% for residents below the federal poverty level.
• At least 62.5% of Chicagoans identifying themselves as lesbian, gay, or bisexual drank, a rate higher than the 57.5% for heterosexuals.
• A half-million Chicagoans engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking for a typical adult means consuming, within two hours, five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women.
• One-hundred and three thousand Chicago residents frequently engage in binge drinking.
• At 27.4%, males were more likely to binge drink than females at 17.6%.
• Binge drinking was heaviest among white residents, at 25.8%, followed by Hispanic (23.3%), blacks (15.9%), and Asian (10.9%) residents.
• Chicagoans aged 21-29 were the most frequent binge drinkers, at 31.5%, followed by residents aged 30-44 (28.4%), aged 45-64 (18.4%), those between age 8 and 20 (6.6%), and those 65 and older (4.5%).
• Binge drinking was highest among affluent Chicagoans, at 29.5%, declining to 15.5% for residents below the federal poverty level.

Cost of Rehab in Chicago

Rehab costs vary depending on where and at what facility you are attending. Generally, costs are affected in the following ways:

• Inpatient rehab always costs more than outpatient because inpatient includes costs for room and board.
• Costs increase as the quality of rehab amenities rise.
• Longer rehabs are more costly than shorter rehabs.

Low-Cost and Free Rehabs in Chicago

Government rehabs focus on serving clients lacking insurance or other financial resources to pay the cost. They are usually located in population centers with easy transportation access and provide a minimal range of amenities. Finding an opening at a government rehab can be challenging. You may wind up on a waiting list.

Regulations governing government rehab services and registration requirements vary by state and locality if a local government operates the rehab. To be accepted into a government-funded rehab, you will need to provide personal and family information on your health, alcohol consumption, and prior rehab history. You will also need to demonstrate that you reside in the rehab’s state or locality and have little or no income.

Having health insurance, whether private or government-provided Medicaid and Medicare, greatly helps keep out-of-pocket rehab costs down. Contact your health insurer to find which facilities and types of rehab your health insurance policy will cover and what expenses you need to pay yourself.

How Do I Pay for Addiction Treatment in Chicago?

If you lack private health insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare coverage, have insurance that does not fully cover rehab costs, or don’t qualify for cost-free rehab, there are other options to obtain affordable rehab.

Choose a Program That Offers Payment Plans

Most privately operated and nonprofit rehabs offer clients payment plans. The best way to find out about the availability of payment plans is to search online for “rehabs with payment plans.” You can also call rehab centers you are considering and inquire about their payment options. Before committing to a payment plan, make sure you fully understand repayment terms, interest, and other charges.

Apply for a Rehab Scholarship

Some rehab facilities offer scholarships to pay for all or a part of treatment at their facility. A limited number of nonprofit foundations, corporations, and spiritual institutions also provide rehab scholarships. To receive a scholarship, you usually need to describe why you need the scholarship to pay for rehab, your AUD history, and your plans to stay sober after rehab. The best way to find out if a scholarship is available and its requirements is to contact rehab facilities directly.

Find a Sliding Scale Rehab Program

Many rehabs offer sliding scale options if you cannot pay the rehab cost yourself. Under a sliding scale, the less your ability to pay, the lower your cost. To be eligible, you will need to document your income and significant expenses. The best way to find out if this is an option is to contact rehabs directly or through an internet search.

Popular Drug & Alcohol Rehab Centers in Chicago

Gateway Foundation Chicago River North

Gateway Foundation is the country’s largest nonprofit operator of AUD and substance use rehabs, operating 16 inpatient and outpatient rehabs in Chicago and elsewhere in Illinois. This facility provides outpatient treatment in Chicago’s inner Northside, about a 20-minute walk from Union Station. The rehab is easily accessible using public transportation. Gateway’s program revolves around a spiritually influenced 12-step philosophy and emphasizes mindfulness-based sobriety.⁵ Depending on the facility, Gateway also offers medical detox, cognitive and dialectical therapies, motivational interviewing, individual counseling, and family therapy (see below).

Healthcare Alternative Systems (HAS)

This rehab operates in several downtown and North Chicago locations and a South Chicago location. Excepting an inpatient rehab, which provides medical detox (see below), the other facilities provide outpatient treatment. HAS also operates sober transitional housing. HAS is the foremost provider of behavioral health services to Chicago’s Latino community. Most services are provided in both English and Spanish, and the rehab incorporates multi-culturalism in its programs. The rehab accepts private health insurance, Medicaid, self-payment, and sliding scale payment options.

Haymarket Center

From its location on Chicago’s west side, this rehab provides inpatient and outpatient treatment for (separately) men and women, including medical detox. It is the largest single nonprofit rehab facility in Chicago. It is easily accessible using transit and just off Interstate 94, the Kennedy Expressway. In addition to core inpatient and outpatient therapies, the Center offers on-site childcare, fatherhood training and a program for pregnant and post-partum people, courses to prepare for taking the GED exam, and continuing care recovery coaching. Haymarket also operates a learning center that prepares individuals to take the exam required by Illinois to be certified as an addiction counselor. Spanish and Polish speaking staff are available.

Positive Sobriety Institute

Located on the campus of Northwestern University in North Chicago, this rehab provides an outpatient treatment program that incorporates holistic programs. Through its affiliation with the university’s Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, one of the nation’s top medical schools, partial hospitalization programs are also available for medical detox. Some of the rehab technicians also teach at the university. Holistic therapy offered includes yoga and meditation.

Southwood Interventions

Southwood provides inpatient and outpatient rehab from its location in southwest Chicago. Medical detox is available on site. With a rehab philosophy revolving around a 12-step program, its model emphasizes cognitive behavioral therapy and addresses gender-specific issues. Also offered is a “City” program funded by the City of Chicago and the state of Illinois, Southwood Interventions provides highly structured clinical treatment for adults with functional deficits referred by social service agencies, medical practitioners, courts, and other rehabs. Southwood accepts private insurance, Medicaid, and other public funding sources, including Substance Abuse Recovery Funding (SUPR).

Alcohol Rehab in Chicago: Inpatient vs. Outpatient

Rehab is provided on either an inpatient or outpatient basis.⁶ Inpatient involves residing at a rehab facility around the clock. Outpatient rehab involves living at home and attending regularly scheduled sessions at a facility. Whether inpatient or outpatient, the tenure of your rehab can extend from a week to 30 or 90 days or longer. Longer rehabs generally result in better outcomes.

For more severe cases of AUD, inpatient rehab is recommended. At the outset of rehab, there will be an assessment used to create an individualized service plan (ISP) for you. The ISP recommends whether you should enter inpatient or outpatient and if you need medical detox.

Benefits of Inpatient Addiction Treatment

Detox is a medical intervention to treat symptoms of withdrawal.⁷ Detox purges alcohol from your system. Suddenly halting alcohol consumption after long periods of heavy drinking often results in withdrawal, which can be life-threatening. If you need detox, inpatient rehab will probably be recommended.

Inpatient treatment is the most intensive form of alcohol rehab and takes place in a highly structured, residential environment. If you enroll in this type of rehab, you’ll live at a treatment facility for the duration of your program, which may last 30 to 90 days or longer.

While engaged in an inpatient alcohol rehab in Chicago, you’ll have around-the-clock access to treatment professionals and a wide variety of therapies designed to address alcohol addiction. You’ll also have support from peers working through recovery alongside you. Benefits of this type of treatment include:

• More time in close contact with treatment providers, which can help your care team more closely personalize your treatment plan to your needs
• Time away from your day-to-day environment, which can help you focus more intensely on your recovery
• Community with peers who are also working through recovery from AUD and/or mental health disorders
• A stable, safe, supportive, and immersive environment where healing and recovery are the focus of daily life

There are many variables in play, but as a rule, inpatient rehab leads to better outcomes than outpatient rehab. The reason is that inpatient rehab is more intensive, with fewer distractions from your rehab program from family, friends, and work.

Benefits of Outpatient Addiction Treatment

If you have a less severe case of AUD or a supportive environment conducive to recovery, then outpatient programs may be a good fit for your situation. Outpatient rehab’s primary benefit is that it allows you to return home each night to be with your family and go to work. They are also more flexible and affordable than inpatient rehab, and you have the ability to apply your skills in the home environment right away.

There are three main types of outpatient alcohol rehabs in Chicago, IL:

• Standard outpatient treatment requires the least time commitment to participate, usually requiring only a few hours of meetings per week in individual therapy or support groups. This type of rehab is perfect for someone in long-term recovery who just needs ongoing counseling and life skills coaching to avoid relapsing.
• Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) are more involved than the standard treatment, requiring a few hours of therapy several days a week.
• Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) are the most intensive outpatient services, with several hours in an inpatient setting each day. Many people enter PHPs after finishing inpatient rehab or detox programs.

Types of Drug and Alcohol Rehabs in Chicago

Some alcohol rehab programs in Chicago specialize in providing treatment for different populations. These programs customize their treatment to suit specific needs while providing a sense of community, so patients feel safe and supported throughout their recovery journey.

Holistic Rehab

Holistic rehabs incorporate alternative therapies such as dance, acupuncture, meditation, art therapy, and yoga.⁸ The aim is to align the body, mind, and spirit on a path of lifelong sobriety by expressing thoughts and feelings through these modalities.

Christian and Faith-Based Rehab

Faith-based rehabs incorporate religious and other spiritual and non-secular practices and principles into the rehab experience.⁹ They are often affiliated with religious denominations, Christian being the most popular, though faith-based rehabs can incorporate any spiritual affiliation.

Luxury Rehab

Luxury rehabs are the most expensive type of rehab facility. Luxury alcohol rehabs provide resort-style amenities in scenic locations, such as in the mountains, on the coast, or in the desert. They provide upscale amenities, such as comfortable private rooms, extensive fitness facilities, spas, hiking trails, boating, and horseback riding.

Executive Rehab

Executive rehabs cater to high-level professionals who need enhanced access to their places of work during inpatient stays. Rooms are usually private or double occupancy and luxuriously outfitted, and clients are allowed more flexible access to cell phones and laptops.

Dual Diagnosis Rehab

Dual diagnosis rehab involves teams of physicians, psychologists and psychiatrists, and therapists working together on treatment plans for a patient who suffers from AUD and co-occurring mental health disorders.¹⁰ Common co-occurring disorders include depression, anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, and personality disorders.

Depression and Addiction

Clients diagnosed with AUD are 2.3 times more likely to have experienced a major depressive episode in the prior year than the general population.¹¹ Sadness, loss of interest in activities, and thoughts of self-harm are signs of depression. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) medication can be used to treat depression. These stabilize a neurotransmitter produced by the brain.¹³

Anxiety and Addiction

Anxiety disorder frequently co-occurs with AUD. AUD and social anxiety disorder (SAD) are diagnosed as co-occurring in 2.4% of people in the general population.¹² SAD symptoms include fear of strangers, worrying, and fear of humiliating yourself in public. Behavioral therapies and medication are often used to treat SAD.

PTSD and Addiction

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and AUD also frequently co-occur; between 11 and 30% of U.S. veterans develop PTSD.¹³ AUD or other substance use disorders reportedly co-occur with PTSD over the lifetimes of 57.7% of people with PTSD diagnoses.¹⁴ PTSD can result from experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. PTSD symptoms include severe anxiety, flashbacks, and nightmares. Treatment for PTSD focus on cognitive and dialectical behavior therapy medications.

Bipolar Disorder and Addiction

Alcohol use disorder co-occurs in as many as 62% of bipolar disorder (BD) diagnoses.¹⁵ Various behavioral therapies and mood-stabilizing, anti-depression, and anti-anxiety medications are often used to treat BD.

Personality Disorders and Addiction

Studies show that a high amount of people with alcohol addiction also suffer from a personality disorder like borderline (BPD) or antisocial personality disorder.¹⁶

The link between personality disorders and AUD is not entirely understood, but it has been estimated that AUD co-occurs in 50% of personality disorder cases in some populations.¹⁶

Types of Addiction Therapy Used in Rehab

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) focuses on addressing patterns of thought and behavior to recover from AUD.¹⁷ The goal is for you to learn how to identify problem-causing behaviors that lead to AUD and skills to manage these behaviors without resorting to alcohol.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a technique particularly effective with personality disorders such as BPD acknowledge and work to improve their psychosocial behavior in the world. Clients are taught healthy ways to cope with stress, accept past mistakes, manage change, move forward in life, and enhance their relationships with others.¹⁸

Motivational Enhancement Therapy

Motivational enhancement therapy, also called motivational interviewing, encourages you to focus on the positive aspects of sobriety as a pathway to leading a healthier and happier life.¹⁹

Contingency Management

This therapeutic approach uses rewards in exchange for positive behavioral change.²⁰ An example is providing you a pre-loaded debit card in exchange for passing a urine test to see if you have consumed alcohol.

Group Therapy

Group therapy is standard in all rehab programs. It involves clients meeting together to discuss the causes and consequences of AUD. By sharing their experiences, clients learn from peers and shared experiences on how to achieve sobriety. A counselor facilitates group sessions.

Family Therapy

Family problems often lead to AUD. This therapy brings families together to discuss and devise solutions to these problems to eliminate family conflict as a source of AUD.²²

Should I Travel to Chicago for Drug and Alcohol Rehab?

It may be more beneficial to your recovery to seek addiction services away from home. If you love the fast-paced city life or busy areas known for food, music, and diversity, consider attending alcohol rehab in Chicago. You might want to pursue addiction treatment in Chicago if:

• You have supportive family or friends in Chicago
• Your health insurance covers rehab in Chicago
• You currently live somewhere that doesn’t provide the type of rehabs available in Chicago

Neighborhoods in Chicago to Consider for Treatment

Generally, North Chicago neighborhoods are considered more upscale and desirable than the city’s south and west sides. However, with more than 200 designated neighborhoods, Chicago is immeasurably diverse. There are rehabs throughout the city; this said, it’s essential to think about the following five factors when deciding where you wish to pursue alcohol rehab in Chicago:

• Will you seek inpatient or outpatient rehab?
• What is the cost? Do you have insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare? Where is it accepted? Does the rehab offer sliding scale fees, payment plans, or scholarships?
• Do you want to incorporate holistic or faith-based, or other types of practices into your rehab experience, and what amenities do you think will give you the best recovery outcome?
• Do you want a rehab specializing in treating people from the LGBTQ+ communities, veterans, or teens?
• Does the rehab’s visitor policy work for you, your family, and your friends?

Alcohol & Drug Laws in Chicago

Most laws regulating AUD rehab in Chicago are made at the state level. Federal laws may also apply.

Right to Privacy

Under federal law, you are entitled to have any records about AUD care treated as confidential. Without a court order, information about your rehab cannot be released unless you first approve.²³

Illinois Substance Use Disorder Act

Beginning on January 1, 2023, all Illinois health insurance policies must include coverage for all medically necessary care to treat AUD under 20 ILCS 301, the Substance Use Disorder Act.²⁴ Your rights under law, as someone in alcohol rehab in Chicago, include:

• To not be discriminated against.
• To know the cost of services, be treated with respect and privacy, and be protected from physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
• To participate in developing and revising your ISP, approve or reject any service or therapy, including medication, and refuse observation by techniques such as one-way vision mirrors, tape recorders, video recorders, television, movies, and photographs. Use of closed-circuit monitoring to observe seclusion rooms or common areas, bathrooms, and sleeping areas excepted, is not prohibited.
• To receive instructions and assistance on how to file and file a grievance and to consult with an independent treatment specialist or legal counsel at your own expense.

No matter the severity of your AUD, there is an alcohol rehab in Chicago, IL that fits your needs. Call our team of trained recovery specialists at 800-948-8417 Who Answers? to get you connected to the rehab options that will best work for your long-term recovery. We’re available 24/7 to help you.

Resources

1. U.S. Census Bureau (2021). Quickfacts: Chicago, Illinois.
2. Chicago Department of Public Health. (2019, June). Alcohol Use and Outcomes in Chicago.
3. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2021). Understanding Binge Drinking. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: National Institutes of Health.
4. National Drug Helpline. (2022). Substance Abuse and Addiction Hotline.
5. Donovan, D. M., Ingalsbe, M. H., Benbow, J., and Daley, D.C. (2013). 12-Step interventions and mutual support programs for substance use disorders: An overview. Social Work in Public Health. 28(0): 313-332.
6. National Institute on Drug Abuse (n.d.) Types of Rehab Programs: A Research-based Guide.
7. Newman, R.K., Stobart Gallagher, MA, and Gomez, A.E. (2021). Alcohol Withdrawal. Bethesda: National Institutes of Health, National Center for Biotechnology Information.
8. Breslin, K.T., Reed, M.R., Malone, S.B. An holistic approach to substance abuse treatment. J Psychoactive Drugs. 35(2): 247-51.
9. Grim, B.J. and Grim, M.E. (2019). Belief, behavior, and belonging: How faith is indispensable in preventing and recovering from substance abuse. Journal of Religious Health. 58(5): 1713-1750.
10. National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2022) Substance Abuse Disorders.
11. McHugh, R, K. and Weiss, R. D. (2019). Alcohol use disorder and depressive disorders. Alcohol Research. 40(1).
12. Schneier, F.R, et al. (2010) Social anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder comorbidity in the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions. Psychological Medicine.
13. Kintzle, S., Barr, N., Corletto, G. and Catsro, C. A. (2018). PTSD in U.S. veterans: The role of social connectedness, combat experience, and discharge. Healthcare. 6(3): 102.
14. Goldberg, S. B. et al. (2021). Efficacy and acceptability of interventions for co-occurring PTSD and SUD: A meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders. 40(6):977-988.
15. Farren, C. K., Hill, K. P. and Weiss, R. D. (2012). Bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder: A review. Current Psychiatry Reports. 14(6): 659-666.
16. Rosenström, T. et al. (2018). Prediction of alcohol use disorder using personality disorder traits: A twin study. Addiction. 113(1): 15-24.
17. National Institute on Drug Abuse (2018, Jan). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.
18. Chapman A. L. (2006). Dialectical behavior therapy: current indications and unique elements. Psychiatry. 3(9), 62–68.
19. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Motivational Enhancement Therapy.
20. Petry, N.M. (2011). Contingency management: What it is and why psychiatrists should want to use it. 35(5): 161-163.
21. Malhotra, A. and Baker, J. (2021). Group Therapy. National Library of Medicine.
22. National Institute of Medicine (2016). Chapter 6: Family-Based Services. In Substance Abuse: Clinical Issues in Intensive Outpatient Treatment.
23. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
24. Illinois Compiled Statutes (20 ILCS 301/). Substance Use Disorder Act.