Drug and Alcohol Treatment for Adolescents
No. 41; Reviewed April 2026
Many children and adolescents use alcohol and other drugs. Some develop serious problems which require professional treatment. Treatment options range in intensity from in-hospital treatment, intense outpatient treatment (1-2 appointments per week), and intensive outpatient treatment (3+ appointments per week). There are also peer support groups designed to enhance treatment, such as twelve-step programs.
The decision to get treatment for a child or adolescent is difficult, and parents are encouraged to seek consultation from a child and adolescent psychiatrist when making decisions about substance use treatment. Other mental health conditions often co-exist with substance use conditions and need and treatment at the same time.
When substance use treatment is recommended, parents can obtain the information they need by asking the following questions from professionals:
- What treatments do you offer? How do you believe this treatment can help my child? How does it compare to other treatments? Is your program an evidence-based program?
- What are the credentials and experience of the members of the treatment team, and will the team include a child and adolescent psychiatrist with experience in substance use treatment?
- Does my child need in-hospital treatment for detoxification?
- Are there medical risks of the treatment you recommend and if so, how does the treatment you recommend address this?
- Based on your evaluation, does my child have other mental health problems in addition to their substance use problem? If so, how will these be addressed?
- How will our family be involved in our child's substance use treatment?
- What will treatment cost? Are the costs covered by my insurance or health plan?
- Will my child have to miss school or can they continue their education while participating in treatment?
- If my child must receive treatment in a hospital or temporarily go to a residential treatment program, is it approved by the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCH?)? How will they keep my child safe?
- How will you protect the of confidentiality of my child and our family?
- How long will treatment last, is it covered by insurance, and if so, how?
- If my child must go to the hospital or go away temporarily to a residential treatment program, when they begin to improve, how is treatment transitioned (step-down) to less intense treatment as they begin to return to regular life?
Severe substance use problems in adolescence can take time in order to treat both the problem and the mental health concerns that fueled it. Relapses can happen, yet effective treatment will step-by-step, move your child away from substances of abuse.