Quantifying the number of rehabilitation centers in the United States is complex due to the varied addiction treatment landscape. Understanding the total number of facilities illustrates the capacity to meet the substantial demand for behavioral health care. This data is important for tracking public health progress and identifying gaps in the system.
Defining the Scope of Treatment Facilities
Determining a single number for “rehab centers” is challenging because the term covers multiple types of specialized care. The most authoritative source is the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA conducts an annual census, now known as the National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (N-SUMHSS), which classifies facilities based on the intensity and setting of services provided.
Facilities are categorized by the level of care they offer, ranging from intensive to supportive. Key categories include residential care, outpatient services, detoxification, and specialized Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs). Residential treatment requires the patient to live at the facility for a defined period, which can be short-term or long-term. Outpatient services, such as intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) and partial hospitalization programs (PHPs), allow patients to live at home while attending scheduled treatment sessions.
Detoxification services manage the acute physical symptoms of withdrawal and can be provided in various settings. Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) are federally certified sites that administer medication-assisted treatments, such as methadone and buprenorphine, alongside counseling. The complexity of the count is increased because many facilities offer integrated behavioral health care, providing both substance use and mental health services, which the N-SUMHSS now accounts for.
The National Count and Recent Trends
The most recent data from the 2023 N-SUMHSS identified 17,561 eligible facilities providing substance use treatment across the United States. This figure includes facilities that are licensed, certified, or approved by state substance use agencies. The total count has shown a steady increase over the last decade, reflecting a growing response to the national substance use crisis.
The number of eligible facilities grew from 13,339 in 2010 to 16,066 in 2020, representing a significant expansion of the treatment infrastructure. A notable trend is the increasing proportion of facilities operated by private for-profit organizations. These entities grew from 30% of the total in 2010 to 41% in 2020, while the proportion of private non-profit facilities decreased.
This growth has been particularly pronounced in the expansion of outpatient services, which are generally more accessible and less costly than residential care. A large majority of treatment facilities now offer some form of outpatient service, aligning with efforts to make care widely available in community settings. However, the N-SUMHSS data relies on facilities reporting their information, meaning the count may not capture every private practice or specialized facility that does not participate in the census.
Geographic Disparities in Access
While the national count of facilities is substantial, access to treatment remains highly uneven, creating significant geographic disparities. The most pronounced difference is the contrast between urban and rural areas, where many rural counties face a shortage of treatment infrastructure, often called “treatment deserts.” Patients in rural settings experience lower rates of initiating and engaging in substance use treatment compared to urban counterparts.
These disparities are compounded by a lack of specialized services, such as medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder. A large percentage of rural counties lack a provider who can prescribe buprenorphine, a crucial medication for opioid recovery. This forces rural patients to travel long distances for care, which is a major barrier due to limited public transportation and increased time off work.
State-level data highlights variations in capacity relative to need, often reflected in the number of treatment beds available per 100,000 residents. Some states, such as West Virginia or Maine, report a high concentration of people in treatment relative to the prevalence of substance use disorder, suggesting a relatively strong treatment system. Conversely, states like Washington D.C. may show a high prevalence of substance use disorder but a low concentration of people in treatment, indicating a larger gap in service accessibility. The ownership model also varies significantly by state, influencing the types of services and payment options available to residents.