Harm reduction
There are several harm reduction services in Philadelphia that help mitigate the negative impact of substance use.

Philadelphia Prevention Point in Kensington offers a needle exchange program that helps prevent the spread of intravenous diseases like HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C. It also distributes free kits of Narcan, an opioid overdose reversal medication, and offers offers free training sessions on how to administer it.

More people in Philadelphia, including first responders, have started carrying Narcan.

Homelessness outreach
Philadelphia recently announced an initiative to relocate the homeless people living in Kensington. Many of these people have a substance use disorder. If you are concerned about a person who is homeless or want to seek resources for yourself, contact the 24-hour Project Homeless Coordination Center Hotline at (215) 232-1984.

Detox
Detox is the medical process that treats the physical effects of withdrawal from substance use. For many people, it is the beginning of long-term treatment and recovery. In Philadelphia, the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services cites nine assessment and crisis response centers.

Of those nine facilities, five offer the services of a behavioral assessment center — which is open 24 hours and only assesses patients in need of addiction services, according to DBHIDS.  

Medication-assisted treatment
For those specifically dealing with opioid use disorder, medication-assisted treatment is another option. There are 36 MAT facilities in Philadelphia noted by DBHIDS. Research shows MAT can be a person’s first step into recovery, or a long-term option to sustain it.

Medication-assisted treatment combines behavioral therapy and medication to treat substance use disorders. Methadone, Vivitrol (extended-release naltrexone) and Suboxone (buprenorphine) are the most commonly used medications.

Prescribing medication should be determined on a case-by-case basis, as each patient’s individual needs and experiences vary. Click here to hear Keli McLoyd, an associate at the Treatment Research Institute, detail the specifics of each medication.

Due to the stigma that some have encountered in traditional 12-step groups for MAT, a 12-step group specifically for those on MAT is held at 7 p.m. on every Wednesday at St. Mark’s Church on Frankford Avenue.  

Read more about people’s experiences using MAT here.

Residential treatment
While detox helps people who are first entering recovery get through withdrawal, residential treatment can be the next step for those hoping to establish long-term recovery. Residential treatment, which is also known as in-patient treatment, usually entails an individual living in a therapeutic environment with people who also hope to enter recovery.

Below is a list of residential treatment facilities in the area:

1. Therapeutic Center At Fox Chase
2. Re Enter Inc. — This is for men only.
3. Northeast Treatment Centers — This has multiple facets of treatment, including outpatient, residential and MAT.
4. A Better Tomorrow Drug Rehab Alcohol Rehabilitation Treatment Center
5. Teen Challenge — This is a religious-based facility.
6. Kirkbride Center — In addition to treatment, the facility also offers detoxification services.
7. Interim House Inc. — A residential treatment facility for women only. It also offers outpatient programs.
8. Horizon House — A residential treatment facility for those with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
9. Livengrin Counseling Center — It also offers outpatient treatment.
10. Morris Homes in West Philadelphia — This is the first and only inpatient residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation program in the United States for people who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming.

Outpatient
Outpatient is a structured treatment option that requires a person’s daily or weekly attendance at a clinic or facility. Unlike residential treatment, it allows the patient to live on their own.

Here is a list of outpatient programs available in Philadelphia:

1. Women’s Institute For Family Health
2. Wedge Medical Center
3. Southwest NU Stop — This facility also offers recovery housing and co-occurring mental health treatment.
4. Rehab After Work — This is a program for teens and adults.
5. People Acting To Help Inc. (PATH) — This facility offers both adult and youth programs.
6. Parkside Recovery — This facility offers co-occurring mental health treatment.

Recovery housing
For people transitioning out of residential treatment, a recovery house can provide a supportive environment. In Philadelphia, there are 40 residences that are certified by the Pennsylvania Alliance of Recovery Residences. A list that includes homes in other parts of the tri-state area can be found here, including contact information for each of the home’s owners.

PARR has a residence selection guide with information on how houses get certified, the four levels of recovery houses (peer-run, monitored, supervised and service provider) and residents’ rights and responsibilities.

Recovery houses are typically separated by gender.

Click here to hear Fred Way, PARR’s executive director, discuss the certification of recovery residences. You can also listen to Barb Williamson discuss her experiences as a recovery residence owner. Williamson is in long-term recovery and operates 13 recovery houses in Philadelphia and surrounding counties.

Peer support
Peer support is available for people who are entering recovery and their loved ones.

A common form of peer support is 12-step groups. Click here for a list of Narcotics Anonymous meetings in Philadelphia, and here for a list of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in Philadelphia.

Al-Anon meetings are for people who have loved ones with a substance use disorder. You can find local meetings here or use one of their electronic meetings. Angels in Motion, a Kensington-based outreach group, also has a very active Facebook group where people with loved ones who have substance use disorder commonly seek support.