I need help but have no insurance — where do I start?

Call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (free, 24/7). They'll connect you to state-funded treatment providers that accept uninsured clients. Every state has a Single State Agency for Substance Use that funds community treatment on sliding-scale fees.

What's MAT (Medication-Assisted Treatment)?

MAT combines medications (methadone, buprenorphine/Suboxone, naltrexone/Vivitrol) with counseling to treat opioid and alcohol use disorders. It's evidence-based, reduces overdose risk substantially, and is covered by Medicaid and most private insurance. Find providers at findtreatment.gov.

Will going to rehab hurt my custody case?

Voluntarily seeking treatment is almost always viewed favorably by courts — it shows responsibility and commitment to sobriety. Coordinate with your attorney so treatment documentation supports your case. Court-ordered programs through drug courts specifically protect custody rights.

How long is treatment?

Detox: 3–7 days. Residential rehab: 30–90 days typically. Intensive outpatient: 8–12 weeks, 9–15 hours per week. Standard outpatient: months to years. Aftercare and peer support (AA, NA, SMART Recovery) is ongoing and free.

Substance Abuse in Tennessee

14 verified resources.

About Substance Abuse for Fathers

Substance abuse treatment in the US is delivered through state-licensed treatment providers, nonprofit recovery programs (AA, NA, SMART Recovery), hospital-based detox, methadone clinics, and sober living houses. SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP) provides free, confidential referrals to local treatment 24/7. Most states fund a network of publicly-supported treatment centers that accept uninsured and Medicaid clients; the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration maintains a national treatment locator at findtreatment.gov. Fathers dealing with substance issues during custody disputes often need documented treatment compliance — court-ordered programs exist for this specific purpose. Recovery support includes peer recovery specialists, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and drug courts. This directory pulls together the state's single state agency for SUD, treatment finders, mutual aid meetings, and MAT providers.

Substance Abuse in Tennessee

Tennessee circuit and chancery courts hear family matters in each of its 31 judicial districts, with some counties operating juvenile courts for unmarried-parent custody. Tennessee Child Support Services operates under DHS. Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga are the major metros. Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Memphis Area Legal Services, and West Tennessee Legal Services cover the state.

14 Resources

1. Tennessee DMHSAS — Free

State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services overseeing prevention, treatment, and recovery programs across Tennessee. Licenses and regulates addiction treatment facilities, funds regional mental health organizations, and administers state and federal recovery grants. Residents can call for help locating a licensed provider, understanding treatment options, or accessing crisis stabilization. Photo ID and insurance information are helpful when contacting a referral partner.

615-532-6500 · 500 Deaderick St, Nashville, TN 37243 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website

2. SAMHSA National Helpline — Free

Free, confidential 24/7 national helpline providing substance use and mental health treatment referrals for Tennessee residents in English and Spanish. Trained information specialists connect callers to local treatment facilities, community-based organizations, and support groups. No insurance, photo ID, or appointment needed. Services are available around the clock and callers may remain anonymous. Text your ZIP code to 435748 to receive local resource listings.

1-800-662-4357 · National · 24/7 · Visit Website

3. Nashville CARES - Substance Abuse Services — Paid

Nashville nonprofit offering substance abuse assessment, outpatient counseling, peer recovery support, and harm reduction services for adults in the Middle Tennessee area. Serves individuals regardless of income or insurance status. New clients should call to schedule an intake appointment and bring photo ID, insurance cards if available, and a list of current medications. Sliding-scale fees apply for qualifying uninsured patients.

615-259-4866 · 209 10th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

4. Mental Health Cooperative - Addiction Services — Paid

Nashville's largest community behavioral health provider delivering substance abuse assessment, outpatient treatment, intensive outpatient programming, and medication-assisted treatment for opioid and alcohol use disorders. Serves adults across Middle Tennessee. New clients should call to schedule an intake appointment and bring photo ID, insurance cards including TennCare, and a list of current medications. Sliding-scale fees apply for qualifying uninsured patients.

615-726-3340 · 275 Cumberland Bend Dr, Nashville, TN 37228 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

5. Alcoholics Anonymous - Nashville Area — Free

Nashville-area AA intergroup offering meeting directories, a 24-hour phone support line, and connections to local AA groups across Middle Tennessee. Serves anyone seeking recovery from alcohol use disorder at no cost. Meetings are held daily at various community venues across Nashville and surrounding counties. No registration, insurance, or photo ID is required. Call or visit the website to find the nearest meeting by day, time, and type.

615-831-1050 · 2416 21st Ave S, Suite 100, Nashville, TN 37212 · 24/7 hotline; meetings daily · Visit Website

6. Narcotics Anonymous - Tennessee Region — Free

Statewide NA meeting network offering hundreds of weekly in-person and online meetings across Tennessee for people seeking recovery from drug addiction. The helpline connects callers to nearby meetings by city, zip code, or day of the week. No registration, insurance, or photo ID required. Meetings are free and open to anyone with a desire to stop using. Call the helpline or visit the website to find meeting schedules throughout the state.

888-786-7262 · Meetings statewide · 24/7 helpline; meetings daily · Visit Website

7. FindTreatment.gov (SAMHSA Locator) — Free

Federal treatment locator providing a searchable database of licensed substance use treatment providers across Tennessee. Search by ZIP code and filter results by type of care such as detox, residential, or outpatient, by insurance accepted including TennCare, and by specific services like medication-assisted treatment. No registration required. For phone-based help locating a provider, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 anytime.

1-800-662-4357 · Online resource (search by TN zip code) · Online 24/7 · Visit Website

8. Centerstone - Addiction Services (Nashville) — Paid

Major Nashville behavioral health provider offering substance abuse assessment, outpatient counseling, intensive outpatient programming, and medication-assisted treatment for opioid and alcohol use disorders. Serves adults and adolescents across Middle Tennessee. New clients should call to schedule an intake and bring photo ID, insurance cards including TennCare, and a list of current medications. Sliding-scale fees are available for qualifying uninsured patients.

888-291-4357 · 44 Vantage Way, Suite 400, Nashville, TN 37228 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

9. Helen Ross McNabb Center - Addiction Services (Knoxville) — Paid

East Tennessee's largest behavioral health provider offering medically supervised detox, residential treatment, outpatient counseling, and medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders. Serves adults across the Knoxville area. New clients should call for an intake appointment and bring photo ID, insurance cards including TennCare, and a list of current medications. A 24/7 crisis line is available for urgent substance use or mental health needs.

865-637-9711 · 201 W Springdale Ave, Knoxville, TN 37917 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; crisis 24/7 · Visit Website

10. Frontier Health - Substance Abuse (Johnson City) — Paid

Comprehensive substance abuse treatment provider in Northeast Tennessee offering medically supervised detox, residential programs, outpatient counseling, and medication-assisted treatment. Serves adults across the Tri-Cities area. New clients should call to schedule an intake and bring photo ID, insurance cards including TennCare, and a list of current medications. A 24/7 crisis line is available for urgent substance use or mental health emergencies.

423-467-3600 · 1167 S Main St, Johnson City, TN 37604 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; crisis 24/7 · Visit Website

11. Buffalo Valley Inc. (Cookeville) — Paid

Serves the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee with comprehensive substance abuse treatment including residential programs, outpatient counseling, medication-assisted treatment, and recovery housing support. New clients should call to schedule an intake and bring photo ID, insurance cards including TennCare, and a list of current medications. Sliding-scale fees may be available for qualifying uninsured residents in the Cookeville area.

931-432-4981 · 1020 W Broad St, Cookeville, TN 38501 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website

12. Al-Anon/Alateen - Tennessee — Free

Free peer support groups for family members and friends of people struggling with alcohol use disorder, with meetings across Tennessee including Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. Alateen provides separate meetings for young people affected by a family member's drinking. No registration, insurance, or photo ID required. Call the helpline or visit al-anon.org to find meeting schedules, locations, and online meeting options by city.

1-888-425-2666 · Meetings statewide — find at al-anon.org · Meeting times vary · Visit Website

13. SMART Recovery - Tennessee Meetings — Free

Science-based mutual support program offering free in-person and online meetings for Tennessee residents dealing with any addictive behavior including alcohol, drugs, or gambling. Based on cognitive-behavioral tools rather than the 12-step model. Meetings are available in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and other cities, plus online sessions accessible from anywhere. No registration or photo ID required. Visit the website to find nearby or virtual meeting schedules.

Meetings in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and online · Meeting times vary · Visit Website

14. Celebrate Recovery - Tennessee — Free

Christ-centered recovery program with weekly groups at churches across Tennessee addressing substance abuse, codependency, anger, and other life struggles through an eight-principle framework. Meetings are open to anyone regardless of faith background. No registration, insurance, or photo ID is required. Visit the website to search for a Celebrate Recovery group near you by city or ZIP code and confirm meeting day and time with the local host church.

Churches statewide — find at website · Weekly meetings; times vary by church · Visit Website

Substance Abuse — Common Questions

I need help but have no insurance — where do I start?: Call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (free, 24/7). They'll connect you to state-funded treatment providers that accept uninsured clients. Every state has a Single State Agency for Substance Use that funds community treatment on sliding-scale fees.
What's MAT (Medication-Assisted Treatment)?: MAT combines medications (methadone, buprenorphine/Suboxone, naltrexone/Vivitrol) with counseling to treat opioid and alcohol use disorders. It's evidence-based, reduces overdose risk substantially, and is covered by Medicaid and most private insurance. Find providers at findtreatment.gov.
Will going to rehab hurt my custody case?: Voluntarily seeking treatment is almost always viewed favorably by courts — it shows responsibility and commitment to sobriety. Coordinate with your attorney so treatment documentation supports your case. Court-ordered programs through drug courts specifically protect custody rights.
How long is treatment?: Detox: 3–7 days. Residential rehab: 30–90 days typically. Intensive outpatient: 8–12 weeks, 9–15 hours per week. Standard outpatient: months to years. Aftercare and peer support (AA, NA, SMART Recovery) is ongoing and free.