Determining the right level of care for addiction recovery requires a multidimensional assessment by a healthcare professional like those at Lantana Recovery.
Jump to a section
Determining the right level of care for addiction recovery and co-occurring mental health disorders requires a multidimensional assessment by a healthcare professional. This assessment is typically completed using the ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine) Criteria. It evaluates six dimensions of wellness, including biomedical health, emotional/behavioral conditions, readiness to change, relapse potential, recovering living environment, and engagement in treatment.
The specific level of care assigned depends on the severity of the substance use disorder, medical stability, and the support system of the individual seeking care.
Understanding the ASAM Criteria
The ASAM Criteria, as described by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is the most widely used and comprehensive set of clinical standards in the United States for the placement, continued service, and transfer of patients with substance use disorder (SUD) and co-occurring conditions. It was published by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and provides an evidence-based framework to standardize treatment planning, match patients to the appropriate level of care, and align insurance coverage with clinical needs.
The Fourth Edition, released in 2023, utilizes a holistic, person-centered approach organized around six dimensions of assessment:
- Intoxication and/or withdrawal potential
- Biomedical conditions and limitations
- Emotional, behavioral, or cognitive conditions and limitations
- Readiness to change
- Relapse, continued use, or continued problem potential
- Recovery/Living environment
These dimensions inform Dimensional Admission Criteria that determine the least intensive but safe level of care across a continuum. The criteria are used by clinicians to ensure consistent, outcome-oriented care and facilitate transitions between different intensity levels as a patient’s needs evolve.
What Is the Continuum of Care?
The ASAM Criteria provide consistency through the standardization of treatment planning, creating ease of transitions between levels of care. These facilitated transitions are referred to as the “continuum of care” in addiction recovery.
The continuum is an integrated system of treatment services that guides individuals through progressive stages of recovery, adapting to their evolving needs from initial intervention through long-term maintenance. Instead of treating addiction as an acute illness that requires a single intervention, it recognizes substance use disorders as chronic conditions requiring ongoing management and support.
Key components of this approach include:
Seamless Transitions: This continuum of care connects multiple levels of care, allowing patients to "step down" to less intensive services or "step up" to more intensive care as needed, ensuring no gaps in support.
Personalized Treatment: Care is tailored to the individual’s specific symptoms, co-occurring mental health conditions, and social circumstances, rather than using a one-size-fits-all model.
Comprehensive Levels: The continuum typically includes medical detox, inpatient/residential treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient program (IOP), sober living, and aftercare support.
Improved Outcomes: Individuals who progress through a full continuum of care experience better recovery outcomes, lower relapse rates, and greater long-term success compared to those receiving fragmented or short-term treatment.
What Are the 5 Levels of Care?
Knowing where you will begin in your care journey is based on your comprehensive ASAM evaluation. Post-evaluation, clients are placed into one of the following care levels, moving from least to most intensive:
Level 0.5: Early intervention has been identified by the National Institute of Health (NIH) as the most beneficial action for individuals at risk of developing a disorder.
Level 1: Outpatient services involving less than 9 hours of care per week
Level 2: IOP or PHP programming
Level 3: Residential or inpatient treatment providing 24-hour supervision
Level 4: Medically managed intensive inpatient services for acute medical needs
Treatment plans are dynamic and include regular reassessments that are conducted to ensure patients transition between levels as their stability, progress, and clinical needs evolve throughout the recovery journey.
How Can I Determine My Needed Level of Care?
Accredited addiction recovery facilities like Lantana Recovery provide admissions services during which you will receive a comprehensive assessment and placement by the clinical staff. At Lantana, we facilitate interventions at all stages of recovery. Our services include individual counseling, group counseling, family therapy, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), withdrawal management, residential rehab, outpatient rehab, and sober living.
We treat the following co-occurring mental health disorders and addictions:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Dependent Personality Disorder
- ADHD
- ADD
- OCD
- Generalized Anxiety
- Social Anxiety
- Alcohol
- Marijuana
- Crystal Meth
- Amphetamines/Study Drugs
- Party Drugs
- MDMA
- Ketamine
- Opioids
- Synthetic/Designer Drugs
- Gambling
- Shopping
- Sex
Recovery is not always linear, and that is okay. We view relapse as part of the process, overseeing your steps up and/or down as part of your seamless continuum of care. From residential to outpatient counseling, we have multiple options for evidence-based care available.
Lantana Recovery was born out of the belief that community-based integrative treatment gives clients the best chance for achieving sustained recovery. Clients at Lantana are immediately empowered to apply skills they learn in our structured clinical and social settings to daily life in the community. You are welcome here.
If you or someone you love needs intervention for substance use and co-occurring mental health concerns, contact the admissions team at Lantana Recovery to begin your intake process today. Our clinical staff will provide you with the proper assessments to determine your needed level of care. As you progress in your recovery journey, Lantana facilitates seamless transitions, providing a continuum of care that supports you at every stage. Your wellness is our priority, and that begins with a safe, comfortable space to undertake your recovery. Call (866) 997-2870 to speak with our admissions team and learn more about your personal care options. Hope exists here.
Sources
- SAMHSA — The ASAM Criteria for Patients with Addiction and Co-Occurring Conditionshttps://www.samhsa.gov/resource/ebp/asam-criteria-patients-addiction-co-occurring-conditions
- Facing Addiction in America, NCBI Bookshelf — Early Intervention, Treatment, and Management of Substance Use Disordershttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424859/#_NBK424859_pubdet_
Reviewed by
Warren PhillipsCo-Founder, LMSW · Editorial Reviewer
Warren Phillips is a Co-Founder of Lantana Recovery and a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) specializing in substance abuse and mental health treatment. He previously worked in various capacities at Turnbridge Addiction Treatment and Clearpoint Recovery Center before co-founding Lantana Recovery. Warren's clinical approach draws on a strengths-based perspective, Twelve Step philosophies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. He brings both personal and professional experience to his work — as a person in long-term recovery from alcohol and illicit substances, he has used that experience to help shape Lantana's treatment programming. Warren grew up in Memphis, TN and St. Louis, MO, attended college in Mississippi, and lived in California and Connecticut before relocating to Charleston. He now lives in Mount Pleasant with his wife, Angela, and their two young children, Hall and Sam.
Written by the Lantana Recovery Editorial Team and reviewed for clinical accuracy before publication.
