Addiction Treatment in Maryland: A Complete Guide to Getting Help

Maryland has invested heavily in addiction treatment infrastructure in response to one of the most severe opioid crises in the United States. The state has opioid treatment programs, residential facilities, intensive outpatient programs, and a robust network of community behavioral health centers spanning Baltimore City, suburban Maryland, and rural regions. What Maryland has sometimes lacked is clarity — a way for people in crisis to quickly understand what is available, how to access it, and whether they can afford it.

This guide provides that clarity. Whether you are seeking treatment for yourself or helping a family member find care, you will find a complete picture of Maryland’s treatment landscape here.

The Treatment Continuum: Matching Care to Need

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) developed placement criteria that most evidence-based programs use to match patients with appropriate levels of care. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) endorses this framework. Understanding it helps you evaluate what a program is actually offering.

Medical Detoxification

Detox manages the acute physical symptoms of withdrawal under medical supervision. It is the first step in treatment — not treatment itself. For alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal, medical supervision is essential, as withdrawal from these substances can cause life-threatening seizures and delirium. Opioid withdrawal, while intensely uncomfortable, is rarely dangerous in otherwise healthy adults — but supervised detox significantly improves comfort and transition to ongoing treatment.

Maryland has medically supervised detox available at:

Hospital-based detox units: Available at University of Maryland Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, and other major Maryland hospitals
Free-standing detox centers: Multiple facilities in the Baltimore area and across the state
Crisis stabilization units: Crisis beds that provide short-term stabilization for people in acute psychiatric or substance use crises

A major concern: people who complete detox and do not transition to ongoing treatment have very high relapse rates. Any program that offers detox without a defined plan for continuing care is providing incomplete treatment.

Residential Treatment (Inpatient Rehab)

Residential treatment provides 24-hour care in a structured, drug-free environment. Programs range from 28-day short-term to 90-day or longer programs. Maryland has residential facilities in Baltimore, surrounding counties, and select rural locations.

Residential treatment is most appropriate when:

The person’s home environment is actively dangerous to recovery (substances present, using relationships)
Outpatient treatment has not been effective
Co-occurring severe mental health conditions require intensive monitoring
The person needs significant structure and supervision to remain abstinent initially

When evaluating a residential program, look for:

Maryland Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) licensing
CARF International or The Joint Commission accreditation
Evidence-based treatment approaches (CBT, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care)
MAT availability
A specific, individualized aftercare planning process

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

PHP involves structured treatment programming for 5–7 hours per day, 5–7 days per week, while the patient lives at home or in a recovery residence. It provides intensive treatment without overnight stay. PHP is often appropriate as a step-down from residential treatment or as the initial level of care for people with stable home environments and strong support systems.

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

IOP involves 9+ hours per week of structured programming, typically in 3-hour sessions, 3–5 days per week. It allows people to maintain employment, school, and family obligations while receiving substantial treatment support. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) identifies IOP as an effective option for many people, and it is the most common treatment setting in Maryland’s publicly funded system.

Standard Outpatient Therapy

One to eight hours per week of individual or group therapy. Appropriate for people with mild substance use disorders, strong support systems, and stable living situations. Also commonly used as ongoing, long-term continuing care.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in Maryland

For opioid use disorder (OUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD), MAT is the most evidence-based, most effective treatment approach available. SAMHSA, NIDA, and the CDC all affirm this. Yet MAT remains significantly underutilized — partly due to persistent stigma, and partly due to access barriers.

Medications for Opioid Use Disorder

Buprenorphine (Suboxone, Sublocade, Subutex): A partial opioid agonist that significantly reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Prescribed by licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, and PAs with appropriate DEA authorization. Maryland has expanded buprenorphine access substantially — the Maryland BHA has worked to increase the number of authorized prescribers, and telehealth prescribing is now available.

Methadone: Dispensed through federally licensed Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs). Maryland has numerous OTPs in Baltimore City and the surrounding metro area, as well as facilities in Hagerstown, Salisbury, and other regional centers. Methadone is highly effective for people who have not responded to buprenorphine or who require the additional structure of daily clinic visits.

Naltrexone (Vivitrol): Blocks opioid effects completely. Available as a monthly injection. Requires complete detox before initiation. Effective for motivated patients with stable situations.

Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder

Naltrexone, acamprosate (Campral), and disulfiram (Antabuse) are all FDA-approved for alcohol use disorder and available through Maryland providers.

Finding MAT Providers in Maryland

SAMHSA’s Treatment Locator: findtreatment.gov — searchable by substance, location, and treatment type
Maryland BHA Provider Search: The Behavioral Health Administration maintains a licensed provider directory at health.maryland.gov/bha
SAMHSA’s Buprenorphine Practitioner Locator: buprenorphine.samhsa.gov

Baltimore City: The Urban Treatment Ecosystem

Baltimore City has a dense network of addiction treatment providers, reflecting decades of investment in response to the city’s heroin crisis. Key components include:

Baltimore City Health Department: Operates harm reduction programs, mobile treatment services, and coordinates the city’s overdose response.

Baltimore Substance Use Treatment and Recovery (STAR): A city initiative connecting people who have experienced overdose with treatment and support services.

Johns Hopkins Center for Addiction and Pregnancy: A specialized program for pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorder, nationally recognized for its comprehensive approach.

University of Maryland Medical System: The University of Maryland Medical Center and affiliated providers are major providers of both inpatient and outpatient SUD treatment in Baltimore.

Open Society Institute — Baltimore: Funds innovative treatment and recovery support initiatives in the city.

Behavioral Health System Baltimore (BHS Baltimore): The Maryland BHA’s contracted administrative service organization for Baltimore City, coordinating publicly funded treatment services for uninsured and underinsured Baltimore residents.

Suburban Maryland: Montgomery, Prince George’s, Howard, and Anne Arundel

The suburban Maryland counties have growing treatment infrastructure that has expanded in recent years in response to increasing overdose deaths:

Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services: Operates the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (ADAP), which provides comprehensive SUD services
Prince George’s County Health Department: Provides SUD treatment and MAT services
Howard County Health Department: SUD services, harm reduction, and naloxone distribution
Anne Arundel County Health Department: Behavioral health services including SUD treatment

Many private treatment facilities are also located in these counties, some with expanded capacity following state investment in opioid response.

Rural Maryland: Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore

Rural Marylanders face significant access challenges. The Appalachian Regional Commission and federal rural health programs have identified substance use disorder treatment access as a critical gap in rural Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore.

Telehealth has substantially expanded access in rural areas. Buprenorphine can now be prescribed via telehealth by Maryland-licensed providers, making MAT accessible even in areas without nearby specialty providers.

The Maryland BHA’s CRISP (Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients) health information exchange helps rural providers access patient records, improving care coordination.

Crisis Services: When You Need Help Immediately

If you or someone else is in immediate crisis — overdose, suicidal ideation, or acute psychiatric emergency — call 911 immediately.

For non-emergency crisis support:

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988. Trained counselors available 24/7 for mental health and substance use crises.
Maryland Crisis Hotline: 1-800-422-0009
Baltimore Crisis Response Program: Connects people in mental health and substance use crisis with mobile response teams rather than police, when appropriate

How to Access Treatment Regardless of Ability to Pay

Maryland’s publicly funded treatment system ensures that cost alone is not a barrier. Residents who are uninsured or underinsured can access treatment through:

Maryland Medicaid: Covers comprehensive SUD treatment for eligible Marylanders
Maryland BHA-funded providers: The BHA funds community behavioral health providers who provide sliding-scale or no-cost services
SAMHSA grants: State and federal grant funding expands treatment capacity for underserved populations

The Maryland Helpline — 1-800-422-0009 — can connect callers with services in their area.

Get Help Today

Maryland has the resources to help you or your loved one recover. The challenge is navigating a complex system — and that is exactly what our Maryland Addiction Hotline is here for. Our specialists know the state’s treatment landscape, can verify insurance coverage, and will help you find programs with available space.

Call our Maryland Addiction Hotline today. Available 24/7, confidential, and free. Let us help you find the right program right now.