If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. For free, confidential help finding treatment at any hour, call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357, available in English and Spanish.
What MassHealth will cover for addiction treatment
Medicaid rehab in Massachusetts is paid for through MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program. If money is tight, MassHealth is usually the first coverage to look into. Coverage details depend on your plan, so confirm them with your plan before you start.
Before admission, check with your plan and the program about coverage. If opioids are involved, ask about medications for opioid use disorder when you call.
Among the 530 Massachusetts facilities in our directory, outpatient care is the most commonly listed service, at 283 facilities, and medical detox is the least common, at 30. Residential rehab is listed at 67 facilities and partial hospitalization at 82.
If depression, anxiety or another condition is part of the picture, look for a program that treats both; 147 facilities list co-occurring mental health care. The 57 programs offering virtual or in-home care can help when getting to a building every day is not realistic.
Who can get MassHealth, and how you apply
According to the MassHealth member booklet, Massachusetts residents aged 21 to 64 who are US citizens or qualified noncitizens may get MassHealth CarePlus if they don't qualify for MassHealth Standard. You can apply for MassHealth on the state's website.
There is no enrollment season, and you can apply any month of the year. Once you have applied, tell the program you want that your MassHealth application is pending and ask what it can offer in the meantime. The state-funded options described in the next section may also help while you wait for a decision.
State-funded treatment when you don't have MassHealth
In Massachusetts, addiction treatment falls under the Department of Public Health's Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, usually called BSAS. BSAS licenses the state's substance addiction treatment programs. Programs it funds are intended to serve residents regardless of ability to pay.
The main entry point is the Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline at 1-800-327-5050. The call is free and the line is open 24 hours.
For some kinds of care, you may have to wait. Many state-funded programs keep waitlists for residential beds, while outpatient waits are usually shorter, so ask whether you can start outpatient care while you wait. Programs funded by SAMHSA block grants give priority admission to pregnant women and people who inject drugs. If that applies to you, say so on your first call.
What treatment costs if you don't have coverage
Costs vary by program and level of care. Many programs that receive federal SAMHSA block grants serve people who cannot pay, and many use a sliding scale: the program asks about your income and sets your fee based on it. Because fees depend on your income, ask each program for a quote once it has your details, and ask what the quote includes.
If the cost is still more than you can manage, tell the program. You can also apply for MassHealth or call the helpline to ask about BSAS-funded programs.
The Medicaid-accepting facilities in our directory
Our directory covers 136 Massachusetts cities and towns, and 266 of the treatment facilities in it list Medicaid as accepted payment. Those are the facilities listed on this page, pulled from our database. These are directory listings, so confirm details with each program.
Boston has the most Medicaid-accepting facilities in our directory, with 20, followed by Worcester with 19, New Bedford with 14, Springfield with 10 and Brockton with 8.
If it is easier to search by city, open the pages for Boston, Worcester, New Bedford, Springfield or Brockton. Programs on the list include Dimock Center Outpatient Addiction and Recovery and Gavin Foundation Gavin House, both in Boston, and Gandara Residential Services for Women in Holyoke. Before you go, call to confirm that the program still accepts MassHealth and has room at the level of care you need.
Section 35: court-ordered treatment, for families
When someone you love will not accept treatment, it helps to know that Massachusetts has an involuntary treatment law. Under Section 35 (M.G.L. c. 123, s. 35), a spouse, blood relative, guardian, physician, police officer or court official can file a written petition with a district court or a juvenile court division asking it to commit someone to treatment. The court may order commitment for up to 90 days. Before filing, contact the district court where you plan to file to learn how the process works and where treatment would take place.
Official resources from Massachusetts
The official links on this page were last checked in November 2026.
- MassHealth (apply): start your MassHealth application.
- Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS): learn about the state agency that licenses and funds addiction treatment programs.
- Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline: find ways to reach the helpline and ask about state-funded treatment.
How to get started today
There are three starting points, depending on your situation. If you are on MassHealth, call your plan or one of the programs on the list. If you have no coverage, apply for MassHealth and call the Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline to ask about state-funded rehab while your application is pending. If you need help today, call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
To compare programs, browse the Massachusetts rehab directory, or check your coverage on our insurance verification page. For support alongside treatment, our Massachusetts meetings page lists 1,842 AA meetings and 331 NA meetings around the state.
