Every facility in the list below accepts Medicaid. The sections that follow explain who qualifies for Apple Health, how state-funded treatment works, what care costs without coverage, and which numbers to call first.
What Apple Health covers for addiction treatment
Medicaid rehab in Washington runs through Apple Health, the state's name for Medicaid. It covers withdrawal management (detox), residential treatment and outpatient treatment, and it provides that coverage through whichever Apple Health managed care plan you are enrolled in. If you already have Apple Health, start by calling your plan or a program that accepts it.
The 2010 Affordable Care Act made substance use disorder treatment an essential health benefit for many health plans. National figures from SAMHSA and CMS describe Medicaid as the single largest payer for substance use and mental health treatment in the US, which helps explain why so many programs here bill it. If you want medication for opioid use disorder, say so when you call and find out whether the program prescribes it on site or refers you elsewhere.
Programs offer different levels of care, from more to less intensive. This chart shows how many listed Washington facilities offer each service, with outpatient care the most common and medical detox the least common.
If you need a bed, that difference matters. Only 47 facilities in our Washington directory list residential rehab, compared with 331 that list outpatient care, so check whether a program accepts Medicaid for residential care before you plan around it. If depression, PTSD or another condition is part of the picture, 114 listed facilities treat co-occurring mental health conditions alongside substance use.
Who qualifies for Apple Health and how to apply
Under federal rules, states that expanded Medicaid cover adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. You can apply through Washington Healthplanfinder in any month of the year; you do not need to wait for open enrollment. In most states, coverage can be backdated up to three months, although some states have waived this, so find out whether it applies to your application.
If your application is pending and you need help now, do not put off treatment. Contact the Washington Recovery Help Line about state-funded treatment, and look for programs that offer a sliding scale while your coverage is being decided.
State-funded treatment without Medicaid
The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) oversees the state's substance use treatment system. In Washington, state-funded rehab is reached through the Washington Recovery Help Line at 1-866-789-1511, which is open 24 hours a day.
Waits are common. Many state-funded programs keep waitlists for residential beds, while outpatient waits are usually shorter. At federally funded programs, pregnant women and people who inject drugs receive priority admission, so tell the program right away if either applies to you. If a residential bed is weeks away, find out whether you can begin outpatient care in the meantime. Openings change often, so it is worth calling back after a first answer of "waitlist."
What treatment costs if you don't have coverage
We cannot quote a price, because cost depends on the program, the level of care and your income. Programs that receive federal SAMHSA block grant funding are expected to serve people who cannot pay, and many of them use a sliding scale, which means the program sets your fee based on what you earn. For people who cannot pay, these programs are where free rehab in Washington is possible, although no program can guarantee it. When you call, request a quote based on your income. If you might qualify for Apple Health, apply as well, because approval would affect what you owe.
Medicaid-accepting facilities in our directory
Our directory lists 514 treatment facilities across 112 Washington cities and towns, and 277 of them accept Medicaid. Those 277 are the facilities listed below, and they are a practical starting point if you are looking for Medicaid rehab in Washington. This chart shows the five cities with the most Medicaid-accepting facilities: Seattle and Spokane have 28 each, followed by Tacoma, Olympia and Vancouver.
Together these five cities account for fewer than half of the Medicaid-accepting facilities, so most are in other cities and towns. Each of the five has a page with its full listings: Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Olympia and Vancouver.
Medicaid-accepting programs in our directory include Evergreen Treatment Services at 1700 Airport Way South in Seattle, South Sound Clinic of Evergreen Treatment Services in Olympia and Consejo Counseling & Referral Service in Bellevue. Listings are not limited to the largest cities: Clarity Mental Health and Recovery in Bellingham and Everett Treatment Services in Everett also accept Medicaid. These listings reflect our directory data at the time of publishing. Because the Washington Department of Health licenses behavioral health agencies, and because Medicaid acceptance may have changed since then, check a program's license and Medicaid status before you go. For more listings, visit the Washington rehab directory.
Ricky's Law, for families
Ricky's Law refers to Washington's Involuntary Treatment Act, RCW 71.05, which allows a person to be detained involuntarily for a substance use disorder. Under RCW 71.05.150, a designated crisis responder files a petition and a superior court judge may issue a warrant to detain the person for up to 120 hours, which can include detention in a secure withdrawal management facility or an approved substance use disorder program. Before filing, the responder must check whether the person will accept treatment voluntarily, and detention requires that they refused or failed to do so. It is a legal process, separate from the voluntary, state-funded referrals described on this page.
Official Washington resources
- Apple Health (apply via Washington Healthplanfinder), the state's online application for Medicaid coverage.
- Health Care Authority substance use treatment, where you can read the state agency's information on substance use treatment.
- Washington Recovery Help Line, the state's 24-hour line for reaching treatment referrals.
- Washington 211, where you can search for local help and community services.
How to start today
Your first step depends on whether you have Medicaid, have no coverage yet, or need help right now. This diagram lays out each of those three paths.
If you have Apple Health, call your plan or one of the Medicaid-accepting facilities listed above, or search the Washington rehab directory. If you have no coverage, apply for Apple Health now, and while the application is pending, call the Washington Recovery Help Line about state-funded rehab. If you have other insurance and are unsure what it covers, you can verify your insurance before you call a program. If you need help today, call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
Support outside treatment can also help. Our listings include 2,466 AA meetings in Washington, which you can find on the Washington meetings page; check the details with the group before you attend.
