Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centres in Johannesburg, South Africa

How do people get addiction treatment in Johannesburg?

People in Johannesburg usually get addiction treatment in one of three ways: through a social worker at the Department of Social Development, the national ministry for substance abuse services; through a charity’s outpatient service; or by contacting a private rehab directly. Each treatment center must be registered under the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act.

Public and subsidized centers are overseen by the Departments of Social Development, and some of them charge the client nothing. Public health care more broadly is the responsibility of the National Department of Health, the national health ministry, working with the provincial health department.

Where does public treatment start in Johannesburg?

Public treatment in Johannesburg starts with an assessment by a social worker at a local social development office, who refers the person to a suitable center. Section 32 of the Substance Abuse Act lets an adult apply for voluntary admission, and the national helpline on 0800 12 13 14 can also refer callers.

A long-running national charity offers outpatient treatment in Johannesburg from a main branch on 011 836 2460 and several satellite offices across the city, and runs a separate inpatient center on 011 430 0320. According to its published details, people contact the branch directly.

Can families seek court-ordered treatment in Johannesburg?

Families in Johannesburg can start court-ordered treatment under sections 33 and 35 of the Substance Abuse Act, when a close associate, social worker or community leader makes a sworn statement to a public prosecutor. After a social worker’s report and an enquiry, a magistrate can order admission to a treatment center for up to 12 months.

A court can also send a convicted person to a treatment center instead of prison under section 36. Court-ordered treatment is listed at some of the rehabs in Johannesburg.

Are rehabs in Johannesburg registered?

Rehabs in Johannesburg must be registered under the Substance Abuse Act, which bars anyone from establishing or managing an unregistered treatment center and makes doing so an offense. The Department of Social Development’s Director-General issues the registration certificate, and the provincial department deals with applications and questions about a center’s status.

A registered center has to display its certificate. With no national online register, the provincial department is the place to ask whether a particular provider is registered.

Can teenagers get treatment in Johannesburg?

Teen rehab is listed at most of the rehabs in Johannesburg, and the Substance Abuse Act requires children to be treated separately from adults. A parent or guardian can apply for a child’s voluntary admission, and section 14 of the National Health Act keeps treatment information confidential.

The published text of the Children’s Act says a child over 12 who is mature enough to understand the benefits, risks and implications may consent to their own medical treatment. The Protection of Personal Information Act also governs how centers handle personal records.

What do private rehabs in Johannesburg offer?

Private rehabs in Johannesburg offer outpatient programs, residential stays of a few weeks or longer, detox and aftercare, and self-pay and private insurance are each accepted at most of them. What a stay costs depends on the level of care, its length, the room and whether a medical scheme contributes.

Medical detox is listed at about half of the rehabs in Johannesburg, and evening treatment and sober living at some.

Which groups do Johannesburg rehabs serve?

Johannesburg rehabs serve adults and teenagers most widely, with adult and teen programs each listed at most of the city’s rehabs. Programs for older adults are listed at some, and so are court referrals, and the table shows how these and related services compare across the city.

Does a medical scheme cover rehab in Johannesburg?

A registered medical scheme has to cover in-hospital detox and rehabilitation for alcohol and drug dependence in Johannesburg, since these count as Prescribed Minimum Benefits under the Medical Schemes Act, according to scheme benefit documents. In one scheme’s rules, that means up to 3 days of detox per admission and up to 21 days of rehab yearly.

Outpatient care is not a minimum benefit, and network rules can limit which centers a scheme pays. A policy from outside South Africa sets its own terms.

Is medication-assisted treatment offered in Johannesburg?

Medication-assisted treatment in Johannesburg depends on the setting: methadone and buprenorphine are registered in South Africa but left off the Essential Medicines List, and public-sector methadone is limited to pilot sites selected and monitored by the National Department of Health. Buprenorphine has been described as available only to people paying privately.

Psychiatric medication is listed at some of the rehabs in Johannesburg, and stimulant treatment and Xanax treatment at some as well. Alcohol treatment appears at about half of the city’s rehabs, and prescriber access at about half too.

How can I compare private rehabs in Johannesburg?

Comparing private rehabs in Johannesburg starts with the registration certificate each must hold under the Substance Abuse Act, which the provincial social development department can look up. Next, compare which levels of care each offers on site, whether a doctor prescribes, and which medical schemes it bills directly.

Ask for the typical length of stay in writing, along with what happens after discharge and whether family members can take part in sessions. If a teenager is involved, ask how the center keeps young people apart from adults, as the Act requires. Aftercare is listed at most of the rehabs in the city.

What should I know about arriving in Johannesburg for rehab?

Arrivals for rehab in Johannesburg normally fly into O.R. Tambo International Airport, which handles international flights and is 12.8 miles from the city center in a straight line. A South African visitor’s visa covers 90 days or less, and Home Affairs counts medical treatment of up to three months among visitor purposes.

Klipriviersberg rises 5.1 miles from the city center, Orlando Dam, a reservoir, lies 8.4 miles away, and the city has at least 25 hospitals within a 10-mile radius. Browse rehabs near airports, near lakes or near mountains.

Which visa and medicine rules affect rehab in Johannesburg?

A stay for rehab in Johannesburg longer than a visitor’s visa allows may need South Africa’s medical treatment visa, backed by a letter from a South African medical practitioner or institution and proof of who pays. The Department of Home Affairs, the national immigration authority, can say what applies to each nationality.

A one-month personal supply of a Schedule 3 to 6 medicine may be brought in with a valid prescription and the prescriber’s certificate naming medicine and quantity. That allowance excludes Schedule 7 and 8 substances.

Who can I call in Johannesburg if someone needs help now?

In a Johannesburg emergency, ring 10177 for an ambulance or 10111 for the police, or use 112 from a mobile phone. The Substance Abuse Helpline, run free by the Department of Social Development on 0800 12 13 14, takes calls at any hour and accepts SMS messages on 32312 for advice and referral.

Rehab across the continent, including in Morocco, is listed on the Africa page.