Cocaine Rehab Centers in Washington

What does treatment for cocaine use look like in Washington?

Treatment for cocaine use in Washington starts with an assessment of your drug and alcohol use, physical health, mental health and home situation, followed by counseling in a setting matched to those needs. Washington behavioral health agencies use that assessment to choose between outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization and residential care.

Many people who use cocaine also live with depression, anxiety or trauma, and programs offering dual diagnosis care in Washington work on both at once. Common therapies include contingency management, which offers small rewards for negative drug tests, along with cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing and group or family sessions.

Unlike alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal, cocaine withdrawal is usually not medically dangerous, but low mood, fatigue, poor sleep and strong cravings can make it hard to get through. No medication is cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for cocaine use disorder, so prescribers focus on co-occurring conditions such as depression or sleep problems.

Fentanyl has turned up in the stimulant supply, so people using cocaine may take in opioids without realizing it. A statewide standing order from the Department of Health lets any Washington pharmacy dispense naloxone without a prescription, and peer groups such as Cocaine Anonymous and SMART Recovery meet in person and online.

Which therapies are used for stimulant use?

Washington programs that treat stimulant use commonly offer contingency management, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, group therapy and family sessions. Contingency management gives small rewards, such as vouchers, for negative drug tests or attended sessions. Many people also join mutual-help groups such as Cocaine Anonymous or SMART Recovery, which meet in person and online.

Is there medication for cocaine use disorder, and is withdrawal dangerous?

No medication currently has FDA approval for treating cocaine use disorder. Washington prescribers may still use medications for co-occurring conditions such as depression, anxiety or sleep problems. Any decision about medication sits with a prescriber who knows your history.

Cocaine withdrawal is usually not medically dangerous in the way alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal can be, but it is often hard to get through. The main symptoms are low mood, fatigue, poor sleep and strong cravings. Depressed mood can become serious. If you have thoughts of suicide, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing or a seizure.

What about fentanyl in the stimulant supply?

Fentanyl has been found in the stimulant supply, so people who use cocaine can be exposed to opioids without knowing it. Washington’s Department of Health keeps a statewide standing order that works as a prescription for naloxone at any pharmacy. Pharmacies can dispense naloxone without a prescription, community organizations can hand it out under the same order, and the department says Medicaid covers it. Washington’s Good Samaritan law protects both the person who seeks medical help for an overdose and the person who overdosed from drug possession charges.

Which level of care fits, and who decides?

A clinician sets your level of care after an assessment, usually using the ASAM criteria, a national framework for matching people to services. A Washington assessment looks at withdrawal, physical and mental health, readiness for change, risk of return to use and your recovery environment.

Apple Health plans must pay for covered services by telemedicine, including audio-only visits once you have an established relationship with the provider, at in-person rates. Programs offering telehealth treatment in Washington can help people far from the Puget Sound corridor.

How do I pay for cocaine treatment in Washington?

Most people in Washington pay for cocaine treatment through Washington Apple Health, private insurance or state-funded services. Apple Health is the state Medicaid program, run by the Washington State Health Care Authority, and Washington has expanded Medicaid to more low-income adults. Most members get care through Community Health Plan of Washington, Coordinated Care of Washington, Molina Healthcare of Washington, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Washington or Wellpoint Washington. These plans cover substance use disorder treatment along with physical health. See programs that take Medicaid.

Private insurance that covers substance use treatment generally falls under federal parity law. Parity limits a plan’s ability to set stricter rules for addiction care than for medical care.

Washington residents without coverage can look for state-funded treatment in Washington. That care is supported in part by the federal block grant administered by the Health Care Authority’s Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery. Some providers also offer sliding-scale fees based on income.

How do I find a Washington program that treats stimulant use?

A good first step is making sure the program holds a Washington behavioral health agency license with substance use disorder certification. The Department of Health issues these licenses under chapter 246-341 WAC, so ask the program for its license and look it up with the department. Next, ask intake staff how they treat stimulant use specifically, not just whether cocaine appears on a list.

Washington’s cocaine listings lean toward Puget Sound. About 76 percent sit within 25 miles of the coast, at a median elevation of 75 feet. Every listing is within 25 miles of a river, most often the Sammamish River, and Lake Washington is the lake they sit near most often. King County International Airport, Boeing Field, is the most common nearest airport, at a median of 10.9 miles.

Each listing on the Washington treatment page shows levels of care, payment types and insurers, accreditation, languages, populations served and location. For free help choosing, call the Washington Recovery Help Line at 1-866-789-1511, run by Crisis Connections. You can also dial 2-1-1 or call the national treatment referral line.