If you are looking for drug or alcohol treatment in San Antonio and cannot pay privately, you have options. The Center for Health Care Services provides substance use and addiction treatment to adults across Bexar County regardless of background, insurance status, or ability to pay.
The programs available
Treatment is not one thing. The right starting point depends on how much support you need right now.
- Outpatient treatment — you continue living and working in your community while receiving case management, counseling, education, and training.
- Intensive outpatient — for people who need a higher level of support. You still do not live at a facility, but you meet more frequently.
- Residential detoxification — The Center operates a detox unit that provides a safe place to complete withdrawal from alcohol and drugs, with staff support toward continued treatment.
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) — medication combined with behavioral therapy, medical care, and assistive services to reduce cravings and support long-term recovery.
If you need a level of care beyond what The Center provides, the team refers you to an appropriate community facility and supports your transition back into ongoing outpatient care afterward.
If you are not sure where to begin: OSAR
The Center provides outreach, screening, assessment, and referral — OSAR — to anyone living in Bexar County. This exists precisely for the situation where you know something needs to change but not what to ask for. Call 210-261-2427 and the team will point you toward the right resource, whether or not that ends up being us.
Recovery is possible, and you do not have to figure out the first step alone.
What it costs
The Center accepts many insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare. A sliding fee scale is available for people who qualify, based on income and family size, and services are never refused because someone cannot pay. To determine your fee, you complete a Financial Assessment at check-in with proof of insurance, residency, and income — residency and income dated within the last 60 days.
What about housing?
Recovery is difficult without stable housing. Supported Housing Programs help people with mental health and/or substance use challenges obtain and keep community housing, alongside psychosocial rehabilitation, skills training, and case management — including help locating housing, negotiating a lease, resolving maintenance issues, and building life management skills.
Eligibility is specific: you must be a current adult mental health client with a CHCS outpatient clinic, have verifiable income, have verifiable homelessness meeting the HUD definition, and hold a valid government-issued I.D., birth certificate, and Social Security card.
Taking the first step
Call 210-261-2427. A short screening comes first, then a comprehensive assessment — plan for up to three hours — and then establishing care. You do not need to have stopped using to make the call.