How to Choose a Rehab: The Full Printable Checklist

Five questions can tell you most of what you need to know about a program. Print this page, sit down at the kitchen table and work through it for each center.

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Questions to ask

Emergency: call 911 · Crisis: call or text 988

A family member at a kitchen table with a phone and a notepad, making calls about treatment

How to use this checklist

You can print this page. On a computer, press Ctrl+P (Command+P on a Mac). On a phone, open your browser’s menu or share button and choose Print. Print one copy for each center, then write the answers on it.

You don’t need any special knowledge, and most of the work is one phone call. If a center gives you a vague answer, write that down too, because a vague answer is information.

Picking the wrong place is a fear many families carry, and it makes sense. This list won’t make the choice for you. It will keep a tired, worried person from skipping the steps that matter.

The 5 questions

1. Is it licensed by Florida DCF?

In Florida, substance use treatment providers are generally licensed by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) under Chapter 397 of the Florida Statutes. A license is the floor, not a mark of quality. Our DCF license lookup guide shows each step.

I found the provider in DCF’s search
License Status shows it is active
License Expiration Date hasn’t passed
“Service at this Building” lists the service my loved one needs, at the address they would go to

2. Is it accredited by the Joint Commission or CARF?

Accreditation is a separate review by an outside group. It isn’t required the way a license generally is, so a program without it isn’t automatically a bad one. Still, it is a useful sign. Our page on accreditation explained shows how to confirm it yourself.

The center told me which accreditation it holds
I confirmed it on the accreditor’s own website
It covers the program my loved one would attend

3. Does it offer the level of care your loved one needs?

This matters more than anything on the website. Detox, residential, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP) and outpatient care each fit different needs. Our level of care guide explains the decision.

A clinician will assess my loved one before recommending a level of care
They explained why that level fits
They offer that level at this location, or told me who does
They told me what happens after this level ends

4. Will they give you a straight answer on cost?

Nobody can give you an exact total before checking benefits, but an honest program can explain how the bill works. Our page on what drives the cost of rehab shows the parts.

They told me whether they are in network with our plan
I confirmed that with the insurance plan itself
They explained what we may owe, and I have it in writing
They told me what isn’t included, such as medications or lab tests

5. Do they answer with their own name, not a hotline?

You should be able to reach the program itself. If someone answers without saying the program’s name, ask who they work for. Our page on patient brokering red flags explains why this matters.

The person answering gave the program’s name and their own name
They work for this program, not a call center
No one offered free travel, housing, cash or gifts
No one pushed me to decide on this call

Two more things to weigh

Fit for your loved one

They can treat mental health conditions alongside substance use, if needed
They offer medication for opioid or alcohol use disorder, or work with someone who does
Family is included in a way that suits your loved one
We can manage the drive, including the bridges at rush hour

Fit for your family

We understand what we can share with them, and what they can share with us
They were patient with our questions
We have a backup if this program falls through
We wrote down who we spoke with, and the date

If a center asks you to skip these steps because a spot won’t last, take that as a reason to slow down. Unless it is a medical emergency, you have time to check. In an emergency, call 911. For a crisis, call or text 988.

Centers to run through the checklist

Free listings, checked against Florida DCF. Sponsored listings are always labeled. Each listing shows the month we last checked it, so confirm details when you call.