Guide · For families · Phoenixville · Center City Philadelphia · Avondale · Virtual statewide
Most families do not call because of one dramatic event. They call after months of small things that stopped adding up — missed calls, missing money, a personality that keeps changing.
An evaluation turns that uncertainty into a plan. This guide explains when to ask for one, what happens during it, what we can and cannot tell you, and how to raise it without starting a fight.
Clinically reviewed by Andrea Kiotis, MA, LPC, CAADC — Clinical Director.
Last updated:
You do not need proof of a diagnosis to request an evaluation. Concern is enough. These are the patterns families describe to us most often.
Weekly outpatient counseling is a real level of care, and for some people it is enough. When someone is drinking daily, or using between every session, one hour a week is not a match for the problem — and staying in it can convince a family that treatment does not work.
The honest test is simple: has use decreased since counseling started? If not, that is not a failure of the counselor. It is a level-of-care mismatch, and an evaluation is how it gets corrected.
A good counselor will often say this first and refer out. We coordinate directly with outside therapists so the existing relationship continues alongside PHP or IOP rather than being replaced.
Our drug and alcohol evaluations are free, confidential and usually complete in under an hour. There is no cost and no obligation to enroll.
Our drug and alcohol evaluations page explains the process in more detail, including ASAM levels of care and what to bring.
This is the hardest part for families. Federal confidentiality rules for substance use records (42 CFR Part 2) are stricter than general medical privacy, and they apply to adults regardless of who is paying.[1][2]
If your adult loved one signs a release of information naming you, we can talk with you about their care. Without one, we cannot confirm whether they are even a client.
What we can always do without a release: talk with you about your concerns, explain levels of care, describe what treatment involves, and help you plan how to approach the conversation.
Confrontation-style interventions are not required, and evidence supports approaches built on engagement rather than ambush.[3] If a family session would help, we can include one in the plan.
A warm handoff means nobody is handed a phone number and left to make the call themselves during the worst week of their life. The referring counselor, hospital, probation officer or family member connects directly with our admissions team, with consent in place.
In practice that means we know the person is coming, the evaluation is already scheduled, insurance is already verified, and there is a named counselor waiting on the first day.
The window between deciding and starting is where most people are lost. Closing that window is the single most useful thing a family can do.
If a detox bed or an intake slot is a day or two out, use the time. Keep contact frequent, remove alcohol and unused medication from the house, arrange transportation, and secure childcare and pet care in advance.
If the home environment is itself a risk, ask about recovery housing — living somewhere structured during PHP or IOP is often what makes outpatient treatment viable.
If withdrawal symptoms appear while waiting — shaking, sweating, confusion, any seizure — treat it as an emergency and read our alcohol withdrawal safety guide.
Families arrive exhausted, often after years of managing someone else's crisis. Treatment for one person does not immediately undo that.
Family involvement is part of our program because recovery happens inside relationships, not apart from them. We also encourage families toward their own support — Al-Anon, Nar-Anon and family therapy exist because this is genuinely hard.
You are allowed to set limits. Protecting your own stability is not abandoning them.
Choose the right schedule
Start with the support you need now, then step down as recovery becomes more stable.
About 6 hours a day · 5 days a week
Our most structured outpatient level of care, with a full clinical day at our Phoenixville, Philadelphia or Avondale office while you continue living at home.
Explore our PHP program →9–15 hours a week · Day or evening
A flexible in-person schedule for people who need substantial addiction treatment while balancing work, school, family or a step down from PHP.
Explore our IOP program →Secure online care · Statewide access
Clinically appropriate Pennsylvania residents can join structured groups and therapy from home without traveling to one of our three offices.
Explore our statewide virtual IOP →53%
of clients complete our PHP and IOP programs — vs. a national average near 26% for similar outpatient programs.
+9
point average gain on the BARC-10 recovery capital scale from admission to discharge.
-5.95
point average drop in combined PHQ-9 / GAD-7 anxiety and depression scores during treatment.
2215 Kimberton Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460
Serving Phoenixville, Kimberton, Royersford, Collegeville, Spring City, Pottstown, King of Prussia, Norristown, Malvern, Exton, Downingtown and West Chester.
Learn about our Phoenixville office →1026 Winter Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Serving Center City, Chinatown, Washington Square West, Rittenhouse, South Philadelphia, Fishtown, Northern Liberties, University City and the Main Line.
Learn about our Philadelphia office →1284 Gap Newport Pike, Avondale, PA 19311
Serving Avondale, Kennett Square, West Grove, Oxford, Landenberg, Coatesville and the Route 41 corridor of southern Chester County.
Learn about our Avondale office →Virtual IOP is available to residents anywhere in Pennsylvania. Call (610) 233-4342 to ask which option fits your schedule.
Insurance accepted
Don't see your plan? Call (610) 233-4342 — we'll check your benefits.
You can call us and we will walk you through everything, but an adult has to consent to their own evaluation. Most families start by calling to plan the conversation — that call is free and there is no pressure to commit to anything.
Our drug and alcohol evaluations are free, with no obligation to enroll in treatment.
Only if they sign a release of information naming you. Federal rules for substance use records are stricter than general medical privacy.[1] Without a release we cannot confirm whether someone is a client.
Refusal on day one is common and is not the end. Keep the door open, stay specific about what you have seen, and keep the next step small and concrete. Call us and we will help you plan the next conversation.
Yes, if use has not decreased. That usually indicates a level-of-care mismatch rather than a therapy problem, and we coordinate with existing therapists so the relationship continues alongside PHP or IOP.
Yes. Evaluations can be completed by phone or video, and virtual IOP is available to Pennsylvania residents statewide if travel to Phoenixville, Philadelphia or Avondale is not workable.
How detox, PHP, IOP and virtual IOP differ, how ASAM levels of care are decided, and where outpatient treatment fits for working adults.
Read: Detox vs. Rehab: Which Level of Care →The first 72 hours, warning signs that need emergency care, why home tapering fails, and how to plan a safe start in Pennsylvania.
Read: Alcohol Withdrawal & Detox Safety →What we ask, what we never ask, questions families forget to ask, and the red flags that tell you a program isn't the right fit.
Read: What to Expect on Your First Call →How supervised recovery housing works, what the rules and drug-testing expectations look like, and how referrals are coordinated alongside PHP or IOP.
Read: Recovery Housing Guide →How evening treatment fits around a job, what a typical week looks like, and how people keep working while in outpatient care.
Read: Rehab After Work Guide →Citations link to the original government and research sources. This guide is educational and is not medical advice. If someone is in danger, call 911.
Call and talk it through with someone who does this every day. Free, confidential, and answered 24/7 — even if your loved one is not ready yet.