Connecticut Valley Hospital - Blue Hills Substance Services

They provide inpatient hospital and detox, which is the whole of what this address in Hartford is set up for.

They detox from opioids, alcohol, benzodiazepines, cocaine and methamphetamines. Coming off opioids without medical supervision can be dangerous, which is why it matters that this is one of 1 places near Hartford that do it.

They treat adults from 26 to 64 and young adults from 18 to 25. Ask whether the groups are split by age, because in Hartford that can mean one mixed room rather than several.

Hartford has 16 NA meetings too, and most people end up using both.

They prescribe methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone, which is the part of treatment that is prescribed rather than attended. Of the 8 centers near Hartford, not all of them do.

Ask both places the same questions and the differences come out quickly. Distance from home cuts both ways: far enough to break a pattern, near enough for family to take part. Ask whether the person on the phone works for the center or for a referral service.

Being sent rather than choosing to go changes the paperwork more than it changes the treatment. Whether a program satisfies a particular order is a question for the court or the officer rather than for the center alone. Confirm the program is on the approved list before the first session rather than after it.

It starts with a short assessment: the substance, the pattern, your health, and where you live. Having your insurance card in front of you shortens the whole thing considerably. Write down what you are using and how much before you dial, because it is harder to recall out loud.