UNC Horizons Program

UNC Horizons Program offers outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for women who need structured substance abuse care without stepping away from their families, pregnancies, or daily lives. The program's two levels of care — a standard Outpatient Program and an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) — give women and their care teams the flexibility to match treatment intensity to where they are in their recovery journey.

For pregnant women in particular, access to specialized outpatient care through an institution like UNC is significant. Rather than navigating a general recovery center not designed with their needs in mind, women at Horizons enter a program built from the ground up around the populations it serves. The Monday through Friday schedule, running 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., provides consistency and routine — both of which support long-term recovery.

A defining feature of UNC Horizons' approach to substance use disorder treatment is its commitment to dual diagnosis care. Many women entering addiction treatment are also managing trauma or PTSD, and Horizons addresses these co-occurring conditions as part of the core treatment model rather than as afterthoughts. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) anchors the clinical work, giving women practical tools to understand and shift the thought patterns connected to both substance use and trauma responses.

This integrated approach to co-occurring disorders means that a woman's full clinical picture is treated — not just the addiction in isolation. For women seeking a recovery program that takes the relationship between trauma and substance use seriously, this dual diagnosis framework is a meaningful differentiator from general outpatient programs.

UNC Horizons holds dual accreditation from the Joint Commission (JCAHO) and CARF, two of the most recognized credentialing bodies in addiction treatment. These accreditations reflect a program-wide commitment to meeting rigorous clinical and operational standards — an important consideration for women and families evaluating long-term recovery options.

On the financial side, the program accepts Medicaid, State Insurance, and self-pay arrangements. This range of payment options is particularly meaningful for pregnant women and mothers who may be navigating financial uncertainty alongside treatment decisions. The program also serves women who are deaf or hard of hearing, reflecting a broader commitment to reaching women who are often left out of standard addiction treatment settings. To reach the admissions team directly, contact UNC Horizons at (919) 966-9803 or by email at [email protected].

For family members supporting a woman in recovery — whether she is pregnant, parenting, or managing a dual diagnosis — finding a program that understands her specific circumstances matters. UNC Horizons is not a general addiction treatment center that happens to accept women; it is a program designed with women's lives as the organizing principle. That distinction shapes everything from clinical programming to the populations the staff is trained to serve.

Located in downtown Carrboro at 410 North Greensboro Street, the program is accessible from the greater Orange County area and operates through a connection to the UNC School of Medicine. For families looking for a substance abuse treatment program that combines academic medical credibility with focused, women-centered outpatient care, UNC Horizons offers a recovery community grounded in those specific values.