University of Alabama at Birmingham Addiction Recovery Program

The UAB Addiction Recovery Program offers two outpatient levels of care designed to meet people at different points in their recovery journey. The standard Outpatient Program provides regular clinical contact while allowing clients to live at home and manage work, school, or family obligations. For those who need a more intensive structure — whether transitioning out of residential treatment or managing more complex recovery needs — the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) offers a higher frequency of treatment sessions without requiring an overnight stay.

Both levels of care operate within the UAB Medicine system, giving clients access to the clinical coordination that a major academic health network provides. The program is located in Birmingham's Jefferson County and serves the surrounding Alabama region, with weekday hours from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For individuals and families planning a sustained recovery path, having a medically affiliated outpatient program as a long-term partner in that process is a meaningful differentiator.

A significant percentage of people in addiction recovery are also managing mental health conditions like trauma and PTSD. The UAB Addiction Recovery Program directly addresses this reality by treating co-occurring disorders — commonly called dual diagnosis — alongside substance use. Rather than treating addiction in isolation, the program's clinical approach accounts for the mental health factors that often underlie or complicate recovery.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a core therapeutic method used within the program. CBT is a structured, skills-focused approach that helps clients identify and shift the thought patterns and behaviors connected to substance use. For individuals who have previously been through rehab or are engaged in longer-term recovery work, CBT offers practical tools that extend beyond the treatment setting and into everyday life — making it especially relevant for outpatient and aftercare-stage recovery.

The program is designed to serve a wide cross-section of the Birmingham community. Adolescents and women are among the specific populations the program is equipped to treat, along with individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing — a population that often faces significant access barriers in addiction treatment settings. The program also accepts court-ordered clients, reflecting its role as a resource for individuals navigating both the legal system and the recovery process simultaneously.

Financial access is built into the program's structure. Accepted payment options include Medicaid, self-pay and cash, sliding scale fees based on income, and financial assistance. This range of options reflects a commitment to keeping substance abuse treatment accessible to Birmingham-area residents regardless of their financial situation — a value that aligns with the mission of a public academic medical institution serving a broad community.

Choosing an outpatient program through an academic medical center like UAB means entering a treatment environment with deep clinical roots in the Birmingham region. For individuals who are weighing their recovery options — whether they are stepping down from residential treatment, exploring an intensive outpatient program for the first time, or seeking structured support for a co-occurring disorder — the UAB Addiction Recovery Program offers a clinically grounded setting backed by institutional resources.

The program is reachable by phone at (205) 917-3733 or by email at [email protected], and is located at 530 Beacon Parkway West, Suite 300, Birmingham, AL 35209. Weekday availability from Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, makes it accessible for working adults, students, and families coordinating care across the week. For those building a longer-term recovery plan in Alabama, a connection to UAB Medicine's addiction recovery resources is worth serious consideration.