RecoveryAdvocators.com is an independent education site for families. We don’t own or work for any treatment program, and no one pays us to send you anywhere. Facts come from government agencies, professional societies and published research, each page shows its review status, and we fix mistakes in the open.
Frightened families searching for addiction help are a target. The Federal Trade Commission warns that some search ads use real treatment centers’ names but connect callers to a different business.2 Know who is behind a site before you trust it. Then start with our step-by-step family guide.
Who is behind this site, and what do we gain?
We are an education resource, not a treatment provider or referral service. We don’t diagnose, treat or recommend specific programs to individuals. Pages are written by Kyle of Recovery Advocators, and each byline shows the author and review dates.
| We do | We don’t |
|---|---|
| Explain options plainly | Own, run or invest in any treatment program or sober home |
| Point you to public and nonprofit help | Take referral fees, lead fees or gifts from programs |
| Show the source for every key fact | Sell or share your contact information |
The only phone numbers here belong to public or nonprofit services such as 911, 988, Poison Control and the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357), which is free, confidential and open 24/7.3 See our list of helplines that aren’t selling anything.
Do treatment programs pay to be mentioned here?
No. No program, sober home, lab, marketer or insurer pays us for anything. Paying or taking kickbacks for insured treatment referrals can also be a federal crime under the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act.1 See what EKRA bans and how brokering schemes operate.
Advertising and affiliate links. We have neither. Any future ad will be labeled, kept apart from articles, and never come from treatment providers or lead generators. Any future affiliate link, such as for a book, will be disclosed on the page and never involve treatment.
Conflicts of interest. Writers and reviewers disclose any financial tie to treatment providers, insurers or marketers. Anyone with a current tie doesn’t cover that type of provider. No outside party approves or changes a page before it’s published.
Who checks the medical information?
Medical pages go to a qualified, named clinician for review, and each page tells you whether that review has happened yet.
We are recruiting clinical reviewers now. Until a reviewer has checked a page, its top says awaiting clinical review. After sign-off, the reviewer’s name, credentials and review date appear there instead. We never list a reviewer who hasn’t done the review. Meanwhile, every fact is still cited, so you can check it yourself.
The reviewer matches the topic:
- Withdrawal and overdose: an addiction medicine physician, re-reviewed every 6 months
- Treatment and medication: an addiction medicine physician or psychiatrist
- Signs and assessment: a physician or licensed addiction clinician
- Family communication: a licensed therapist experienced with families
- Choosing a program: an editor plus a compliance-literate reviewer
- Insurance: a benefits specialist
- Privacy: a health-privacy attorney or compliance specialist
Reviewers are paid a flat fee unconnected to any provider. We change a “last reviewed” date only after a real review.
Where do the facts come from?
Every health, legal and insurance claim cites a primary source: agencies such as SAMHSA, CDC, NIDA, FDA and CMS, professional societies, laws, and peer-reviewed research. Each page lists its sources with the date we checked them.
We never cite treatment centers, rehab directories or lead-generation sites. When numbers or rules change, we update the page and date the figure.
What happens when we get something wrong?
Tell us, and we’ll fix it. Use the Contact link at the bottom of any page. We make substantive corrections within 5 business days and log them, dated, at the bottom of the page. We use messages only to reply and never share them; leave out medical details.
For example, Dana searches late at night for help for her brother. She lands on a site with a “Call now, free helpline” button, no owner listed and a number that names no program. She spots the red flags and calls the SAMHSA Helpline.3
How can you check any health website, including ours?
Ask who runs it, who pays for it, and where its facts come from. The FTC suggests looking closely at search results before you click an ad or call a number, and starting your search at FindTreatment.gov.2 Our page on spotting rehab marketing red flags lists more warning signs.
Before you trust a health website
FindTreatment.gov, run by SAMHSA, lists only facilities that are licensed, certified or otherwise approved by their state’s treatment authority. It doesn’t endorse specific facilities or make recommendations for individual situations.4
Common misconceptions
A doctor’s name on a page means a doctor wrote it.
Tap to see the factsCheck what the doctor actually did. Here, a named reviewer means that clinician checked the page on the date shown.
Frequently asked questions
Will you recommend a specific program for my loved one?
No. A licensed clinician needs to assess your loved one first. The SAMHSA National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, can refer you to local treatment facilities, support groups and community organizations.3
Does this site give medical advice?
No. It’s general education, not medical, legal or insurance advice. If someone may be overdosing, having a seizure or is in danger, call 911 now; our emergency steps for families cover what to do while you wait. For suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, call, text or chat 988, free and confidential 24/7.5
Do you use AI to write these pages?
Some research and drafting uses AI writing tools. The same rule applies: every fact must match the primary source it cites, or it comes out.
Sources
- 18 U.S.C. § 220 — Illegal remunerations for referrals to recovery homes, clinical treatment facilities, and laboratories (Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act, 2018). uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=%28title%3A18+section%3A220+edition%3A… — accessed Oct 2026
- Federal Trade Commission — How to avoid scams when looking for drug treatment (August 2025). consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/08/how-avoid-scams-when-looking-… — accessed Oct 2026
- SAMHSA — National Helpline. samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline — accessed Oct 2026
- SAMHSA, FindTreatment.gov — Frequently Asked Questions. findtreatment.gov/faqs — accessed Oct 2026
- SAMHSA — 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. samhsa.gov/mental-health/988 — accessed Oct 2026