Beacon Recovery Program

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Beacon Recovery Program

UAB Beacon Recovery is located on the 3^rd floor of the tower at 530 Beacon Parkway W., Birmingham, AL 35209

UAB Beacon Recovery is an outpatient substance use disorder treatment program for adults. Our treatment programs are certified by the Alabama Department of Mental Health, and we serve patients who are uninsured or have Medicaid coverage. Many patients are referred to us through various legal and medical channels, but a professional referral is not necessary, and about 50% of the people we help are self-referred.

Cost

We collect a small monthly fee that covers all of our services, and fees are based on a sliding fee scale determined by annual income and household size. Monthly fees range from $0 to $100. Medicaid patients are not charged fees. We never turn anyone away if they are unable to pay, and we offer various community services to those who are unable to pay their monthly fees.

Our online payment portal provides a fast and convenient way to pay your program fees. Click here to access the portal. If you have questions about your account, please call our front desk at 205-801-8838.

Intake Process

For questions about admission to our program, please email beacon@uabmc.edu or call 205-917-3733. Follow the prompts for Beacon Recovery (#3) and then the assessment center (#1). If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

All people seeking admission must first complete a free phone evaluation with a counselor to determine which program best suits their needs. This evaluation is sometimes called a “state assessment” or “ASAM” and is required for admission to any program in Alabama that is certified by the Department of Mental Health. The evaluation takes about 1-2 hours to complete. At the end of the evaluation, the counselor will discuss treatment options that are best suited for you.

Admission to one of our levels of care requires a substance use disorder diagnosis. If you do not meet the criteria for a substance use disorder diagnosis but have substance-related issues, we may be able to provide early intervention services. Sometimes we recommend treatments that we do not offer (such as residential treatment), and in those cases, we are happy to forward the evaluation to other agencies throughout the state that offer those programs, if you wish.

If you are admitted to one of our programs, you will work with your intake counselor to complete your plan of treatment, which will outline the various services we recommend. Then, you will be assigned to a primary counselor to begin therapy. Depending on your needs, you may be given an appointment for further evaluation by one of our physicians.

Hours of Operation

The majority of our services operate between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, but we will do our best to accommodate busy schedules beyond these hours when possible. We do not offer any services on the weekends.

Telehealth

UAB Beacon Recovery uses secure, government-compliant software that connects you to our counselors, case managers, and peers from the comfort of your home with the use of your computer, smartphone, or tablet equipped with a camera. Most of our services (except for most medical services) are offered via telehealth.

Program Descriptions

Adult Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): This is for men and women over age 18 with moderate to severe substance use disorder, and it is where most patients begin their recovery journey. Intensive outpatient requires a minimum of nine hours of service per week, generally through a combination of group and individual therapy. We host groups in the morning, afternoon, and evening to accommodate busy schedules.

As an IOP patient, you will have access to our on-site clinic, Beacon Integrated Healthcare, which offers psychiatric evaluations, primary medical care, and medication-assisted treatment. We also encourage all IOP patients to participate in any of our various specialty groups, which meet 1-4 times per month. Specialty groups include our Family Program, Intro to 12 Steps, Grief, Trauma, and Healthy Coping. Most individuals complete the IOP program within 4-6 months.

Adult Outpatient Program: This is for patients with mild or moderate substance use disorder and usually is offered through a combination of group and individual therapy. Groups are scheduled in the afternoons and evenings for three hours per week. These patients also have access to the full range of medical and psychiatric services in our on-site clinic, Beacon Integrated Healthcare, and to our specialty groups. Most participants complete treatment within 2-3 months.

Adult Early Intervention: This is for adults with substance-related issues, such as getting a DUI, who do not meet the criteria for a substance use disorder diagnosis. This program is not considered treatment but instead is an educational program. It is meant to provide information about the consequences of substance use and avoiding behaviors related to substance use, to help prevent it from growing into a substance use disorder diagnosis.

Adolescent Programs: Our adolescent programs are designed to support young people age 13-18. Through partnerships with Birmingham City Schools and Jefferson County Schools, we provide individualized substance use disorder counseling in schools during regular school hours. For adolescents who do not attend school in one of those systems, or for those who do but may need additional support, we also offer adolescent treatment services in the evening. Our adolescent treatment team can provide services either in person (at school or at our main location in the evening) or through the use of telehealth. Telehealth uses secure, government-compliant software to connect you to a counselor from the comfort of your home with the use of your computer, smartphone, or tablet equipped with a camera.

Our Treatment Team

UAB Beacon Recovery is a caring, multi-specialty team with extensive training in providing substance use disorder treatment. Our team is made up of UAB Medicine physicians, , counselors, care coordinators, case managers, and peer recovery support specialists. Your primary helper will be your counselor, but you also will have access to medical evaluations, psychiatric evaluations, prescription assistance, medication-assisted treatment, and case management services.

Beacon Integrated Healthcare Clinic

Patients enrolled in any Beacon Recovery program have access to the wide array of medical services offered in our on-site clinic, Beacon Integrated Healthcare. The clinic is located at our main office at 530 Beacon Parkway W., Suite 301, Birmingham, AL 35209. It supplements our psychosocial services (counseling and peer support) by offering primary care, medication-assisted treatment (Suboxone, Vivitrol, etc.), and psychiatric treatment, all in the same location.

Your counselor can help connect you to any of these services if they are part of the treatment plan you choose. Medical services in the clinic cost $0-100 per month in addition to program fees, and the cost of medications prescribed by our providers is included.*

Our care team also partners with the UAB Division of Infectious Diseases to offer free, on-site screening for HIV and hepatitis C, and we can help connect you to free or low-cost treatment for these conditions.

Currently we are only able to provide clinic services to patients who do not have commercial insurance or Medicaid. If you do have commercial insurance or Medicaid, we are happy to refer you to another community partner for your medical care.

*The cost of medications for opioid use disorder (Suboxone or Vivitrol) is covered for up to six months.

Beacon ACT Clinic

The Beacon ACT Clinic (Access – Connection – Transition) offers same-day opioid use disorder treatment for individuals who arrive at Beacon Integrated Healthcare between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Monday-Friday. Patients are eligible to be seen up to three times per year and will be seen by a peer recovery support specialist, nurse, physician, care coordinator, and substance abuse counselor.

During each visit, the clinic team will work with you to determine your preferences for ongoing care and can help coordinate admitting you for treatment at Beacon Recovery or referring you to other community partners. If medication is appropriate, a prescription will be sent to your pharmacy at the time of your visit, and the cost of medications is covered for uninsured patients for the first two visits.

Patients will be seen by the end of the day, regardless of insurance status. Wait times will vary depending on the number of people who arrive prior to the end of walk-in hours each day.

Why UAB

Each person’s journey and path to recovery is unique. At Beacon Recovery, a counselor meets with each patient to discuss individual needs and recovery goals. We perform a thorough diagnostic substance use disorder assessment to help identify the best level of care and ensure that the most appropriate treatment recommendations are made.

Once the assessment is finished, a counselor will review treatment options with the patient and address any questions or concerns. Patients who need services beyond those offered by Beacon Recovery will be connected with or referred to the appropriate community resource/treatment provider.