Aftercare for Opioid Addiction Treatment: Options for Ongoing Support

Author: Brittany Tackett

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According to SAMHSA, over 4.8 million people in the U.S. aged 12+ had an opioid use disorder diagnosis in 2024.¹ For these millions of people, opioid use disorder is a chronic condition with similar relapse rates to hypertension and diabetes. As such, aftercare and maintenance treatments are crucial for lifelong recovery. Aftercare for opioid addiction refers to any type of ongoing care and may include counseling, peer support, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT), as well as residential stays in sober living homes.^1,2

What is Aftercare for Opioid Addiction Treatment?

Recovery from an opioid addiction is a lifelong process. To prevent relapse, aftercare is an essential next step when you complete the initial opioid detox as well as when you complete an inpatient or outpatient rehab program.

Opioid addiction is a chronic and complex disease that affects all aspects of a person’s life. When you complete treatment and go back to daily living, you’ll be faced with many triggers that can lead to a relapse. For this reason, people in recovery should continue to be supported by peers and treatment professionals long after initial treatment has been completed.

Aftercare substance abuse programs build upon problem-solving and coping skills learned in rehab, connect people to community support, and offer additional resources, such as transition housing, career counseling, case management and substance use monitoring.^1,2,3

Types of Aftercare for Opioid Addiction Treatment

Different types of aftercare for opioid addiction may be beneficial to you if you are in recovery. These include the following:^1,2,3,4

• Sober living homes: Sober living communities (also called recovery houses or halfway houses) are residential group homes for people in recovery. These homes provide a safe, drug-free environment to transition to after completing inpatient addiction treatment.
• Outpatient treatment as step-down care: Outpatient treatment is often the next step for those completing more intensive inpatient rehab programs. Outpatient addiction aftercare programs typically combine individual counseling, group therapy, peer support programs, and MAT.
• Individual therapy: Individual counseling helps people with opioid use disorders identify triggers for drug use, develop healthy coping skills, and address underlying trauma that may be contributing to substance misuse. Because recovery is an ongoing process, keeping up with regular therapy appointments is essential to prevent relapse and sustaining long-term recovery.
• Family therapy: Family therapy and involvement can prevent relapse by promoting healthy family communication and dynamics and providing a family with tools to support the person in recovery.
• Group counseling: Group therapy can help people in recovery realize they are not alone in their struggles. During group sessions, participants can hear stories from peers and learn from their unique situations and share their own experiences in return.
• 12-step groups: While 12-step programs like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are not medical treatments, they offer additional peer support and encouragement during recovery. Their themes of acceptance, surrender, and staying involved in the recovery process can be motivational and even life-changing for many people recovering from substance use disorders.
• Non-12-step peer support groups: A variety of other non-12-step peer support groups and programs are available across the nation that help those in recovery maintain long-term sobriety through peer support. Each group is unique and may be formed based on religious affiliation, culture, gender, or shared interest.

Continuing Methadone or Buprenorphine After Rehab

Research has shown that recovery plans that include medication-assisted treatment alongside therapy have higher rates of success.⁵ Many people start taking methadone or buprenorphine during active treatment and may wish to continue to take these medications as part of their aftercare plan. These meds help prevent relapse and reduce the risk of opioid overdose, which often occurs as a result of lowered drug tolerance following a period of abstinence.⁶

Those who wish to continue with MAT need to find a clinic or treatment provider who can prescribe the medication. Methadone is only administered in a certified opioid addiction treatment program setting, while buprenorphine can be prescribed by a doctor for use outside of a clinic.⁵

People in aftercare for opioid addiction may choose to take these meds on a short-term or long-term basis. These prescriptions are generally safe to take for years or even a lifetime.⁶ For some who had severe drug use, remaining on the medication permanently is the best means of preventing relapse and living stable, substance-free lives. Talk to your treatment team to determine which medication regimen and duration time are right for you.

Methadone Maintenance

Methadone is given as a daily liquid. Patients start on a low initial dose, which is typically 10-30 mg. Prescribers monitor the individual closely and gradually increase the daily dose until they determine the most appropriate and effective strength. The doses may be increased by 10-15 mg every seven days to a max of 60-120 mg. Most people will only take one daily dose, but in some cases, it may be better for you to split that dose in half and receive it twice daily if you can make it to the clinic that often for administration.⁷

Buprenorphine Treatment

Buprenorphine is available in many forms: dissolving tablets, extended-release injections, cheek films, and a six-month implant under the skin. The recommended starting dose for buprenorphine is 2-4 mg. Dosing is increased gradually and should generally not exceed 32 mg. Dissolving tablets and cheek films are typically administered daily but may be decreased to three times a week once stabilization is achieved. Unlike methadone, buprenorphine can be prescribed for take-home use for those clients who’ve progressed and are trusted to take it responsibly as prescribed.⁷

Creating an Aftercare Plan: Addiction Recovery

At the end of your opioid addiction treatment program, your treatment team meets with you to collaborate on an individualized aftercare plan. Your treatment provider will suggest a variety of addiction aftercare programs and help decide what aftercare services are best for your circumstances.

You may choose to transition to a sober living home or step down to an outpatient treatment program. The addiction recovery team can also help with referrals to methadone centers or buprenorphine doctors for any needed MAT maintenance and relapse prevention.³

How Does Drug Rehab Aftercare Prevent Relapse?

Relapse rates for substance use disorders are similar to those of other chronic medical conditions.³ Research has shown that the majority of people in recovery from opiate addiction relapse within the first year, though that doesn’t necessarily mean that you will.⁸ For this reason, aftercare is essential to support recovery long after you’re released from treatment.
Benefits of an aftercare substance abuse programs are:^1,2,3,4,5

• Continued access to addiction treatment professionals to maintain your recovery and achieve goals
• Ongoing therapy to help you process emotions, build stress resilience and distress tolerance, identify triggers for substance misuse, develop healthy coping and problem-solving skills.
• Belonging to a community of peers who know and can relate to your experience
• Additional community resources that can sustain recovery and build a new life of sobriety. These include career counseling, transitional assistance, education, substance misuse monitoring, and case management services.
• Drug rehab aftercare programs help those in recovery to achieve a sense of purpose and remember the reasons they chose to stop using and create a new life. This helps build confidence, stamina, and belief in their ability to maintain sobriety and live the life they truly want.

What Happens if I Relapse During Opioid Addiction Recovery?

Relapse is common and is considered a normal part of the recovery process.³ Don’t feel guilt and shame if you experience a relapse. Relapse doesn’t mean that you’ve failed. It just means that you need additional support.

If you relapse and aren’t currently in an opioid addiction treatment program, consider enrolling in one as soon as possible. If you’re currently in a drug rehab aftercare program and still relapsed, it may be best to enroll in a higher level of care.

For example, if you are only attending 12-step meetings or group therapy, consider adding individual or family therapy and returning to a formal outpatient treatment program. If you continue opioid use in an outpatient program, you may consider enrolling in an inpatient treatment program to help eliminate some of the stressors of the outside world that may be contributing to drug use.

If you need assistance in finding an opioid addiction treatment program, call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to speak with an addiction support specialist.

Resources

1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2025 July 28). SAMHSA releases annual national survey on drug use and health. 
2. U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2024 March 27). Opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment.
3. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020 July). Drugs, brains, and behavior: The science of addiction. Treatment and recovery.
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2026). Best practices for recovery housing.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024 May 2). Recovery is possible: Treatment for opioid addiction.
6. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2025 August 25). Treatment options for substance use disorder.
7. American Society of Addiction Medicine. (2020). The ASAM national practice guideline for the use of medications in the treatment of addiction involving opioid use.
8. Ware, O. D., Geiger, G. R., Rivas, V. D., Burgos, M. A. M., Nehme-Kotocavage, L., & Bautista, T. G. (2025). Risk of relapse following discharge from non-hospital residential opioid use disorder treatment: A systematic review of studies published from 2018 to 2022. Substance Abuse & Rehabilitation, 16, 105–118.

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