In a world that moves fast and encourages numbing over feeling, wilderness therapy offers something radically different—stillness, challenge, presence, and truth. For adult men battling drug addiction, it can be a powerful way to press pause, reset, and reimagine life in recovery.
How To Check If Your Insurance Policy Will Cover The Cost Of Your Son’s Alcohol-Drug Treatment Program
Addiction is a dangerous condition that impacts a lot of men around the US, and across the globe. But one of the biggest obstacles families face when it comes to addiction treatment is having to worry about the financial aspect of recovery. If you are worried about how to pay for your son’s addiction treatment, you’re not alone.
Many parents face the difficult question: will my insurance cover my son’s addiction treatment? The good news is that in many cases, the answer is yes. This includes wilderness therapy, which has grown in popularity as an effective approach for young men dealing with substance use disorders (SUDs).
Here, Sacred Journey Recovery is going to walk you through how insurance coverage works for addiction treatment, how to find out what’s covered, and what steps you can take right now to get your son the help he needs—without breaking the bank.
Understanding Insurance Coverage for Addiction Treatment
Sacred Journey Recovery is a men-only addiction treatment center dedicated to providing compassionate, holistic care. We guide men through the transformative process of overcoming substance abuse and co-occurring disorders by integrating evidence-based therapies, spiritual exploration, and the restorative power of nature.
We provide a safe, structured environment where clients can heal emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. With this approach, we empower men to break free from addiction and rediscover a purposeful, fulfilling life.
But before we explore the benefits of wilderness therapy for your son, you need to understand how insurance coverage works for drug addiction treatment. The cost of treatment is a major concern for a lot of families.
Many insurance plans—whether private, employer-sponsored, or government-funded—offer some level of coverage for substance use disorder services. However, coverage levels can vary widely depending on the provider, plan type, and state regulations.
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA)
Passed in 2008, this federal law requires most group and individual health plans to provide the same level of coverage for mental health and substance use disorders as they do for physical health issues. This means that if your insurance covers hospitalization for a physical illness, it must also provide comparable coverage for behavioral health treatment—including addiction services.
Types of Insurance That May Cover Treatment
Several types of insurance may provide coverage for your son’s addiction treatment:
- Employer-Sponsored Plans: These plans often provide broad coverage, including residential addiction treatment.
- Marketplace (ACA) Plans: These plans are required to cover behavioral health services as essential benefits.
- Medicaid: For Medicaid, coverage varies by state but it often includes substance use treatment for those who qualify.
- Tricare: This is available to military families and includes behavioral health benefits with specific conditions.
Is Wilderness Therapy Covered by Insurance?
Sacred Journey Recovery specializes in wilderness therapy to treat Substance Use Disorder (SUD). This is an experiential form of addiction treatment that combines evidence-based clinical practices with immersive outdoor experiences. Our program is designed to help men reconnect with themselves and rebuild their confidence as they conquer challenges in nature.
Outdoor activities include camping, hiking, physical resilience training, wolf therapy, and survival skills. These are combined with more traditional approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), group counseling, and individual counseling.
Whether or not insurance will help cover the costs of wilderness therapy depends on several key factors like how the program is classified and whether it meets insurance providers’ standards for medical care. Wilderness therapy can fall under categories like residential treatment, behavioral therapy, or experiential therapy.
Here are some of the factors that can influence insurance coverage for wilderness therapy:
Medical Necessity
Insurance companies typically require proof of “medical necessity” to approve coverage for addiction treatment, and wilderness therapy is no exception. This means a licensed clinician must evaluate the individual and document that the program is essential for their recovery. Wilderness therapy is often recommended for men who have gone through less intensive treatments but failed to make progress, as well as those with more severe cases of SUDs.
Licensure & Accreditation
Wilderness therapy programs that are licensed by the state and accredited by recognized bodies (like The Joint Commission or CARF) have a better chance of qualifying for insurance reimbursement. These credentials demonstrate that the program meets accepted standards for safety, professionalism, and therapeutic care.
In-Network Status
Whether a wilderness therapy program is in-network with a particular insurance provider greatly affects coverage. In-network programs have negotiated rates and are more likely to be covered. Out-of-network programs may still be eligible for partial reimbursement, but this depends on the specific insurance plan and benefits.
What to Do First: Verify Your Insurance Benefits
If you are considering wilderness therapy for your son’s drug addiction treatment, you should try to learn more about their insurance coverage. While many plans cover behavioral and residential treatment, some insurance providers may categorize wilderness therapy differently. Verify your benefits beforehand to make informed treatment decisions for your son and avoid unexpected costs.
1. Call Your Insurance Company
Call the member services number listed on the back of your insurance card. A representative can walk you through your specific plan details and help answer questions about addiction treatment coverage. For smoother communication, be sure to have your policy number ready.
2. Request Coverage Details for Residential or Behavioral Addiction Treatment
Ask the representative for a breakdown of what your son’s policy includes under behavioral health or residential addiction treatment. These are common categories that may encompass services like inpatient rehab or therapeutic programs, which can sometimes overlap with wilderness therapy offerings.
3. Ask Specifically About Wilderness Therapy and How it’s Categorized
Wilderness therapy may be considered “non-traditional” or “alternative” treatment, so it’s important to ask how it is classified under your plan. Some insurers may not cover it directly, but might reimburse it if it’s part of a larger accredited program under behavioral health benefits.
Why Choose a Men-Only Wilderness Therapy Program?
The benefits of gender-specific treatment for your son cannot be overstated. Sacred Journey Recovery offers a more focused and effective path to recovery that addresses common issues that are often overlooked in more traditional rehab settings.
In a men-only wilderness program, participants are immersed in a natural setting while receiving support tailored to the unique emotional, social, and psychological challenges that men face in recovery. Men and women experience addiction differently. For example, men face pressure to stay “tough” and deal with problems on their own—something that only enables the cycle of substance abuse.
Here at Sacred Journey Recovery, men can learn that recovery happens in a pack, and not in isolation. As a specialized men’s addiction treatment center, we provide a supportive, brotherhood-like atmosphere that encourages honesty, accountability, and long-term growth.
Brotherhood Building
A men-only environment cultivates a sense of brotherhood that is hard to replicate in mixed-gender programs. Sharing experiences with other men who are dealing with the exact same challenges can help them feel more at ease. This, plus the fact that they have to deal with nature’s challenges together creates a natural bond that develops into trust and camaraderie. It’s a brotherhood that serves as a strong support system that continues even beyond the program.
Eliminates Distractions
Recovery requires focus, and a single-gender setting minimizes potential distractions that can arise in co-ed environments. Without the complications of romantic dynamics or the pressure to appear emotionally guarded, men are more likely to engage fully in the therapeutic process. This gives them the clarity they need to work on themselves and be more honest about what they are going through.
Supports Emotional Development
Many men have been socially conditioned to suppress vulnerability and avoid emotional expression. But that doesn’t matter when you’re out in the wild. A men-only wilderness program creates a safe space for emotional growth, encouraging open dialogue and teaching healthy coping strategies.
Surrounded by nature and free from societal expectations, men can reconnect with themselves and learn to process their emotions in a constructive, meaningful way.
Why Choose Sacred Journey Recovery
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Call your insurance provider to make sure wilderness therapy is covered by your son’s plan. Even if he’s not fully covered, payment plans and scholarships are often available. Here at Sacred Journey Recovery, we understand how overwhelming insurance can be. We can help you navigate insurance and get the care your son needs.
Integrated Healing Approach
Sacred Journey Recovery is known for combining the healing power of nature with clinical expertise and evidence-based therapies. We know that conquering addiction will take more than just stopping substance abuse. We even incorporate mindfulness practices and introspective work in order to treat the whole person: mind, body, and spirit.
We also offer multiple levels of personalized care because every man goes through this journey in a different way. We provide residential rehab, also known as inpatient care, which is a structured, immersive setting that provides 24/7 supervision and a strong therapeutic community.
For men who can’t leave behind their responsibilities but still need to receive proper care for their drug addiction, we offer outpatient services like partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs.
Acceptance of Bitcoin
In a pioneering move within the addiction treatment field, Sacred Journey Recovery accepts Bitcoin and other forms of cryptocurrency to add another layer of financial flexibility and convenience. We offer added discretion, making it easier for clients to get started on their recovery journey without traditional payment barriers. This highlights our innovative, forward-thinking commitment to helping every man access the care that they need, however they choose to pay.
Commitment to Lasting Recovery
Sacred Journey Recovery ensures that men not only conquer the immediate challenges of addiction but also cultivate resilience and life skills for the future. We provide continuing guidance and accountability to keep men on the right track even after they’ve completed treatment. Our relapse prevention and aftercare programs support men even when they are already facing the challenges of the real world.
For more information on our services and admissions process, visit:
sacredjourneyrecovery.com/our-services.
We empower men to break free from addiction and build a life of strength, purpose, and lasting sobriety through adventure-based treatment and holistic healing. Start a new chapter of your life, today.
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