Your First Visit
Walking through the door — or picking up the phone — is usually the hardest part. Here is exactly what happens, so there are no surprises.
1. The First Call
Call 513.790.3033. Everything you say is confidential and protected by federal law (HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2). We will ask a few questions to understand your situation — what is going on, and what kind of help you are looking for. No commitment, no pressure, no judgment. Calling for a family member or friend? That is welcome too.
2. The Clinical Assessment
Your first appointment is a comprehensive assessment with a clinician, using the ASAM criteria — the standard framework for matching a person to the right level of care. It is a conversation, not a test: your history, your health, your goals, and your circumstances. The assessment determines which program fits where you are right now, from ambulatory withdrawal management through outpatient maintenance.
3. Starting Care
Once your level of care is set, your team begins working with you — counselors, nursing, psychiatric support, a case manager, and a certified peer recovery supporter with lived experience of recovery. Your case manager also helps with the practical barriers: transportation, benefits, housing stability, and whatever else stands between you and showing up.
What to Bring
Helpful for your first appointment — and if you don’t have something, come anyway:
- A photo ID, if you have one;
- Your insurance or Medicaid card, if you have one (no coverage isn’t a barrier to calling — here’s how cost works);
- A list of medications you currently take, or the bottles themselves;
- Names of any other providers involved in your care, if you want us to coordinate with them (only with your written consent);
- Any questions you have — write them down, first visits are a lot to take in.
Things People Worry About
- “Will anyone find out I was here?” Your privacy is protected by 42 CFR Part 2, a federal confidentiality law stricter than HIPAA. We cannot even confirm you are a patient without your written consent, with narrow legal exceptions. Details in our Notice of Privacy Practices.
- “What if I’ve tried before?” We meet you where you are, regardless of your history or how many times you have tried. Judgment has no place here.
- “What if I’m not sure I’m ready?” The first call is a conversation, not a commitment. Start there.