Outpatient Substance Use Treatment in Massachusetts
Video-based outpatient support for alcohol or drug use that shows up alongside anxiety, depression or other conditions.
Questions first? Call 617-858-8276. Booking and intake run through our secure, HIPAA-compliant patient portal.
Clinically reviewed by Joseph Lavoie, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC · Last reviewed
The short answer
Journey Psychiatric Care offers outpatient substance use treatment in Massachusetts by video, focused on drinking or drug use that overlaps with a mental health condition. Detox, residential and intensive programs are referred out. For help finding them, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357, free and confidential, any time.
What outpatient care here can do
Many people drink or use to manage anxiety, low mood, poor sleep or racing thoughts. Over time the substance can make those problems worse. Treating only one side rarely works, so outpatient care looks at both.
Your care is with Joseph Lavoie, PMHNP-BC, a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner, not a psychiatrist or physician. He can evaluate your mental health and substance use together, offer therapy, and treat conditions such as anxiety and depression that often sit underneath.
This is outpatient support only. It works best for people who are medically stable, not at risk of dangerous withdrawal, and able to come to regular video visits. If you need more than that, the honest answer is a different level of care, and we will help you find it.
What outpatient support covers
Co-occurring conditions
Anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma or sleep problems that go hand in hand with drinking or drug use.
Cutting back or stopping
Setting a goal that is yours, tracking it, and talking through what gets in the way.
Medication review
Checking how alcohol or drugs interact with what you take, and whether a medication could help.
When you need a higher level of care
Some situations are not safe to handle with outpatient video visits. In these cases Journey refers you out rather than treating you here:
- Heavy daily drinking, or regular use of benzodiazepines, where stopping suddenly could cause dangerous withdrawal. This needs medical supervision.
- Opioid use where you may need a specialized program, including methadone or other medication treatment.
- Use that has not improved with outpatient care, or that needs daily structure such as an intensive outpatient, partial hospital or residential program.
- Any overdose, or thoughts of harming yourself.
To find programs near you, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or search FindTreatment.gov. In Massachusetts you can also call the Behavioral Health Help Line at 833-773-2445, any time. If someone has overdosed, call 911.
What to expect from treatment
There is no lecture. Joseph asks what you use, how often, what it does for you and what it costs you. Your goal might be stopping, cutting back, or just understanding the pattern. The FDA has approved medications for alcohol and opioid use disorders. Whether one fits you, and whether it is offered here or through a specialized program, is a conversation for your evaluation.
Slips happen, and they are not a reason to be dropped from care. They are information about what to adjust. If outpatient care stops being enough, Joseph will tell you and help you move to a program that can do more, and you can come back to outpatient visits afterward.
It can also help to bring in support outside visits, such as a mutual-help group or a trusted friend or family member. The SAMHSA helpline can point you to groups near you.
How it works
- Book an evaluation. A full psychiatric evaluation by secure video, covering mental health and substance use together.
- Check the level of care. Joseph tells you plainly whether outpatient visits are a safe fit or whether a program would serve you better.
- Make a plan. Therapy, treatment for co-occurring conditions, and medication when appropriate, toward a goal you set.
- Follow up and adjust. Regular visits with the same clinician. If things change, the plan or the level of care changes too.
Related conditions and care
Insurance
In-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna/Evernorth, Oscar Health, Oxford, Point32Health and UnitedHealthcare. Out-of-network invoices are available, and you can contact us for current self-pay rates.
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer detox or rehab?
No. Journey Psychiatric Care is an outpatient telehealth practice. Detox, residential treatment, partial hospital and intensive outpatient programs are referred out. The SAMHSA National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, can help you find them.
Is it safe to stop drinking on my own?
Not always. If you drink heavily every day, stopping suddenly can cause seizures or other serious withdrawal. The same is true for benzodiazepines. Talk to a medical provider before you stop, and go to an emergency room if withdrawal symptoms start.
Can you treat my anxiety if I also drink?
Often, yes, as long as outpatient care is safe for you. Drinking and anxiety tend to feed each other, so care looks at both. Joseph will be honest if he thinks a program would help more.
What is the SAMHSA National Helpline?
It is a free, confidential treatment referral and information service run by the federal government. It is open 24 hours a day, every day, in English and Spanish, at 1-800-662-4357. It can point you to local programs and support groups.
Will my substance use be reported to anyone?
Your health information is protected by privacy law and is not shared without your consent, except in narrow situations such as an immediate safety risk. Ask Joseph about privacy at your first visit if you are worried.
Does insurance cover outpatient substance use care?
Most commercial plans cover outpatient mental health and substance use visits. Coverage details vary, so check your plan on our insurance page or call the member number on your card.
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