What are the ASAM Levels of Care?

The ASAM Criteria text describes treatment as a continuum marked by four broad levels of service and an early intervention level. Within the five broad levels of care, decimal numbers are used to further express gradations of intensity of services.These levels of care provide a standard nomenclature for describing the continuum of recovery-oriented addiction services. With the ASAM CONTINUUM™, clinicians are able to conduct a multidimensional assessment that explores individual risks and needs, as well as strengths, skills and resources. ASAM CONTINUUM then provides clinicians with a recommended ASAM Level of Care that matches intensity of treatment services to identified patient needs. To fully understand the different ASAM Levels of Care and appropriate matching of services to patient needs, refer to the Service Planning and Placement chapter in The ASAM Criteria: Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related, and Co-Occurring Conditions (2013).

[toggle title="What is ASAM Level 0.5?"]

Called Early Intervention for Adults and Adolescents, this level of care constitutes a service for individuals who, for a known reason, are at risk of developing substance-related problems, or a service for those for whom there is not yet sufficient information to document a diagnosable substance use disorder. A detailed description of the services typically offered in this level of care, the care setting and how to identify what patients would benefit best from these services based on an ASAM dimensional needs assessment, begins on page 179 of The ASAM Criteria: Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related, and Co-Occurring Conditions (2013).

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[toggle title="What is ASAM Level 1?"]

Called Outpatient Services for adolescents and adults, this level of care typically consists of less than 9 hours of service/week for adults, or less than 6 hours a week for adolescents for recovery or motivational enhancement therapies and strategies. Level 1 encompasses organized services that may be delivered in a wide variety of settings. A detailed description of the services typically offered in this level of care, the care setting and how to identify what patients would benefit best from these services based on an ASAM dimensional needs assessment, begins on page 184 of The ASAM Criteria: Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related, and Co-Occurring Conditions (2013).

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[toggle title="What is ASAM Level 2.1"]

Called Intensive Outpatient Services for adolescents and adults, this level of care typically consists of 9 or more hours of service a week or 6 or more hours for adults and adolescents respectively to treat multidimensional instability. Level 2 encompasses services that are capable of meeting the complex needs of people with addiction and co-occurring conditions. It is an organized outpatient service that delivers treatment services during the day, before or after work or school, in the evening, and/or on weekends. A detailed description of the services typically offered in this level of care, the care setting and how to identify what patients would benefit best from these services based on an ASAM dimensional needs assessment, begins on page 198 of The ASAM Criteria: Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related, and Co-Occurring Conditions (2013).

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[toggle title="What is ASAM Level 2.5?"]

Called Partial Hospitalization Services for adolescents and adults, this level of care typically provides 20 or more hours of service a week for multidimensional instability that does not require 24-hour care. Level 2 encompasses services that are capable of meeting the complex needs of people with addiction and co-occurring conditions. It is an organized outpatient service that delivers treatment services usually during the day as day treatment or partial hospitalization services. A detailed description of the services typically offered in this level of care, the care setting and how to identify what patients would benefit best from these services based on an ASAM dimensional needs assessment, begins on page 208 of The ASAM Criteria: Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related, and Co-Occurring Conditions (2013).

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[toggle title="What is ASAM Level 3.1?"]

Called Clinically Managed Low-Intensity Residential Services, this adolescent and adult level of care typically provides a 24 hour living support and structure with available trained personnel, and offers at least 5 hours of clinical service a week. Level 3 encompasses residential services that are described as co-occurring capable, co-occurring enhanced, and complexity capable services, which are staffed by designated addiction treatment, mental health, and general medical personnel who provide a range of services in a 24-hour living support[DM1]  setting. A detailed description of the services typically offered in this level of care, the care setting and how to identify what patients would benefit best from these services based on an ASAM dimensional needs assessment, begins on page 222 of The ASAM Criteria: Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related, and Co-Occurring Conditions (2013).

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[toggle title="What is ASAM Level 3.3?"]

Called Clinically Managed Population-Specific High-Intensity Residential Services, this adult only level of care typically offers 24-hour care with trained counselors to stabilize multidimensional imminent danger along with less intense milieu and group treatment for those with cognitive or other impairments unable to use full active milieu or therapeutic community. Level 3 encompasses residential services that are described as co-occurring capable, co-occurring enhanced, and complexity capable services, which are staffed by designated addiction treatment, mental health, and general medical personnel who provide a range of services in a 24-hour treatment setting. A detailed description of the services typically offered in this level of care, the care setting and how to identify what patients would benefit best from these services based on an ASAM dimensional needs assessment, begins on page 234 of The ASAM Criteria: Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related, and Co-Occurring Conditions (2013).

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[toggle title="What is ASAM Level 3.5?"]

Called Clinically Managed Medium-Intensity Residential Services for adolescents and Clinically Managed High-Intensity Residential Services for adults, this level of care provides 24-hour care with trained counselors to stabilize multidimensional imminent danger and prepare for outpatient treatment. Patients in this level are able to tolerate and use full active milieu or therapeutic communities. Level 3 encompasses residential services that are described as co-occurring capable, co-occurring enhanced, and complexity capable services, which are staffed by designated addiction treatment, mental health, and general medical personnel who provide a range of services in a 24-hour treatment setting. A detailed description of the services typically offered in this level of care, the care setting and how to identify what patients would benefit best from these services based on an ASAM dimensional needs assessment begins on page 244 of The ASAM Criteria: Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related, and Co-Occurring Conditions (2013).

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[toggle title="What is ASAM Level 3.7?"]

Called the Medically Monitored High-Intensity Inpatient Services for adolescents and Medically Monitored Intensive Inpatient Services Withdrawal Management for adults, this level of care provides 24-hour nursing care with a physician’s availability for significant problems in Dimensions 1, 2, or 3. Patients in this level of care require medication and have a recent history of withdrawal management at a less intensive level of care, marked by past and current inability to complete withdrawal management and enter into continuing addiction treatment. This is the appropriate setting for patients with subacute biomedical and emotional, behavioral, or cognitive problems that are so severe that they require inpatient treatment. Level 3 encompasses residential services that are described as co-occurring capable, co-occurring enhanced, and complexity capable services, which are staffed by designated addiction treatment, mental health, and general medical personnel who provide a range of services in a 24-hour treatment setting. A detailed description of the services typically offered in this level of care, the care setting, and how to identify what patients would benefit best from these services based on an ASAM dimensional needs assessment, begins on page 265 of The ASAM Criteria: Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related, and Co-Occurring Conditions (2013).

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[toggle title="What is ASAM Level 4?"]

Called Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient Services for adolescents and adults, this level of care offers 24-hour nursing care and daily physician care for severe, unstable problems in ASAM Dimensions 1, 2 or 3. Counseling is available 16 hours a day to engage patients in treatment. A detailed description of the services typically offered in this level of care, the care setting and how to identify what patients would benefit best from these services based on an ASAM dimensional needs assessment begins on page 280 of The ASAM Criteria: Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related, and Co-Occurring Conditions (2013).

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