Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge

They offer outpatient, inpatient residential, detox and telemedicine. The practical difference is whether you sleep at home or at the center, and are 8 other centers inside 14 miles if neither suits.

They detox from alcohol, benzodiazepines, cocaine, methamphetamines and opioids. Coming off alcohol without medical supervision can be dangerous, which is why it matters that this is one of 1 places near Rochester that do it.

They prescribe naltrexone, which is the part of treatment that is prescribed rather than attended. Of the 8 centers near Rochester, not all of them do.

They offer a program for veterans, which is worth confirming on the call rather than assuming. A named program and one with a place free this month are different things, and Rochester has 8 other centers to ask.

They offer telemedicine, so some of this can be done by video rather than traveling into Rochester.

Older adults, plus young adults from 18 to 25 and adults from 26 to 64. Ask how the groups are arranged in Rochester, because a wide age range often still means one room.

The spread is enormous, from state funded care at no cost to private residential rates that need financing. Public and nonprofit programs often charge on a sliding scale, and some places are free to people who qualify on income. Get the figure in writing if you can, and ask what happens if you need longer than the program length.

Treatment often counts as a medical reason for leave, with the detail of the condition staying between you and a clinician. A documented medical leave is a stronger position than an unexplained absence, which is the comparison that matters. Ask the program to write the letter in terms of a medical leave rather than a diagnosis.