If you or a loved one is struggling with alcoholism, there are many public resources available to you to learn more about the disorder or discover ways to work toward recovery and sobriety. Read more about these organizations below:
Alcoholism Research Organizations
National Institutes of Health
A part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the nation’s medical research agency, publishing findings on substance use disorders as well as a range of medical and mental health disorders.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
One of the National Institutes of Health’s 27 institutes and centers, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is the largest funder of alcohol research in the world. It supports and conducts research on how alcohol use can impact human well-being and health.
National Institute on Drug Abuse
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a United States federal-government research institute focused on improve individual and public health through advancing the science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction.
National Institutes of Mental Health
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is one of the 27 institutes and centers that make up NIH and the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders.
Centers for Disease Control
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is dedicated to the study of all diseases, including the alcoholism. They analyze a great deal of information and research on how alcohol is impacting Americans so we can better understand the demographics and the financial impact as well as the health implications of untreated addiction.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has a mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness in America.
American Society of Addiction Medicine
American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) was founded in 1954 and is the nation’s leading addiction medicine society. ASAM represents over 6,000 physicians, clinicians and other associated professionals in the field of addiction medicine. It is dedicated to supporting addiction research and prevention while educating physicians and the public on addiction and treatment protocols.
Alcoholism Support Groups
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the most famous alcohol addiction recovery support program, started in 1935, has become a global phenomenon with meetings in most towns and cities all around the world. With the understanding that support to end alcohol addiction requires social reinforcement and should not be hampered by a lack of money, AA provides a specific framework in the 12 Steps. The model helps a person understand, through guided group meetings, that they can stop drinking, and become healthy and productive members of society again.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is a coalition that was started by mothers who lost their children to drunk driving accidents, activists dedicated to lobbying for positive change in terms of how alcohol use is regulated with an eye toward keeping drunk drivers off the road. They, too, offer a great deal of information, particularly regarding teen drinking and how individual states are handling the problem of drunk driving.
Al-Anon and Alateen
Al‑Anon and Alateen are mutual support programs created to help those affected by someone else’s alcohol abuse. The groups bring together adults and teens, respectively, who share common experiences to provide an outlet for them to discuss what they are going through.
SMART Recovery
Self-Management and Recovery Training, or SMART, is a group-based addiction recovery model led by volunteers and designed to offer individuals the latest scientifically-based treatments to overcome addiction. SMART Recovery welcomes people dealing with any type of addiction, including alcohol, drug, sex addiction, gambling, overeating, or compulsive spending.
Secular Organizations for Sobriety
Secular Organizations for Sobriety approaches recovery from an abstinence-based model and expresses openness to various pathways to recovery without a spiritual basis.
Women for Sobriety
Women for Sobriety, founded in 1975, is a self-help group dedicated to helping all who identify as female work on their recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. The WFS New Life Program focuses on emotional and spiritual growth based on 13 Acceptance Statements. WFS offers one-on-one support online, in-person and via phone.
Free & Low-Cost Alcoholism Assistance
Salvation Army
Inspired by the 12-Step model, the Christian-based Salvation Army offers support and treatment assistance, social and job skills training, and a focus on returning parents struggling with substance abuse, including AUD, to their families.
Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America is a nonprofit organization that offers hundreds of human service programs, including housing and healthcare, to America’s most vulnerable groups including veterans, people with disabilities and those recovering from addictions. They are made up of nearly 16,000 professional employees dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives.
Step Chat
StepChat is an online board for chat rooms, mainly using AA and the 12-Step model, to help people who may want to remain completely anonymous, who do not have access to AA meetings in person, or who may not be able to leave their homes to get peer support to remain sober and on track to recovery.
Department of Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides comprehensive medical benefits, which include treatment for mental illness, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders.
Medicaid
This federally-funded insurance program is geared toward those who are low-income or are struggling with a disability. Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance programs are required to cover some level of substance abuse treatment, including alcohol abuse. Check the website to determine eligibility for Medicaid.
Substance Use Evaluation