About 52.6 million Americans aged 12 or older needed substance use treatment in 2024, yet only about 10.2 million received it, according to SAMHSA’s 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. That gap is the core fact behind addiction treatment marketing. Most people who could benefit from your program are not in treatment anywhere, so your job is less about stealing patients from rivals and more about reaching people who have not yet asked for help.
This page collects the numbers rehab centers and addiction treatment providers need to plan their marketing. It covers demand from SAMHSA, facility and insurance data from the N-SUMHSS survey and KFF, overdose trends from the CDC, a peer-reviewed study on telehealth, and Google’s advertising rules for addiction services. Each statistic comes with a short note on what it means for your marketing, plus a link to the source and the year it describes.
Key Takeaways
- 48.4 million people aged 12 or older had a substance use disorder in 2024, which is 16.8% of that population.
- Only about 1 in 5 people who needed treatment received it in 2024 (10.2 million of 52.6 million, our calculation).
- Drug overdose deaths fell from an estimated 81,313 in 2024 to 69,973 in 2025, a drop of almost 14%.
- 78% of U.S. substance use treatment facilities take Medicaid and 78% take private insurance (2024).
- 42% of treatment facilities are private for-profit, 48% are private non-profit and 10% are government-owned.
- Telehealth at treatment facilities rose from 18% in 2019 to 79% in 2022.
- Google Ads allows addiction services ads only for approved advertisers, and only in six countries.
- How Big the Unmet Need Is: SAMHSA’s 2024 Demand Numbers
- What People Are Using: Substance-Level Numbers for Your Service Pages
- Dual Diagnosis: The Overlap With Mental Illness
- Overdose Trends: What the CDC’s Latest Data Says
- The Provider Market: Facility Counts and Ownership
- Insurance Acceptance: The Payer Mix Behind Admissions
- Telehealth Moved From Niche to Normal
- Advertising Rules: Google Ads and LegitScript Certification
- Insights: Turning the Numbers Into Marketing Moves
- Frequently Asked Questions
- My Recommendation
How Big the Unmet Need Is: SAMHSA’s 2024 Demand Numbers
Every marketing plan starts with the size of the audience. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is the federal government’s main source for that number. SAMHSA released the 2024 results on July 28, 2025, and they are the latest national figures available.
48.4 million people (16.8%) aged 12 or older had a substance use disorder (SUD) in 2024. In 2023 the rate was 17.1%, or about 48.5 million people.
What it means for marketing: The audience is huge and steady. A flat rate year over year means demand will not suddenly dry up, so steady investment in search content and local visibility pays off over time rather than in short bursts. Source: SAMHSA 2024 NSDUH, as reported by NACo (2025).
52.6 million needed treatment, 10.2 million received it. That is 18.2% of people aged 12 or older who needed substance use treatment, against 3.5% who got any.
What it means for marketing: Roughly four in five people who need care are not in treatment. Your real competitor is inaction. Content that answers early, private questions, such as “am I drinking too much” or “what happens in detox,” reaches people long before they search for a facility by name. Source: SAMHSA 2024 NSDUH via NACo (2025).
4.8 million people (1.7%) aged 12 or older had an opioid use disorder in 2024, a rate in line with prior years.
What it means for marketing: Opioid treatment is a defined niche with its own search terms, such as medication-assisted treatment, Suboxone and methadone. If you offer it, give each service its own page so it can rank for those specific queries. Source: SAMHSA 2024 NSDUH via NACo (2025).
SAMHSA’s summary also lists why people do not get treatment. The reasons named include stigma, cost, not knowing where to find help and not having enough health insurance (NACo, 2025). Each of those is a marketing problem you can address directly, and the Insights section below shows how.
What People Are Using: Substance-Level Numbers for Your Service Pages
Search demand follows real behavior. The 2024 NSDUH breaks past-year drug use down by substance, which helps you decide which service pages and blog topics deserve the most attention.
| Substance (past-year use, age 12+) | People in 2024 | Share of population |
|---|---|---|
| Any illicit drug | 73.6 million | 25.5% |
| Marijuana | 64.2 million | 22.3% |
| Hallucinogens | 10.4 million | 3.6% |
| Prescription opioid misuse | 7.6 million | Not stated in the summary |
| Cocaine | 4.3 million | 1.5% |
| Inhalants | 3.2 million | 1.1% |
| Methamphetamine | 2.4 million | 0.8% |
| Heroin | 556,000 | 0.2% |
Past-year use is not the same as addiction, so treat these numbers as a guide to awareness and search interest, not as a count of future patients. Still, the gaps between them are large enough to shape your plan.
The share of people who used illicit drugs rose from 22.2% in 2021 to 25.5% in 2024 (SAMHSA, 2024 NSDUH). For a marketer, that means the pool of people who may one day look for help is growing, not shrinking. The report also counts 13.8 million people who misused prescription psychotherapeutic drugs in 2024, including 4.6 million who misused tranquilizers or sedatives and 3.9 million who misused stimulants. A benzodiazepine or stimulant page often gets less attention than an opioid page, yet these audiences are sizable.
Dual Diagnosis: The Overlap With Mental Illness
Many people searching for addiction help are also dealing with anxiety, depression or another mental health condition. The NSDUH numbers show how common that overlap is.
31.5% of adults with any mental illness also had a substance use disorder in 2024. About 61.5 million adults had any mental illness that year, down slightly from a 33.3% overlap in 2023.
What it means for marketing: If you treat co-occurring disorders, say so clearly on your service pages and in your ads. People often search for the mental health symptom first, so pages about anxiety or depression with a substance use angle can bring in people who would never type the word rehab. Source: SAMHSA 2024 NSDUH via NACo (2025).
21.7% of adults and 41.9% of adolescents showed symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, a measure SAMHSA added to the survey in 2024.
What it means for marketing: Anxiety is one of the most common entry points into care. Adolescent programs in particular should write for parents who are worried about anxiety and substance use at the same time. Source: SAMHSA 2024 NSDUH via NACo (2025).
Overdose Trends: What the CDC’s Latest Data Says
Overdose data shapes public attention, news coverage and the tone of your messaging. On May 13, 2026, the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics reported that U.S. overdose deaths fell for a third year in a row (CDC, 2026).
69,973 overdose deaths in 2025 compared with an estimated 81,313 in 2024, a decrease of almost 14%. That is about 11,340 fewer deaths (our calculation).
What it means for marketing: Falling deaths are good news, but they do not mean the need for treatment fell by the same amount. The NSDUH rate of substance use disorder stayed close to flat. Avoid fear-based messaging built on crisis headlines, and focus on recovery, access and hope. Source: CDC NCHS press release (May 2026).
44,564 opioid-involved deaths in 2025 down from 55,296 in 2024. Opioids were still involved in about 64% of 2025 overdose deaths (our calculation).
What it means for marketing: Opioids remain the largest single driver of overdose deaths. Naloxone education, medication for opioid use disorder and family resources are still timely, high-value content topics. Source: CDC NCHS press release (May 2026).
The decline was not even across the country. Rhode Island, New York, North Carolina, Alabama and Vermont saw declines of 25% or more, while New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado saw increases of 10% or more compared with 2024 (CDC, 2026). If you operate in one of the states where deaths rose, local news and public health alerts will likely keep the topic in the headlines. Local content that responds to that coverage can earn links and attention.
The Provider Market: Facility Counts and Ownership
Knowing who you compete with helps you set realistic goals. SAMHSA’s National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (N-SUMHSS) is the official count of treatment facilities in the U.S. and its territories. The 2024 survey covered 21,205 eligible substance use and mental health facilities, with a 90.4% response rate (SAMHSA N-SUMHSS 2024 release, published 2025). That figure covers mental health facilities too, so it is not a count of rehab centers alone.
KFF’s analysis of the same survey shows how substance use treatment facilities are owned (KFF, 2024 data).
| Ownership type | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private non-profit | 48% | 48% | 48% |
| Private for-profit | 43% | 44% | 42% |
| Government-owned | 9% | 8% | 10% |
Ownership varies a lot by state, and it tells you how commercial your local market is. In 2024 the highest for-profit shares were in Idaho (72%), Maryland (69%), Utah (64%), Virginia (59%), North Carolina (58%), Florida (57%) and Louisiana (57%). California sat near the national figure at 45%. Alaska (9%), Connecticut (11%) and Iowa (14%) had the lowest for-profit shares.
What it means for marketing: A state where most facilities are for-profit is likely to have more commercial competitors bidding on the same paid search terms. In those markets, organic search, reviews and referral relationships give you an edge that ad spend alone cannot buy. In states dominated by non-profit and public programs, a well-built website and a complete local presence can stand out quickly.
Insurance Acceptance: The Payer Mix Behind Admissions
Cost and insurance are among the main reasons people skip treatment, so payer information belongs at the front of your marketing. KFF’s analysis of 2024 N-SUMHSS data shows which payers U.S. substance use treatment facilities work with (KFF, 2024 data).
| Payer | Share of facilities (U.S., 2024) | Marketing angle |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid | 78% | Build a clear Medicaid page and name the state plan. |
| Private health insurance | 78% | List accepted carriers and offer a fast benefits check. |
| Medicare | 53% | Older adults are underserved, so say clearly if you take it. |
| Military insurance (TRICARE) | 47% | A veterans and military family page can stand out. |
| Indian Health Service, Tribal or Urban funds | 12% | Rare, so worth naming if you participate. |
Because most facilities take Medicaid and private insurance, simply accepting them is not a selling point. What sets you apart is how easy you make it to confirm coverage. Medicare and TRICARE are different: only about half of facilities work with each, so a provider that does has a real advantage worth stating in headlines, ads and local listings.
State figures can differ sharply. In Massachusetts, for example, 87% of facilities took Medicaid and 75% took Medicare in 2024, both well above the national shares. Check your own state on the KFF page before you claim that your coverage is unusual.
Telehealth Moved From Niche to Normal
A peer-reviewed study in Drug and Alcohol Dependence by Agniel and colleagues (2023) tracked services at U.S. substance use disorder treatment facilities from 2019 to 2022 (Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2023). Its headline finding is striking.
18% to 79% is how far the share of treatment facilities offering telehealth rose between 2019 and 2022.
What it means for marketing: Telehealth is now expected, not special. Your marketing should explain exactly how your virtual care works, which states you can serve and what a first video visit looks like. Vague claims such as “we offer telehealth” no longer set you apart. Source: study summary by the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery.
The same study notes that most rural counties lacked the broadband needed for video visits, and that areas with less broadband were more likely to add audio-only telehealth. If you serve rural areas, mention phone-based options in your copy, because many rural readers may assume virtual care requires a strong video connection.
Advertising Rules: Google Ads and LegitScript Certification
Paid search in this field is tightly controlled. Google first restricted addiction services ads in 2018. Google’s April 2018 policy update said that U.S. advertisers would need LegitScript certification as addiction services providers before they could run these ads. It also stated that providers not eligible for certification, such as sober homes and referral agencies, could not advertise these services, and that LegitScript fee waivers may be available in some cases.
Google’s current addiction services policy, checked in November 2026, sets these rules:
- Only approved advertisers may promote addiction services, and only in six countries: Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States.
- The policy covers clinical treatment providers, recovery support services such as sober living and mutual help groups, lead generators or referral agencies, and crisis hotlines for drug and alcohol addiction.
- Services for nicotine addiction, behavioral addiction and impulse control disorders fall outside this policy.
- Advertisers who want to run ads in more than one location must apply separately for each location or group of locations.
- Google says it gives a warning at least 7 days before suspending an account for policy violations.
What it means for marketing: Plan certification before you plan ad budgets. Without approval, your addiction treatment ads simply will not run, no matter how good the landing page is. Build the time for review into your launch calendar, and keep your organic search and local listings strong so you are never fully dependent on paid ads.
Insights: Turning the Numbers Into Marketing Moves
Statistics only help if they change what you do. Below, each move is tied to one or more numbers from this page.
1. Market to the Four in Five Who Have Not Sought Help
With only about one in five people who need treatment receiving it, much of your audience is still deciding whether they have a problem. Write plain-language guides to signs of addiction, what detox feels like and how to talk to a family member. Map these to real search queries using a structured keyword research process, and keep the reading level easy, since stressed readers skim. Our guide on why readability matters explains how to check this.
2. Answer the Four Barriers SAMHSA Names
SAMHSA lists stigma, cost, not knowing where to find help and limited insurance as reasons people skip treatment. Give each barrier its own answer on your site:
- Stigma: Use respectful, person-first language and share recovery stories told with consent.
- Cost: Publish what affects pricing, financing options and whether you offer sliding-scale fees, if you do.
- Not knowing where to go: Make your phone number, address and admissions steps visible on every page.
- Insurance: Add an online insurance check and name every accepted payer, including Medicare and TRICARE if they apply.
3. Win Local Search Before You Fight for Paid Clicks
Most people want treatment near home or near family. A complete Google Business Profile, consistent citations and a steady flow of reviews help you show up in the local pack, and our local pack CTR statistics explain how clicks split on local results pages. Start with our local SEO guide and the local SEO ranking factors that matter most. Reviews deserve extra care in this field because of privacy, and our review statistics for local businesses show why they still shape decisions.
4. Build One Page per Service, Substance and Payer
The NSDUH data shows distinct audiences for opioids, alcohol, stimulants, sedatives and co-occurring mental illness. The KFF data shows that Medicare and TRICARE acceptance are less common. Give each service, substance and key payer its own page with specific details, rather than one long page that tries to rank for everything.
5. Make Telehealth Specific
Since 79% of facilities offered telehealth by 2022, the word alone no longer earns attention. Describe session types, the states you are licensed in, how intake works online and whether phone-only visits are possible. Clear, specific answers like these are also the kind of content that search features summarize, a topic covered in our guide to Google AI Overviews SEO.
6. Get Certified, Then Advertise
Apply for Google’s healthcare advertising approval for each country you target before you set an ad budget. Treat the review time as part of your launch plan, and apply separately for each location or group of locations you plan to target.
7. Match Your Message to Your State’s Data
Use the CDC’s state trends and KFF’s ownership and payer figures to tailor your copy. A center in Arizona, where deaths rose, may lead with urgent access and naloxone education. A center in a state with a high for-profit share should expect costly paid search and lean harder on organic content and reviews. If you want outside help, our list of healthcare SEO companies is a good place to start a shortlist.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many People Need Addiction Treatment in the U.S.?
About 52.6 million people aged 12 or older needed substance use treatment in 2024, according to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. That is 18.2% of that population. About 10.2 million, or 3.5%, received treatment.
How Many Addiction Treatment Facilities Are There?
SAMHSA’s 2024 N-SUMHSS covered 21,205 eligible substance use and mental health treatment facilities in the U.S. and its territories. That count includes mental health facilities, so the number of substance use programs alone is lower.
Can Rehab Centers Advertise on Google Ads?
Yes, but only after approval. Google allows addiction services ads from approved advertisers in six countries: Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States. In the U.S., Google’s 2018 policy update made LegitScript certification a requirement before an addiction services provider could advertise.
Do Most Rehab Centers Accept Insurance?
Yes. In 2024, 78% of U.S. substance use treatment facilities took Medicaid and 78% took private insurance, based on KFF’s analysis of SAMHSA data. Only 53% took Medicare and 47% took TRICARE.
Are Overdose Deaths Still Rising?
No. The CDC estimates 69,973 overdose deaths in 2025, down almost 14% from about 81,313 in 2024, the third yearly decline in a row. Some states, including New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado, saw increases of 10% or more.
What Is the Best Marketing Channel for Addiction Treatment Centers?
There is no single best channel, but organic search and local SEO deserve priority because paid ads require certification and approval. Helpful content reaches the many people who have not yet sought treatment, and local visibility captures people who are ready to call.
My Recommendation
If you can do only one thing this quarter, fix the path from worry to phone call. Pick your top three services, give each a clear page that answers cost, insurance and what the first day looks like, and make sure your Google Business Profile matches those pages. Then apply for Google’s advertising approval so paid search is ready when you need it. The numbers show that most people who need care are still deciding, and the provider who answers their questions plainly and honestly is usually the one they call first.
