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Sponsored| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Shelby County Treatment Center | 750 Highway 31 South | Saginaw-Alabaster |
| Addiction Research Foundation | 4126 Autumn Lane | Birmingham |
| Birmingham Metro Treatment Center | 151 Industrial Drive | Birmingham |
| Chilton County Treatment Center | 2100 Holiday Dr | Clanton |
| Tri County Treatment Center | 5605 Clifford Circle | Birmingham |
| BHG Bessemer Treatment Center | 4204 Edmonton Drive | Bessemer |
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Finding Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Near Saginaw and Alabaster
Saginaw and Alabaster are in Shelby County, on the southern side of the Birmingham metro, so people here can usually reach both an opioid treatment program and office-based prescribers without a long drive, and telehealth widens the options further.
Alabama treats opioid use disorder with three medications: methadone through a clinic, buprenorphine through a clinic or a doctor’s office, and naltrexone through most any licensed prescriber. Whether you are starting out or returning to care, the listings on this page are the place to begin, and the site helpline can help you sort through the choices.
Three Medications Treat Opioid Use Disorder
Opioid use disorder is treated with medication, sometimes called medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Methadone, a full opioid agonist, eases withdrawal and cravings and, for opioid use disorder, comes only from a licensed opioid treatment program rather than a pharmacy.
Buprenorphine, including Suboxone and the long-acting Sublocade injection, partly activates opioid receptors with a ceiling that lowers overdose risk, and any clinician with a standard DEA registration can prescribe it in an office for a pharmacy to fill.
Naltrexone, including the monthly Vivitrol injection, blocks opioids and can be prescribed by any licensed provider after a person has been off opioids for a set time.
If you want the basics first, our explainer on what methadone is and how it works is a good start. To compare the daily-clinic route with office-based care, see weighing methadone against Suboxone.
How to Begin MAT
Your treatment begins with an assessment of your history, your health, and your goals, followed by a recommendation. Bring identification, any insurance or Medicaid information, and a list of the medications you take.
Availability varies by provider, and some can start quickly, so ask about timing when you call. If fentanyl has been part of your use, mention it, because starting buprenorphine too soon after fentanyl can cause precipitated withdrawal, a sharp worsening of symptoms that careful dose timing prevents.
Our overview of how opioid use disorder treatment works walks through each step.
Take-Home Doses, Telehealth, and Staying in Treatment
The 2024 update to 42 CFR Part 8 expanded flexibility for stable patients. Opioid treatment programs can provide take-home methadone up to a 28-day supply for stable patients and can begin treatment by telehealth, and mobile medication units are allowed.
Buprenorphine can be started through telehealth under rules current through 2026, in some cases by phone, though those rules are still being finalized, so a provider can confirm what applies now.
Methadone for opioid use disorder is still dispensed through an opioid treatment program. Treatment often lasts a while, and staying in treatment for the long term is legitimate care rather than an unfinished step.
Insurance, Medicaid, and Cost
Alabama Medicaid covers methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone for opioid use disorder and coordinates care through the Alabama Coordinated Health Network.
Because Alabama has not expanded Medicaid, some adults will not qualify. For them, programs funded by the Alabama Department of Mental Health use an income-based sliding scale that can lower the cost substantially, and private insurance and Medicare cover treatment to varying degrees.
Pregnant residents may qualify for immediate temporary coverage under the state’s Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnancy law, effective in 2025. The listings on this page are the best way to check what a provider accepts.
Overdose Trends in Shelby County
Shelby County has seen a steady decline. The county coroner reported about 40 overdose deaths in 2024, down 7 from the year before and down 18 from 2021, with fentanyl still the leading cause and much of it coming from counterfeit pills bought online.
The coroner credited wider access to over-the-counter naloxone as one reason families can now respond to an overdose at home. Statewide, fentanyl and other synthetic opioids were involved in 61 percent of the 1,211 overdose deaths Alabama recorded in 2024.
The trend is encouraging, but the risk from the drug supply remains, so the safest steps are to start or stay in treatment and to keep naloxone on hand. For the wider picture, see our overview of the opioid crisis in Alabama.
Pregnancy, Families, and Getting a Loved One into Care
Two situations come up often in a suburban community like this one. For people who are pregnant, medication for opioid use disorder is the recommended standard, including methadone and buprenorphine. Stopping abruptly can be riskier than continuing, and a care team manages neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) if it occurs.
Pregnant women also get priority admission at certified Alabama programs with no admission fee. Our guidance on treatment and pregnancy explains the details. Families are often the ones doing the research, and it helps to know that medication treatment is real, effective care that helps a person regain stability.
If you are trying to help someone take the first step, our guidance for families covers how to start the conversation.
Naloxone and Overdose Safety
Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose, and Alabama makes it easy to get. A statewide standing order lets pharmacies dispense it without a personal prescription, the over-the-counter nasal spray is on store shelves, and the state’s Naloxone Saves program distributes it through community organizations.
Because counterfeit pills often contain fentanyl, keeping naloxone at home is a reasonable precaution for many families, even those who do not think anyone is using opioids regularly.
Common Questions in the Alabaster Area
Do I have to drive into Birmingham for methadone?
You do not necessarily have to drive to Birmingham for methadone. Shelby County is part of the metro treatment network, and an opioid treatment program may be reachable locally; office-based buprenorphine, including by telehealth, can also limit travel. Check the listings on this page for the closest options.
Is methadone just another addiction?
No, methadone is not another addiction. Taken as prescribed, methadone steadies the brain so a person can live normally, without the disorder that defines addiction. You can read more about whether methadone is addictive.
Will insurance cover treatment?
Alabama Medicaid covers all three medications, and Department of Mental Health programs offer sliding-scale fees for people who do not qualify. Private insurance and Medicare also contribute. Ask each provider what they accept.
Can treatment start by telehealth?
For buprenorphine, often yes, under rules that run through 2026 and in some cases by phone. Methadone can be started by video within an opioid treatment program. Confirm current options with a provider, since telehealth rules are still being finalized.
About this page
Last reviewed August 2026.
Sources:
- CDC drug overdose data for Alabama https://usafacts.org/answers/how-many-drug-overdose-deaths-happen-every-year-in-the-us/state/alabama/
- Shelby County Coroner, overdose decline https://www.wbrc.com/2024/12/28/overdoses-decline-shelby-county/
- SAMHSA, opioid treatment programs and 42 CFR Part 8 (2024) https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/treatment/opioid-treatment-program
- Alabama Department of Public Health, naloxone standing order https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/pharmacy/opioid-reversal.html
- Alabama Medicaid Agency, Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnancy https://medicaid.alabama.gov/content/4.0_Programs/4.7_PEP.aspx
- Alabama Department of Mental Health, substance use treatment services https://mh.alabama.gov/division-of-mental-health-substance-abuse-services/substance-abuse-treatment-services/
Methadone Centers is an informational directory and education resource, not a treatment provider. Nothing here is medical advice; decisions about medication and treatment should be made with a licensed clinician.
The site helpline is answered by a sponsor. Methadone Centers does not receive a commission or fee based on which provider a caller chooses, and there is no obligation to enter treatment. Calls to a general helpline may be routed to SAMHSA or a verified treatment provider.
Last Updated: August 26, 2026