ASAM Criteria and Levels of Care in Addiction Treatment
What Are the ASAM Criteria?
ASAM stands for the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Founded in 1954, this group connects addiction professionals—like doctors and treatment providers—to improve care and raise awareness about addiction.¹
To support this mission, ASAM created the ASAM criteria, a set of guidelines that help providers evaluate a person’s needs and recommend the right level of treatment.² This system looks at multiple areas of a person’s health and life, rather than just one factor, so care can be matched to their unique situation.
What Are the ASAM Dimensional Admission Criteria?
The ASAM criteria are the most widely used dimensional admission criteria (a system that helps match people to the right level of treatment based on their needs and the severity of their condition).²
These guidelines support decisions about:
- Treatment planning.
- Placement into the right program.
- Transfers between levels of care.
- Safe and timely discharge.
How the Process Works
The ASAM process takes a whole-person approach, reviewing biological, emotional, and social needs to align treatment with current circumstances and recovery goals.
When evaluating someone for care, providers look at:
- Clinical severity — how serious the substance use is.
- Medical and behavioral health needs — any physical or mental health concerns.
- Social and environmental factors — support at home, work, or in the community.
- Risk of relapse — the likelihood of returning to substance use.
Why the ASAM Criteria Matter
This person-centered approach ensures treatment is flexible and tailored at every stage, from early intervention to long-term recovery support.
What are the ASAM Criteria Used For?
The ASAM criteria assess a person’s needs, strengths, recovery supports, and treatment goals. They are used not only when someone enters care but also during transitions, such as from inpatient to outpatient services, or from residential treatment to community-based addiction services (resources like peer recovery programs, housing assistance, or vocational support).²
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ASAM Dimensions
The ASAM dimensions are comprehensive and take in all aspects of the person’s life. The use of these dimensions helps to determine the intensity of services needed.3 They are:
- Dimension 1: Acute intoxication and/or withdrawal potential. Exploring and assessing the current and past use of substances, as well as the history of withdrawal.
- Dimension 2: Biomedical dimension, which explores a person’s medical needs and health history.
- Dimension 3: Emotional, behavioral, or cognitive conditions and complications.
- Dimension 4: Readiness to change. Determining a person’s willingness and readiness to change their substance use.
- Dimension 5: Relapse, continued use, or continued problem potential. Assessing a person’s individual needs that can influence their potential to relapse.
- Dimension 6: Recovering/living environment. Assessing how a person’s living situation can help or hinder their recovery efforts.
ASAM Levels of Care
ASAM outlines various levels of care based on the outcome of the 6 ASAM dimensions assessment.3 These levels of care are on a scale ranging from 0.5 to 4, with 4 being the most intensive.3
Again, with the ASAM dimensions taking into account a person’s needs, strengths, and support system, among other variables, the assessment informs the clinician as to which of these levels is the most appropriate at the time for a person’s treatment needs.3
How Do Rehab Centers Qualify for ASAM Certification?
Currently, a rehab center can get certification as a Level 3.1, 3.5, or 3.7 provider.4 This certification involves an assessment of the program’s ability to provide services consistent with the needs of the people in need of treatment at these levels.4 If a program is seeking an ASAM certification, they go through an application with an organization known as CARF, which provides an independent assessment of a treatment program.4
When a program obtains ASAM certification, it tells patients that they can be assured that the program can provide evidence-based treatment that can meet a person’s specific needs.4
