Published: 2026-10-24 Updated: 2026-10-24

Heroin Treatment in Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia is the state's largest city, home to about 1.57 million people, and the center of a treatment network that is one of the densest in Pennsylvania. If you use heroin and want to stop, the most important thing to know is that medication works — and that several forms of it are available within a short trip.

If someone is unresponsive or breathing slowly, call 911 and give naloxone if you have it. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988.

Is heroin addiction treatable in Philadelphia?

It depends on what you need first. If you are using daily or waking up sick, buprenorphine or methadone is the strongest first step, because both lower the risk of dying of an overdose compared with detox or counseling alone. If you have just overdosed, or have an untreated wound or infection, 911 and the emergency department come first. If you have stopped before and keep returning to use, restarting medication is usually what interrupts the cycle. If you are already steady, outpatient counseling and peer support carry the work forward.

What the local data show

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health counted 1,069 unintentional drug overdose deaths in 2024 — an 18 percent decrease from 2023 and 24 percent below the 2022 peak of 1,413. In 2024, 77 percent of deaths involved opioids, and opioids were detected together with stimulants in half of all overdose deaths. The drug sold as heroin in Philadelphia is largely fentanyl or fentanyl mixtures now. CDC's provisional data count 795 deaths in the 12 months ending March 31, 2026.

Medication options near Philadelphia

Per the SAMHSA treatment locator, within 30 miles of Philadelphia there are:

• 40 federally certified opioid treatment programs, 34 of which dispense methadone
• 143 facilities that prescribe buprenorphine
• 138 that prescribe or administer naltrexone
• 32 facilities offering detoxification, including 22 residential and 8 hospital-based programs

NIDA summarizes the evidence that people on methadone or buprenorphine stay in treatment longer and are far less likely to die of an overdose than people who stop without medication. Three medications are FDA-approved:

• Methadone — dispensed at a certified opioid treatment program, a fit for many people with long-standing or high-level dependence.
• Buprenorphine — a prescription you fill at a pharmacy, which keeps treatment compatible with work or school.
• Naltrexone (extended-release) — a monthly injection for people who have already cleared opioids from the body and want a blocking medication.

Counseling rides alongside all three. If a program tells you that medication is "just replacing one drug with another," that contradicts the evidence — and it is a reason to call a different program.

Detox and what comes after

Heroin withdrawal — muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea, chills, and intense cravings — is deeply uncomfortable, but on its own it is rarely life-threatening. The greater danger is what follows: NIDA's heroin report notes that tolerance drops during a break in use, so a dose that once felt normal can now cause an overdose. Detox without follow-up medication carries a high risk of returning to use.

Naloxone and harm reduction in Philadelphia

Philadelphia's resource hubs in five neighborhoods give out free naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and xylazine test strips. Pennsylvania's standing order also lets any pharmacy dispense naloxone without your own prescription. Keep two doses if you or anyone around you uses opioids — and call 911 with every overdose, because naloxone wears off and the person can slip back into overdose.

Paying for treatment

Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid, so more adults with low incomes qualify than in non-expansion states. Medical Assistance covers medically necessary substance use disorder treatment, including medication for opioid use disorder. In Philadelphia, behavioral health for Medicaid members runs through Community Behavioral Health (CBH) at 888-545-2600, and uninsured residents can contact the Behavioral Health Special Initiative (BHSI) at 215-546-1200.

Crisis lines and emergencies

• Overdose — call 911 first. Give naloxone if you have it, and stay until help arrives.
• 988 — call or text, the national suicide and crisis line, for any crisis.
• Philadelphia Mental Health Delegates Line — 215-685-6440, a 24-hour line that dispatches mobile teams.
• PA Get Help Now — 1-800-662-4357, 24/7 drug and alcohol referrals statewide.

How to start today

1. If someone is overdosing, call 911 now and give naloxone. For a crisis, call or text 988, or call the city's Mental Health Delegates Line at 215-685-6440.
2. Call or text (800) 653-9376 to speak with a treatment specialist about medication and intake, or use this form:

Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.

3. Medicaid member? Call CBH at 888-545-2600. Uninsured? Call BHSI at 215-546-1200.
4. Ask about same-week starts. Buprenorphine can often begin within days; methadone starts with an intake at a certified program.

Heroin use disorder is treatable, and the medication that treats it is available across Philadelphia. The first call is usually harder than the first appointment. Other Heroin treatment in Pennsylvania: Heroin treatment in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Heroin treatment in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Heroin treatment in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Heroin treatment in Erie, Pennsylvania, Heroin treatment in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Heroin treatment in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Heroin treatment in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Heroin treatment in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Heroin treatment in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Heroin treatment in Reading, Pennsylvania, Heroin treatment in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Heroin treatment in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Frequently asked questions