Alcohol Rehab and Detox in Huntington, WV
Huntington is known nationally for its opioid crisis, but alcohol is part of the local story too - it was present in 14% of Cabell County's 2024 overdose deaths. The city and its cross-river neighbors also have more treatment capacity than most places its size, with 46 facilities within 30 miles. This page covers what alcohol treatment looks like in Huntington, why detox needs medical supervision, and how to start.
What alcohol treatment looks like in Huntington
The SAMHSA treatment locator lists 46 facilities within 30 miles of downtown Huntington:
- 8 offering detoxification (withdrawal management)
- 8 with residential programs
- 41 offering outpatient services
Cabell County has 234 certified treatment beds (facilities providing short-term withdrawal management and stabilization) and 308 certified recovery housing beds, per the West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy. Both of the county's acute-care hospitals - Cabell Huntington Hospital and St. Mary's Medical Center - are listed as hospitals with a substance use disorder response, which can include screening, referral, medications, naloxone, and peer recovery support.
Because Huntington sits at the West Virginia-Ohio-Kentucky border, some nearby options across the river are included in that 30-mile count. That is a real advantage if a particular level of care is full on the West Virginia side.
Why alcohol detox needs medical supervision
Alcohol is one of the few substances where stopping suddenly can be life-threatening. SAMHSA's clinical guidance on detoxification describes alcohol withdrawal that can progress to seizures - usually within the first 48 hours - and to delirium tremens (DTs), a state of severe confusion and agitation that can be fatal without medical care. Symptoms can escalate quickly and are hard to predict, so a heavy, long-term drinker should not try to quit alone.
If someone is shaking, sweating heavily, confused, hallucinating, or has had a seizure while cutting back on alcohol, call 911. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988.
The local picture in numbers
- Alcohol was present in 14% of Cabell County's 2024 overdose deaths, according to the state Office of Drug Control Policy.
- The county recorded 164 overdose deaths in 2023 (down from 168 in 2022).
- Cabell County reported roughly 10,500 naloxone kits distributed in a recent reporting year, per the state Office of Drug Control Policy.
- Statewide, impaired-driving deaths rose from 59 in 2023 to 78 in 2024, the second-largest percentage increase of any state based on an analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.
For context: Huntington's population is about 45,787, its median household income is roughly $45,100, and its poverty rate is 25.7% - all of which shape how people access and pay for care.
Harm reduction and local services in Huntington
The Cabell-Huntington Health Department operates an overdose and infectious disease prevention program that provides free naloxone and rescue-breathing training, testing for blood-borne infections, and referrals to substance use and primary care.
One change is worth knowing: the health department ended the syringe services portion of its harm reduction program on December 16, 2025 after a decade, citing funding. Naloxone training and other prevention services continue. It is worth confirming what is currently offered before you rely on any one program.
Paying for alcohol treatment in Huntington
West Virginia Medicaid covers substance use disorder treatment - medically supervised withdrawal management, outpatient and intensive outpatient care, and residential treatment - through its 1115 SUD waiver, with most members served through Mountain Health Trust managed care. For alcohol use disorder, medications such as naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram may be part of a treatment plan alongside counseling.
If you have no coverage, HELP4WV - the state's free, confidential 24/7 line at 1-844-435-7498 - can help with insurance enrollment, no-cost options, and transportation to a facility with an open bed.
How to start today
- If this is a medical emergency, call 911. For a crisis, call or text 988.
- Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk through your options with a treatment specialist, or use this form:
Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.
- Search findtreatment.gov with ZIP code 25701 and filter by detox, residential, or outpatient, plus the payment options you need.
- Call HELP4WV at 1-844-435-7498 if cost or transportation is the barrier.
Huntington has spent years building a treatment system for exactly this kind of need. For alcohol, the part that most often goes wrong is attempting withdrawal alone - and that is the part medical care can make safe.