Substance Abuse Treatment Agreement Form Template

Managing substance abuse treatment programs requires clear documentation, informed consent, and legally compliant agreements that protect both the facility and the client. This Substance Abuse Treatment Agreement Form helps treatment centers, rehabilitation facilities, and behavioral health providers establish clear expectations from day one.

Why Use a Substance Abuse Treatment Agreement?

A well-structured treatment agreement serves multiple critical functions in substance recovery programs:

Legal Protection: Documents informed consent, confidentiality acknowledgments, and mutual obligations under federal regulations including 42 CFR Part 2
Clear Expectations: Outlines program requirements, rules, drug testing protocols, and behavioral expectations to reduce misunderstandings
Treatment Compliance: Helps staff track client acknowledgment of program requirements and discharge criteria
Payment Clarity: Establishes financial responsibilities, insurance information, and payment arrangements upfront
Regulatory Compliance: Ensures adherence to HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, state licensing requirements, and accreditation standards

What's Included in This Template

This comprehensive treatment agreement template covers all essential elements:

Client Information & Emergency Contacts: Capture demographic details, insurance information, and emergency contact persons to ensure proper communication channels.

Treatment Program Details: Document the specific program type (inpatient, outpatient, intensive outpatient), expected duration, and treatment modalities being utilized.

Program Requirements & Rules: Clearly outline attendance expectations, participation requirements, prohibited behaviors, and grounds for discharge to establish accountability.

Drug & Alcohol Testing Consent: Obtain explicit consent for random drug and alcohol screening, including testing methods, frequency, and consequences of positive results.

Confidentiality Under 42 CFR Part 2: Acknowledge federal protections for substance abuse treatment records and obtain necessary authorizations for information disclosure to insurance, family, or other providers.

Payment Arrangements: Collect insurance details, establish payment responsibilities, discuss sliding scale options if applicable, and document financial obligations.

Treatment Consent: Secure informed consent for treatment, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) if applicable, and acknowledgment of risks and benefits.

Discharge Criteria: Define successful completion criteria as well as circumstances that may result in administrative discharge from the program.

Client & Witness Signatures: Obtain legally binding signatures with date stamps for enforceability.

Who Should Use This Template

This substance abuse treatment agreement is designed for:

Addiction Treatment Centers: Residential and outpatient facilities offering detox, rehabilitation, and recovery programs
Behavioral Health Clinics: Mental health and dual diagnosis treatment providers
Counseling Practices: Licensed therapists and counselors specializing in substance abuse
Hospital Addiction Programs: Medical facilities with dedicated substance abuse treatment units
Sober Living Facilities: Transitional housing programs with treatment components
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Providers: Clinics offering methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone programs

Streamline Admissions with Paperform

Using Paperform for your treatment agreements transforms a traditionally paper-heavy process into a smooth digital experience:

Professional, Compliant Design: Create branded intake forms that look polished and instill confidence while maintaining the legal rigor required for treatment agreements.

Conditional Logic for Complex Agreements: Use Paperform's advanced conditional logic to show or hide sections based on program type, insurance status, or treatment modality—creating a personalized agreement for each client.

Secure Data Collection: With SOC 2 Type II compliance and data encryption, Paperform ensures that sensitive health information remains protected throughout the intake process.

Electronic Signatures with Papersign: Seamlessly transition from form completion to contract signing using Papersign, Paperform's integrated eSignature solution. Send the completed agreement for legally binding digital signatures, maintaining a complete audit trail for compliance and licensing reviews.

Payment Integration: Collect deposits, co-pays, or program fees directly within the form using Stripe, PayPal, or Square—reducing billing delays and administrative burden.

Automated Workflows with Stepper: Use Stepper to automate what happens after the agreement is signed. Automatically create client files in your EHR, notify clinical staff of new admissions, schedule initial assessments, trigger insurance verification workflows, and send welcome packets—all without manual data entry.

Multi-Device Accessibility: Clients can complete and sign agreements on any device during intake appointments or before arrival, speeding up the admission process.

Best Practices for Treatment Agreements

When implementing digital treatment agreements, behavioral health providers should:

Ensure Legal Review: Have your clinical and legal team review the agreement template to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations
Plain Language: Write program requirements and consequences in clear, accessible language that clients in various states of recovery can understand
Cultural Sensitivity: Consider offering agreements in multiple languages for diverse client populations
Document Capacity: Train staff to assess and document that clients have capacity to consent at the time of signing
Keep Current: Regularly update agreements to reflect changes in regulations, insurance requirements, and program policies
Maintain Copies: Ensure clients receive a copy of their signed agreement and store the original securely in compliance with record retention requirements

Transform Your Intake Process

Paper treatment agreements create administrative bottlenecks, increase filing costs, and slow down the admission process when clients need immediate help. This Paperform template digitizes the entire workflow—from initial data collection through final signature—while maintaining the clinical and legal standards required in substance abuse treatment.

Whether you're a small counseling practice or a multi-site treatment network, Paperform scales to meet your needs. Combine this treatment agreement with other intake forms like medical history, mental health assessments, and insurance verification to create a complete digital admission packet that gets clients into treatment faster.

Start with this template, customize it to match your program's specific requirements and state regulations, and create an intake experience that's efficient for staff and respectful for clients beginning their recovery journey.