Editorial Guides

2 Evidence-Based Guides on Addiction Recovery

Fact-checked coverage of treatment, insurance, policy, and recovery — sourced from SAMHSA, NIDA, and ASAM clinical criteria.

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EDITORIAL

The ASAM Criteria, 4th Edition: What Changed in 2023, and Why It Matters

The ASAM Criteria 4th edition updated the six-dimension framework used to match addiction patients to appropriate levels of care. This is what shifted and how it changes clinical practice.

Apr 14, 2026

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RECOVERY

Medical-Necessity Criteria Are a Contested Space. Here is How to Read Your Plan's.

Your insurer's medical-necessity criteria determine what addiction treatment they will authorize. Under the 2024 federal parity rule, those criteria must now be disclosed. Here is how to read them.

Apr 8, 2026 · 5 min read

All guides drafted by Clearwater Behavioral editors and fact-checked against primary clinical sources. Last updated April 2026. Sources: SAMHSA, NIDA, ASAM. See our editorial policy.