Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment at Vantara Health

Vantara Health provides medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for alcohol use disorder in New York City via telehealth and in-person at our Queens clinic. Our clinical team uses FDA-approved medications — naltrexone and Vivitrol — alongside therapy and structured support to help patients reduce or stop drinking.

Naltrexone for Alcohol Use Disorder

Naltrexone is an FDA-approved, non-addictive medication that reduces the rewarding effects of alcohol by blocking opioid receptors in the brain. When alcohol becomes less rewarding, the drive to drink diminishes. It is available as a daily oral pill or as Vivitrol — a once-monthly injectable that removes the need for daily adherence.

• FDA-approved for alcohol use disorder since 1994
• Reduces alcohol cravings and the reward response to drinking
• Non-addictive and non-sedating
• Most common side effect: mild nausea in the first week, typically resolving on its own
• Available oral (daily) or injectable (Vivitrol, once monthly)

Why Vantara Health for Alcohol Use Disorder?

Most primary care physicians are not trained in addiction medicine. Most addiction treatment programs focus on residential care. Vantara Health fills the gap — providing outpatient, telehealth-accessible MAT for AUD in New York, with same-week appointments, insurance billing, and integrated therapy.

Many of our AUD patients also have co-occurring gambling disorder or opioid use disorder. We treat all three conditions under one integrated clinical plan — so patients don't have to navigate multiple providers and fragmented care.

Insurance Coverage for Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment

Medication management for alcohol use disorder is covered by most major insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare, under behavioral health benefits. We verify your coverage before your first appointment. Cash pay options are also available starting at $149/month.

Suboxone Treatment at Vantara Health

Vantara Health provides outpatient medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder in New York City via telehealth and in-person at our Queens clinic. Our clinical team prescribes Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) and Vivitrol (injectable naltrexone) as part of an integrated treatment plan that includes therapy and clinical monitoring.

What Is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine — a partial opioid agonist — and naloxone, an opioid antagonist. It reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings, blocking the effects of other opioids without producing a significant high at therapeutic doses. It is the gold-standard first-line pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder, endorsed by SAMHSA, CDC, NIH, and ASAM.

• Reduces withdrawal symptoms and opioid cravings
• Blocks the rewarding effects of opioids
• Can be initiated via telehealth without prior in-person visit
• Covered by Medicaid, Medicare, and most commercial insurance
• Available as a sublingual film or tablet taken once daily

Vivitrol for Opioid Use Disorder

For patients who have completed detoxification and want a non-opioid option, Vivitrol (injectable naltrexone) provides 30-day opioid blockade in a single monthly injection. It is ideal for patients with high relapse risk in specific periods or those who prefer not to take a daily medication. We administer Vivitrol in-person at our Queens clinic.

Co-occurring Gambling or Alcohol Disorder

Many patients with opioid use disorder also struggle with gambling disorder or alcohol use disorder. Vantara Health treats all three under one integrated plan — reducing the complexity and fragmentation of seeking care from multiple providers. This is one of our core clinical differentiators.

What Is Naltrexone?

Naltrexone is a non-addictive, FDA-approved opioid antagonist medication. It works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain — receptors that mediate the reward and pleasure response to alcohol, opioids, and behavioral stimuli like gambling. When the reward signal is blocked, the urge to drink, use, or gamble diminishes significantly over time.

What Conditions Does Naltrexone Treat?

• Alcohol Use Disorder — reduces cravings and the pleasurable effects of drinking (FDA-approved)
• Opioid Use Disorder — blocks opioid effects and reduces relapse risk (FDA-approved, available as Vivitrol injectable)
• Gambling Disorder — reduces gambling urges and frequency in clinical trials (~40% reduction vs placebo) — off-label, evidence-based
• Co-occurring reward system disorders — many patients have gambling + alcohol, or gambling + opioids; naltrexone addresses the shared underlying circuitry

Naltrexone vs. Vivitrol: What's the Difference?

Naltrexone oral is a daily pill. Vivitrol is the extended-release injectable form of naltrexone — one injection provides 30 days of opioid receptor blockade. Vivitrol eliminates the need for daily adherence and is ideal for patients in high-risk periods or who prefer a longer-acting option. We administer Vivitrol in-person at our Queens clinic.

Naltrexone for Gambling Disorder in NYC

Vantara Health is one of the only clinics in New York City that prescribes naltrexone as first-line treatment specifically for gambling disorder. Most addiction clinics use naltrexone for alcohol and opioids but do not apply it to gambling. Our protocols are based on published randomized controlled trials and aligned with American Society of Addiction Medicine standards.

Getting Naltrexone in NYC

We offer same-week telehealth consultations for naltrexone prescriptions across New York State. After a clinical evaluation, most patients can receive a naltrexone prescription sent to their local pharmacy within 24–48 hours. Vivitrol injections require an in-person visit to our Queens clinic. Most insurance plans cover naltrexone for AUD and OUD; coverage for gambling disorder varies by plan and diagnosis coding.