Key points
- SAMHSA's National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English and Spanish.[1]
- In Michigan, people can call or text 988 for a suicidal, mental health or substance use crisis, 24/7.[2]
- Network180 is Kent County's access point for publicly funded substance use services; its Access Line is (616) 336-3909 or (800) 749-7720, 24/7.[3]
- Before sentencing in every OWI case, the court must order an alcohol or drug screening and assessment.[4]
- Getting a revoked license back requires proof of abstinence for at least 6 consecutive months, or 12 if the evidence calls for it.[5]
An OWI arrest is sometimes the moment a person, or a family, starts looking for help with alcohol or drugs. This page lists confidential help lines and the public access point for treatment in Kent County, then explains where Michigan law connects treatment to an OWI case and to a driver's license. It does not recommend any program or say whether treatment will change the outcome of a case.
Confidential help lines
| Service | Contact | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| SAMHSA National Helpline | 1-800-662-4357; TTY 1-800-487-4889; text a ZIP code to 435748 | Free, confidential treatment referral and information, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members.[1] |
| 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | Call or text 988 | Responds 24/7 to anyone with a suicidal, mental health or substance use crisis; calls from Michigan are answered primarily by the state's Michigan Crisis and Access Line (MiCAL), except in seven counties served by regional call centers.[2] |
| Network180 (Kent County) | (616) 336-3909 or (800) 749-7720 | Kent County's Community Mental Health Authority and access point for mental health and substance use services, with a 24/7 Access Line.[3] |
The SAMHSA Helpline does not provide counseling. Its specialists transfer callers to state services or intake centers and connect them with local help, and people without insurance, or with too little, are referred to the state office responsible for state-funded treatment.[6] More details are on the SAMHSA Helpline page and the Network180 access page.
Mutual-help groups
Alcoholics Anonymous's official website does not have a meeting finder. It directs people to local AA resources and to the Meeting Guide app, whose meeting lists come from AA service entities.[7] See aa.org/find-aa.
Where treatment connects to the court case
Michigan law brings alcohol and drug treatment into an OWI case at several points:
- Bond. If personal recognizance is not enough, the court may order a person not to use alcohol or illicit drugs, to take part in testing or monitoring, or to take part in a treatment program.[8] See Bond conditions in OWI cases.
- Before sentencing. In every OWI, OWVI, zero-tolerance, child-endangerment or related case, the court must order a screening and assessment by an agency designated by the state's substance abuse office.[4] See The alcohol assessment before sentencing.
- Mandatory programs. For a high-BAC conviction (0.17 or more) or anyone with 1 or more prior convictions, the court must order completion of a rehabilitative program, such as alcohol treatment or a self-help program, for at least 1 year.[4]
- Medication-assisted treatment. With 2 or more prior convictions, the court must order an evidence-based assessment of alcohol dependence and of whether FDA-approved medication would help; the person may ask for an independent assessment, which the court must grant and consider.[4]
- Probation. Probation may include drug treatment or drug treatment court, substance abuse counseling, residential programs and monitoring.[9] See Probation in OWI cases.
- Delayed sentence. Where probation is allowed, the court may delay sentencing for up to 1 year so the defendant can show eligibility for probation or other leniency, such as taking part in a drug treatment court.[10]
Medication and the right to refuse
Under the statute, only a provider may recommend medication-assisted treatment.[4] A person always keeps the right to refuse ingestion or injection of a medication, and a court may not hold a person in contempt for refusing it.[4]
Paying for it
If no other funding source is identified, the person must pay for the screening, the assessment and the rehabilitative services the court orders.[4] Completing a treatment program is not required before driving with an ignition interlock on a restricted license.[4]
Sobriety court
A sobriety or drug treatment court combines close supervision, random alcohol and drug testing, graduated rewards and sanctions, and treatment.[11] Statements made during assessment, treatment or testing in a drug treatment court are confidential and may not be used in a criminal prosecution, unless they reveal crimes other than personal drug use.[11] That protection comes from the treatment-court statute.[11] The State Court Administrative Office describes these courts as post-adjudication, court-supervised treatment programs, not diversion programs.[12] See Sobriety court and Sobriety courts in West Michigan.
Where treatment connects to the license
A driver whose license was revoked for alcohol or drug convictions must, at the restoration hearing, prove by clear and convincing evidence complete abstinence from alcohol and non-prescribed controlled substances for at least 6 consecutive months, or 12 if the evidence shows a longer period is needed.[5] The Secretary of State will not schedule that hearing unless the request includes a substance abuse evaluation dated no more than 3 months before the department receives it.[13] The hearing officer may also require evidence from at least 3 independent sources and a current drug screen, and the driver may submit proof of treatment and of a support program.[14]
The Secretary of State says the evaluator must be neutral and not help the client prepare for the hearing, does not recommend specific evaluators, and points drivers to the MiSUD locator.[15] The checklist is in License restoration evidence.
Where treatment connects to a set-aside
When a court reviews an application to set aside a first-offense OWI, it may consider whether the applicant benefited from rehabilitative or educational programs ordered at sentencing or taken before it, and it may deny the application if it is not convinced the applicant used or benefited from such programs.[16] See Setting aside an OWI conviction.
Family members
The SAMHSA Helpline serves family members as well as the person using alcohol or drugs.[1] Families dealing with an arrest can also read When a family member is arrested for OWI, and a wider directory is in OWI help and resources.
Common questions
Who can I call about a drinking or drug problem in Michigan?
SAMHSA's National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357 (TTY 1-800-487-4889), is a free, confidential referral line open 24 hours a day, every day, for individuals and family members.[1] It does not counsel; specialists connect callers to state services and local treatment, including state-funded programs for people without insurance.[6] For a crisis, call or text 988.[2]
Where does someone in Kent County start for publicly funded treatment?
Network180, Kent County's Community Mental Health Authority, serves adults, youth and families seeking help with mental health or substance use, and its Access Line is available 24/7 at (616) 336-3909 or (800) 749-7720.[3] Residents of other counties can reach their state's referral services through the SAMHSA Helpline.[6]
Will the court order treatment after an OWI?
Before sentencing in an OWI, OWVI, zero-tolerance or related case, the court must order a screening and assessment to decide whether the person is likely to benefit from rehabilitative services.[4] For a high-BAC conviction or anyone with a prior conviction, the court must order a rehabilitative program, such as alcohol treatment or a self-help program, for at least 1 year.[4]
Who pays for court-ordered assessment and treatment?
If no other funding source is identified, the person must pay for the screening, the assessment and the ordered rehabilitative services.[4] The SAMHSA Helpline refers people without insurance, or with too little, to the state office responsible for state-funded treatment programs.[6]
Can a court make someone take medication for alcohol use?
No. When a person has 2 or more prior convictions, the court must order an assessment that considers medication-assisted treatment.[4] Only a provider may recommend it, the person always keeps the right to refuse the medication, and the court may not hold the person in contempt for refusing.[4]
Sources
- SAMHSA, National Helpline — Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- MDHHS, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and Michigan Crisis & Access Line — Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
- Network180, Access Services; Network180 home page — network180.org
- MCL 257.625b(5) — Michigan Legislature
- Mich Admin Code, R 257.313(1)(b), (c) — Michigan Administrative Code
- SAMHSA, National Helpline FAQ — Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- Alcoholics Anonymous (aa.org), Find A.A. — aa.org
- MCR 6.106(D)(2)(b), (c), (d), (f), (g), (o) — Michigan Courts
- MCL 771.3(2)-(3) — Michigan Legislature
- MCL 771.1(2) — Michigan Legislature
- MCL 600.1072(1)-(2) — Michigan Legislature
- SCAO, *FY 2025 Problem-Solving Courts Legislative Update*, p. 8 — Michigan Courts
- Mich Admin Code, R 257.302(1)(d); R 257.301(1)(f) — Michigan Administrative Code
- Mich Admin Code, R 257.313(1)(d)–(g) — Michigan Administrative Code
- Michigan Department of State, OHAO FAQ — Michigan Department of State
- MCL 780.621c(4) — Michigan Legislature
This page is general legal information about Michigan law, published by the office of Attorney Shawn Haff. It is not legal advice and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change and every case turns on its own facts — check the sources linked above and talk to a licensed Michigan attorney about your situation. In an emergency, call 911. For confidential help with alcohol or drug use, the SAMHSA National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357.