National Methadone ClinicsMedication-Friendly Meetings
Plenty of people go to meetings while on methadone or buprenorphine. What matters is finding a group where you are comfortable.
SMART Recovery supports legally prescribed addiction medication, according to its own published position.
Twelve-step meetings vary, because every group decides its own customs, so it is worth asking before you go.
- Phone or message the group contact listed on the meeting finder and ask how members on medication are received.
- Online meeting lists sometimes have a filter or tag for medication-friendly meetings.
- Nobody at a meeting needs to know what you take.
- Going with someone who already attends can make the first visit easier.
About Your Medication
Talk to your prescriber before changing how you take any medication. This is general information, not medical advice.
Before You Go to a Meeting
Check the meeting type first. An open meeting suits a first visit or a family member; a closed meeting is for people who share the group's goal.
Formats differ: a speaker shares a story, a discussion goes around the room, or a study group reads together.
If an in-person room feels like too much, an online or phone meeting lets you try from home.
- Nobody will make you talk.
- You can stay anonymous.
- No payment is expected.
- Arrive or leave when it suits you.
Where to Look Up Meetings in Pennsylvania
Peer support groups and mutual-aid programs run their own meetings. The links below go to each organization's official pages for Pennsylvania, where you can search for meetings. We do not list, copy or vouch for individual meetings.
Alcoholics Anonymous
A peer fellowship for people who want to stop drinking.
Narcotics Anonymous
A peer fellowship for people who want to stop using drugs.
SMART Recovery
A science-informed, self-empowering program with in-person and online meetings.
Al-Anon Family Groups
A peer fellowship for relatives and friends of people with a drinking problem.
Nar-Anon Family Groups
A peer fellowship for relatives and friends of people with a drug problem.
Recovery Dharma
A peer-led program that draws on Buddhist practices and principles.
Refuge Recovery
A mindfulness-based recovery community that draws on Buddhist practices.
Celebrate Recovery
A Christ-centered recovery program run through local churches.
National Methadone Clinics is an independent directory. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Narcotics Anonymous World Services, SMART Recovery, Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Nar-Anon Family Groups, Recovery Dharma, Refuge Recovery World Services, Celebrate Recovery, or any other fellowship or support organisation named on this page, and none of them has reviewed or approved this page. Each link goes to the organisation's own official page, which controls its meeting information. Meetings move, close and change, so confirm the time and place with the source before you go. Links in this section are editorial. They are not paid, sponsored or referral placements, and no treatment provider can pay to be added to or reordered within this section. Support meetings are not a substitute for professional treatment.
If you or someone else is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). For treatment referral and information, SAMHSA's National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357, free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.
Support Groups at a Glance
If you take methadone or buprenorphine, you can still go to support meetings in Pennsylvania. This page starts with what to know about medication and meetings, then explains how the groups differ.
Whichever group you try first, you can switch, or attend more than one.
- SMART Recovery takes a non-spiritual approach, with discussion-based meetings built around self-management tools; it covers alcohol, drugs and addictive behaviors.
- N.A. focuses on addiction to any drug rather than one substance, using the same twelve-step structure as A.A.
- Nar-Anon does for families of people using drugs what Al-Anon does for families affected by drinking.
- A.A. serves people with a drinking problem through twelve steps and peer sharing; the only requirement is a wish to stop drinking.
- Al-Anon is for the family side of a drinking problem: relatives and friends meet to share how it affects them, using twelve steps.
- Recovery Dharma meetings combine meditation with sharing and are open to people with any addiction.
- Refuge Recovery meetings center on mindfulness and meditation as tools for recovery.
- Celebrate Recovery offers a faith-based, Christ-centered path and meets in local churches.
If a Court Requires Meetings
Courts, probation and diversion programs in Pennsylvania and elsewhere may set a number of meetings to attend. The rules come from your case, not from the groups.
Twelve-step groups such as A.A. and N.A. keep no attendance records for courts. Some meeting chairs will sign a sheet you provide; others decline, and online groups each have their own approach.
- Get the requirement in writing: which groups qualify, how many meetings and the deadline.
- Confirm the form of proof your officer accepts before you start.
- Carry your own attendance sheet and keep a copy of each signed page.
- Ask your officer what to do if a group will not sign.
Not Legal Advice
Only your court or probation officer can tell you whether a meeting counts toward your requirement.
Combining Meetings and Treatment
Treatment and peer support do different jobs. Treatment deals with the medical and psychological side of addiction; meetings offer ongoing contact with others in recovery.
A provider can say which kind of care fits, from outpatient visits to residential programs, and most programs encourage meetings as well.
You can browse the methadone clinics this site lists in Pennsylvania below, or call the number on this page to go over options.
This number connects to our central helpline, not directly to a listed facility.
Search and Map Facilities in Pennsylvania
Press Search to list facilities in Pennsylvania, or type a city or ZIP code.
Methadone Clinics in Pennsylvania
Only the facilities this site lists in Pennsylvania are shown. Choose a city to see them.
Support Meetings in Pennsylvania: Questions
Can I go to a meeting if I take methadone or buprenorphine?
Yes. SMART Recovery says it supports legally prescribed addiction medication. In twelve-step groups each meeting runs itself, so ask the group or look for meetings described as medication-friendly. Talk to your prescriber before you change any medication.
Are support meetings the same as treatment?
No. Meetings are peer support and do not provide medical care. Many people use both, going to meetings during and after treatment.
Do I have to believe in God to go to a support meeting?
No. Twelve-step groups such as A.A. and N.A. talk about a higher power that each member defines for themselves. SMART Recovery is secular, and Recovery Dharma and Refuge Recovery draw on Buddhist practice without asking members to believe in a god.
Will a meeting sign my court attendance slip?
Some groups will and some will not; each group decides. Ask your court or probation officer what proof of attendance they accept before you go.
What is the difference between an open and a closed meeting?
Anyone can attend an open meeting, including family and friends. A closed meeting is only for people who share the group's purpose, such as wanting to stop drinking or using.
Can family members go to a meeting?
Yes. Al-Anon and Nar-Anon are for relatives and friends, SMART Recovery runs family and friends meetings, and anyone can attend an open A.A. or N.A. meeting.