What to Ask an NGO Before Seeking Subsidised Rehab Admission
- November 8, 2026
- Posted by: Dr Areeb Zafar Hashmi
- Category: Health Tips
A subsidised bed at an NGO rehab centre can be a lifeline for a family that cannot afford private fees. Many voluntary organisations in India do careful, compassionate work, often with government support, and some have decades of experience. Others are under-staffed, poorly supervised or, in rare cases, unsafe. From the outside, and especially over the phone, they can look much the same.
The way to tell them apart is to ask good questions before admission and to listen closely to the answers. This guide gives you those questions, grouped by topic, with notes on what a reassuring answer sounds like and what answer needs a follow-up. Take it with you on the phone, or print it for a visit.
Before You Call: A Ten-Minute Background Check
Do this first. It costs nothing and filters out organisations you should not be considering.
- Find the NGO’s legal name. The name on the gate or signboard is not always the registered name. Ask for the society, trust or Section 8 company name.
- Look it up on NGO Darpan. The government’s NGO Darpan portal lists voluntary organisations that have registered for a unique ID, which is generally needed to apply for central government grants. Check the address, registration number and key office-bearers.
- Ask whether it is a government-supported centre. If the NGO says it runs an Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts (IRCA) or a District De-addiction Centre with Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment support, ask for the sanction details. The ministry’s Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan site and the national de-addiction helpline, 14446, can help you confirm it.
- Check mental health establishment registration. Under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, facilities that admit people for mental health treatment, including addiction, need to be registered with the State Mental Health Authority. Our step-by-step guide on how to verify a rehab centre’s registration explains how to check.
- Search news and reviews. Search the centre’s name with words like “raid”, “sealed” or “complaint”. Read reviews with care; our guide on how to read rehab reviews explains what to trust.
If an organisation cannot or will not tell you its registered name, stop there.
The Questions to Ask, Group by Group
You do not have to ask all of these in one call. Start with groups A and B, which tell you whether the centre is safe. If those answers are good, move on to the rest during a visit.
Group A: Legitimacy and Oversight
| Ask | Reassuring answer | Needs a follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Under which registration does this centre operate, and can you share the certificates? | Names the society or trust and the State Mental Health Authority registration, and offers copies. | “We are registered, don’t worry.” No document offered. |
| Is this bed funded by a government grant, a donor or the NGO itself? | Clear explanation, such as an IRCA grant or a named donor programme. | Vague talk of “government approval” without detail. |
| Who inspects or monitors the centre? | Mentions district officials, the funding ministry’s monitoring, or the mental health authority. | “Nobody needs to inspect us.” |
| How long has this centre been running at this address? | A specific answer with some history. | Frequent moves or a very recent opening without explanation. |
A recently opened centre is not automatically a problem, but it deserves extra questions. Our list of questions for a newly opened rehab centre covers them.
Group B: Clinical Team and Medical Safety
| Ask | Reassuring answer | Needs a follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Who is the doctor, and how often do they see residents? | A named doctor or psychiatrist, with set visit days and on-call cover. | “A doctor comes when needed.” No name. |
| How do you manage withdrawal in the first week? | Describes medical assessment, medicines when needed and monitoring, or referral to a hospital for high-risk cases. | “We don’t use medicines; willpower is the cure.” |
| Which hospital do you send people to in an emergency, and how quickly? | Names a hospital and explains transport and timing. | No arrangement, or “we handle everything here”. |
| Who are the counsellors, and what are their qualifications? | Trained counsellors or psychologists, supervised; may include trained peer staff. | Only former residents with no training or supervision. |
| Can you treat co-occurring conditions like depression or diabetes? | Explains psychiatric input and links with a hospital for physical health. | Says these “go away once they stop drinking”. |
Withdrawal from alcohol and sedatives can be dangerous, so a centre that dismisses medical care is not a safe place to start, however low the cost. If the answers here are weak, read about night-time medical cover, hospital tie-ups and the different roles of psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors. Our guide on checking counsellor qualifications explains what training to look for, and our article on clinical supervision explains why it matters.
Group C: Admission Terms and Consent
| Ask | Reassuring answer | Needs a follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Does the person need to agree to admission? | Yes, voluntary admission with the person’s informed consent, following the law where it does not apply. | “Just bring him; we will manage.” Offers to “pick up” the person. |
| Can the person leave if they want to? | Explains how discharge works and that voluntary residents can ask to leave, with advice about risks. | “Nobody leaves before the course finishes.” |
| What is the minimum stay for a subsidised bed? | A clear figure linked to the treatment plan, with flexibility for clinical reasons. | A long fixed stay that cannot be shortened for any reason. |
| Is there a waiting list, and how is priority decided? | Explains the list honestly and offers interim support. | Hints that a “donation” moves you up the list. |
Forced “pick-up” services and locked-in stays are among the most serious warning signs in Indian rehab. Our guides on voluntary admission and the restraint and seclusion policy to ask about explain why.
Group D: Costs, Contributions and Donations
“Subsidised” can mean completely free, partly free, or free for treatment but not for food or personal items. Be precise.
| Ask | Reassuring answer | Needs a follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Exactly what will we pay, and for what? | A written list: perhaps nothing, or a fixed contribution and personal items. | “Pay what you can” with pressure to pay more later. |
| Are medicines, tests and hospital visits included? | Clear statement of what is covered and what is referred out. | No answer until after admission. |
| Is any donation expected? | Donations are voluntary and do not affect care. | A “donation” that is really a fee, with no receipt. |
| Will we get receipts for every payment? | Yes, in the NGO’s name. | Payments to an individual’s account or in cash only. |
| If the subsidised bed ends, what happens? | Explains how a move to paid care or outpatient follow-up would be handled and discussed in advance. | Sudden switch to full fees mid-stay. |
Ask for any charges, even small ones, on paper. If you do make a payment, ask for a receipt that shows the purpose. Our guide to requesting itemised bills from a rehab provider applies to NGO centres too, and our guide to rehab deposits and refunds helps if a deposit is asked for.
Group E: Daily Life, Rights and Family Contact
| Ask | Reassuring answer | Needs a follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| What does a typical day look like? | A timetable with therapy, groups, meals, rest and activities. | Mostly cleaning, prayer or labour, with little therapy. |
| How often can we call or visit? | Regular contact, with any early restriction explained clinically and time-limited. | No contact for weeks “for the person’s own good”. |
| Are residents ever asked to work? | Light, shared chores as part of daily routine; no unpaid labour for the centre’s income. | Residents run the kitchen, construction or other work for long hours. |
| How is discipline handled? | Clear rules, discussion, consequences such as loss of privileges; no physical punishment. | Silence, or talk of “strict handling”. |
| Is the programme religious? | Explains any spiritual element and whether it is optional. | Participation in religious activity is compulsory for the subsidised bed. |
| Where do people sleep and eat? | Shows rooms and kitchen; describes beds, toilets and hygiene. | Visitors are not allowed to see living areas. |
Faith-based programmes can suit some people very well; the issue is choice and transparency. Our comparison of secular and faith-based rehab may help. For accommodation standards, see our guide to food, hygiene and accommodation in rehab.
Group F: Discharge and Aftercare
| Ask | Reassuring answer | Needs a follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| What happens on discharge? | A discharge summary, a medicine plan, follow-up appointments and contacts. | “They just go home.” |
| Do you offer follow-up after discharge? | Outpatient sessions, support groups or check-in calls. | No contact after the stay. |
| How do you involve the family before discharge? | Family sessions and a plan for the first weeks at home. | Family hears only on the day of discharge. |
| What results do you see? | Honest description, with no guarantees. | “Ninety-nine per cent success” or “guaranteed cure”. |
Promises of guaranteed cure are a red flag at any price point. Our guide on rehab success rate claims explains why. Strong aftercare planning, by contrast, is one of the best signs; see our page on aftercare planning.
Questions the NGO Will Probably Ask You
A good centre will ask you questions too. Being ready with answers speeds up admission and shows the centre that it can work with you.
- Which substances, how much, for how long? Include alcohol, tobacco, prescription medicines and anything mixed. Our guide to preparing a substance-use history helps.
- Any previous withdrawal problems? Seizures, confusion or hallucinations during earlier attempts to stop change the medical plan; see why withdrawal history matters at admission.
- Physical and mental health conditions? Diabetes, liver disease, epilepsy, depression, psychosis or self-harm.
- Current medicines? Bring them in their original strips with prescriptions; our guide on bringing prescriptions to rehab explains why.
- Does the person agree to come? Be honest. A centre that values consent will want to know.
- Who is the family contact? Name one or two people and how to reach them.
A centre that asks none of these questions before admission is not assessing the person, which is itself something to note.
On the Visit: What to Notice Without Asking
A visit tells you things that no phone call can. While you are there, watch for:
- Whether residents look rested, clean and able to talk freely with you
- Whether staff speak to residents with respect, including when correcting them
- Locked doors, barred windows or rooms you are not allowed to see
- A visible timetable, therapy room and medicine storage
- Toilets, drinking water and kitchen hygiene
- Whether the registration certificate is displayed
- How many people share a room, and whether bedding looks adequate
Our rehab facility tour checklist is a useful companion for this part, and our guide on visiting a rehab centre before admission explains how to arrange it.
Keep a Simple Call Log
When you speak to several centres, details blur quickly. A one-page log keeps them straight and gives you a record if anything said on the phone turns out to be different in practice.
| Field | What to note |
|---|---|
| Date and time | When you called or visited |
| Centre and registered NGO name | Both names, exactly as given |
| Person you spoke to | Name and role |
| Registration details shared? | Yes / no, and which documents |
| Doctor’s name and visit days | As stated |
| Emergency hospital named | As stated |
| Costs quoted | Every amount and what it covers |
| Family contact rules | Calls, visits, any early restriction |
| Waiting time | Expected date of admission |
| Your impression | Two or three honest lines |
After the call, send a short message summarising the key points and ask the centre to confirm. Most good centres will reply; the ones that will not are telling you something.
If the Person Is Young
Families of teenagers and young adults should ask a few extra questions. Does the centre admit people under 18 at all, and under what consent and legal arrangements? Are minors housed separately from adults? Is there access to schooling or study time? Is the programme designed for adolescents, or is it an adult programme with a younger person placed in it? Many NGOs run community-based, peer-led prevention programmes for adolescents under government schemes, and for a young person in the early stages these may be more suitable than residential care. A child and adolescent psychiatrist at a government hospital can advise on the right level of care.
Red Lines: When to Walk Away
Some answers end the conversation. If you hear any of these, do not admit the person, whatever the cost saving.
- An offer to collect the person by force, at night or without their knowledge
- No doctor, and no plan for medical emergencies
- A refusal to let you see where residents sleep, eat or use the toilet
- Talk of beating, starving or “breaking” residents as part of treatment
- No family contact for long periods, with no clinical reason given
- Cash-only payments to an individual, with no receipts
- Guaranteed cure, or pressure to decide today
Our article on warning signs in rehab advertisements lists more signals that apply to NGO and private centres alike.
Rights Do Not Shrink With the Fee
A free or subsidised bed comes with exactly the same basic rights as a paid one. Under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, people receiving mental health treatment have rights including dignity, confidentiality, access to information about their treatment, and protection from cruel or degrading treatment. Gratitude for a free place should never mean accepting less than that.
If you have concerns once someone is admitted, raise them first with the centre’s director in writing. If they are serious, such as injury, threats or no access to food or medical care, contact the district authorities, the State Mental Health Authority, or the police on 112.
When the Answers Are Mixed
Few centres will give a perfect answer to every question. What matters is the pattern.
- Weak answers in groups A or B (registration, medical safety) are reasons to keep looking, even if everything else sounds good.
- Weak answers in groups D, E or F can sometimes be fixed by asking for things in writing or by planning extra support, such as private follow-up counselling after discharge.
- Defensiveness or irritation when you ask reasonable questions tells you how the centre may respond to a complaint later.
If the NGO route does not work out, other options remain, including government hospital de-addiction units and Drug Treatment Clinics. Our guide to government-supported addiction treatment explains eligibility and fees, and our broader guide to financial assistance for addiction treatment covers insurance, employer and family support.
Making the Most of a Subsidised Stay
Once you have found a centre you trust, the family’s role does not end at the gate. A few steps help a free or low-cost stay deliver more.
- Show up for family sessions. They are often the most valuable part of a programme, and they cost nothing extra.
- Send the basics. Comfortable clothes, toiletries, a few books and any items the centre lists make daily life easier and reduce requests for money.
- Keep contact steady and calm. Regular, encouraging calls help more than intense visits followed by silence.
- Plan aftercare early. Ask in the second or third week what follow-up the centre offers, and budget for a few months of outpatient counselling if needed. Our relapse prevention page explains why the months after discharge matter so much.
- Look after yourselves. Caregivers need support too. Tele-MANAS (14416) is free for family members.
- Give honest feedback. Tell the centre what worked and what did not. Good NGOs use feedback to improve, and your experience may help the next family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are NGO-run rehab centres free in India?
Some are completely free, particularly those supported by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment grants. Others charge a reduced fee or ask families to cover food or personal items. Always ask for any charges in writing.
How do I find a government-supported NGO rehab near me?
Call the national de-addiction helpline, 14446, and ask for supported centres in your district. You can also ask the psychiatry department of your district hospital, which often refers to local centres.
Is it safe to admit someone to a low-cost NGO centre?
It can be, if the centre is registered, has medical cover and treats residents with dignity. The questions in groups A and B of this guide are designed to check exactly that.
Can an NGO centre refuse to let a resident leave?
A person admitted voluntarily can generally ask to be discharged, and the Mental Healthcare Act sets out specific procedures for any other type of admission. If someone is being held against their will and is in danger, call 112.
Should we make a donation to get a subsidised bed?
A genuine donation is voluntary and should never decide who gets care. If a “donation” is required for admission, treat it as a fee, ask for a receipt and consider whether the centre is being transparent.
Can Second New Life help us assess an NGO centre?
Yes. We can talk through the answers you received and help you judge whether the centre seems safe, and suggest alternatives if it does not. There is no charge for this.
What if the person wants to leave an NGO centre after a few days?
Early wish to leave is very common, especially in the first week when withdrawal and homesickness peak. Ask the centre to arrange a conversation between the person, a counsellor and a family member before any decision. If they still want to leave, ask for a discharge summary, any medicines needed, and a referral for outpatient follow-up, so that leaving does not mean stopping treatment altogether. Our guide on changing rehab centres mid-treatment explains how to move to another service if the fit is wrong.
Talk It Through With Someone Who Knows the Field
If you have spoken to an NGO and are unsure about what you heard, call us. We will listen, help you weigh the answers, and suggest other options, public or private, if needed.
Call or WhatsApp: +91 84481 77994 · WhatsApp us · Request a callback · Read our FAQ
This guide is general information and not legal advice. Registration rules and scheme details can change; confirm current requirements with the relevant authority. If someone is in immediate danger, call 112.
