“Archangels gave me my life back. Their team is the most amazing, caring people I have ever met. The housing they sent me to was amazing, the groups are amazing, and this whole project is amazing. If you're tired of being sick and tired, reach out and save your life.”
“This facility is run by some of the best people you could ever ask for. They are extremely professional and truly dedicated to helping those struggling with mental health and addiction. They truly saved my life. I will be forever grateful for everything they did for me.”
“I had the honor of touring this facility, and it was absolutely beautiful, clean, and thoughtfully designed. But more than how it looked, you could feel the love in every detail. Watching the staff interact with clients genuinely touched my heart.”
Plain, fact-first answers about how care works here. Want to talk to a person? Call (888) 464-2144.
Heroin addiction treatment at The Archangel Centers in Charlotte treats adults with heroin use disorder, often alongside co-occurring depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, or other mental health conditions. The full outpatient continuum is delivered on-site, serving clients across Mecklenburg County and the Charlotte metro region.
The heroin supply in the United States is no longer pure heroin. For practical purposes, almost every bag is heroin mixed with, or replaced by, illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Clients arriving for heroin treatment are clinically treated as fentanyl-exposed; the MAT decisions, the overdose planning, and the household naloxone conversation are the same.
Heroin use disorder typically develops faster than prescription-opioid use disorder. The injection route accelerates tolerance and the social context shrinks fast, most clients describe a tight loop of use, withdrawal, and the search for the next dose, with sleep, food, and work shrinking around it.
Outpatient treatment at The Archangel Centers receives heroin clients after coordinated medical detox or via direct Suboxone induction when withdrawal is mild enough. The continuum is Partial Care or PHP first, then IOP, then OP, with MAT continuing across all levels.
The Charlotte clinic operates under appropriate North Carolina state licensure for outpatient SUD and co-occurring mental health treatment. Clinical work follows the ASAM framework. Clinical leadership is held by Jamie Salsberg, Clinical Director. We do not assert accreditations the clinic does not hold.
Our Charlotte program delivers a full clinical day Monday through Friday, with a manageable caseload that keeps the assigned primary therapist in place across the continuum. Single-call admissions cover clinical assessment, insurance verification, and clinical review with a scheduled start date. Same-week placement is often possible.
The Charlotte clinic operates in the Mecklenburg County metro area, with admissions, clinical assessment, and insurance verification handled together on the same intake call.
For heroin use disorder specifically, the program leans on three things. First, the speed of the admissions process, a 24/7 line, single-call assessment, and same-week placement when clinically indicated. Second, the integration of medication management with the behavioral work; the on-site medical provider sees new clients within approximately 48 hours and stays connected to the clinical team throughout. Third, Evidence-based therapies adapted for opioid use disorder. CBT targets the trigger-thought-craving chain; DBT delivers distress-tolerance skills useful during cravings and during the early MAT period; trauma-informed care is the default with EMDR available in individual therapy. The clinical team coordinates closely with the medical provider so MAT decisions and behavioral work move in step.
The Archangel Centers was founded by Mike Sorrentino, a recovery advocate with more than a decade in active recovery, with co-founder Lauren Sorrentino. The clinical and medical leadership team includes licensed NC clinicians, the on-site medical provider, and case management, small enough that each client knows their primary therapist by name.
The heroin supply in the United States is no longer pure heroin. For practical purposes, almost every bag is heroin mixed with, or replaced by, illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Clients arriving for heroin treatment are clinically treated as fentanyl-exposed; the MAT decisions, the overdose planning, and the household naloxone conversation are the same.
Heroin use disorder typically develops faster than prescription-opioid use disorder. The injection route accelerates tolerance and the social context shrinks fast, most clients describe a tight loop of use, withdrawal, and the search for the next dose, with sleep, food, and work shrinking around it.
Outpatient treatment at The Archangel Centers receives heroin clients after coordinated medical detox or via direct Suboxone induction when withdrawal is mild enough. The continuum is Partial Care or PHP first, then IOP, then OP, with MAT continuing across all levels.
Group rooms, private therapy offices, the medical office, family programming rooms, and a wellness space, designed for clinical depth and nervous-system regulation.
Heroin withdrawal is severe but rarely life-threatening on its own. Onset is 8 to 24 hours after last use; peak is 36 to 72 hours. Symptoms include muscle and bone pain, profuse sweating, severe GI symptoms, anxiety, insomnia, and intense cravings. Clients arriving in active withdrawal are typically routed through coordinated medical detox before outpatient placement.
Coordinated medical detox is often required before outpatient placement; the clinical assessment makes the call.
Coordinated medical detox is often the first step for heroin use disorder, depending on the severity of withdrawal and the use history. Detox is conducted at an accredited partner facility; clients step directly into Partial Hospitalization (PHP) after detox stability. See coordinated medical detox at Charlotte.
MAT formulary for heroin use disorder: Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) is the primary agent. Sublocade (monthly buprenorphine injection) is offered for clients who want predictable dosing. Vivitrol (extended-release naltrexone) is available after full opioid washout for clients who prefer a non-opioid blocker.
Why not methadone: Methadone is restricted to federally certified opioid treatment programs. Clients clinically indicated for methadone are referred to a licensed methadone program; The Archangel Centers does not run methadone on-site.
Behavioral layer: Daily group programming targets trigger maps and craving cycles. Contingency planning, urine drug screens, sober-living coordination, and family programming all run alongside MAT. Naloxone is provided to every household; the team teaches family members to use it.
Substance use disorder is a clinical diagnosis with specific criteria. If several of the following describe the current pattern, a clinical assessment at our Charlotte clinic is the right next step.
The full outpatient continuum is delivered on-site. The clinical assessment matches each client to the appropriate starting level based on severity, withdrawal status, work and family responsibilities, and history of prior treatment.
| Level | Schedule | Typical length | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partial Hospitalization (PHP) (PHP) | full clinical day, Monday through Friday | Approximately 30 days, clinically driven | Partial Hospitalization (PHP) at Charlotte |
| Intensive Outpatient (IOP) | 3 or 5 days a week, 3 clinical hours per session | Approximately 30 to 60 days, clinically driven | IOP at Charlotte |
| Outpatient (OP) | Flexible, individual therapy + periodic continuing-care groups | Open-ended continuing care | OP at Charlotte |
The arc varies by client, but the following stages are typical for heroin use disorder clients moving through the Archangel Centers continuum.
Suboxone induction in coordination with the medical provider, ideally beginning during or immediately after coordinated medical detox. Sleep returns slowly; GI normalization takes a week or two.
Receptor occupancy from buprenorphine blunts physical cravings; daily PHP or IOP contact handles environmental triggers. Trigger maps are built and refined.
Most heroin clients carry significant trauma and depressive symptoms. Trauma-informed care is the default; EMDR is available in individual therapy.
12-step (NA), SMART Recovery, sober living, and alumni programming, most clients need a non-using community to lean on.
Buprenorphine continuation across IOP and OP. There is no clinical urgency to taper; the clinical urgency is preventing relapse.
(888) 464-2144 connects you with a counselor who opens a confidential clinical conversation.
The team verifies benefits in real time so the cost picture is clear before any commitment.
A licensed clinician conducts the assessment by phone, video, or in person. Battery: ASAM Criteria, LOCUS, PHQ-9, GAD-7, Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, biopsychosocial. Typically 30 to 60 minutes.
Most direct admissions begin within 24 to 72 hours of the assessment. For detox-first clients, partner placement is coordinated and the outpatient intake is scheduled before detox discharge.
The Charlotte clinic draws clients from across Mecklenburg County and the broader Charlotte metro, including the surrounding cities and counties along the I-77 and I-85 corridors.
For state-specific procedural guidance, involuntary commitment, Medicaid coverage, court-mandated treatment, and county resources, see the North Carolina state hub.
Recovery starts with a confidential assessment, not a commitment. The clinical team determines whether Partial Hospitalization (PHP), IOP, OP, or coordinated detox first is the right starting point, with insurance verification in the same call.
Call (888) 464-2144 or verify your insurance. The admissions line is open 24 hours a day.
This page was prepared by The Archangel Centers editorial team. The Archangel Centers is an outpatient provider; medical detox and inpatient rehabilitation are coordinated through accredited partners, not delivered on-site. This is general educational information, not medical advice.
“I came back from rock bottom. I'm here because I want to show others they can too. This isn't just a business. It's my mission.”- Mike Sorrentino, Founder
Mike and Lauren Sorrentino did not set out to build a generic treatment center. They wanted a recovery-grounded program that mixes lived experience, licensed clinical expertise, and family programming that actually moves the needle for the people who love someone in active addiction.
The clinic that resulted is small enough that each client knows their primary therapist by name, but resourced enough to deliver the full ASAM continuum from Partial Care through outpatient continuing care, with MAT and EMDR available when clinically indicated.
Read the Full StoryMost clients leave the first admissions call with a clinical assessment, an insurance verification, and a scheduled start date. Recovery starts with a decision, not a commitment. The admissions line is staffed around the clock.
Confidential, 24/7 admissions. Same-week placement is often available. Verify your insurance free of charge before any commitment.
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