Both Family Guidance Centers and Symetria Recovery offer outpatient opioid addiction medications with locations throughout Illinois.
Symetria Recovery provides the same methadone and Suboxone treatments as Family Guidance Center, but is covered by insurance instead of self-paying weekly and with an upgraded treatment experience.
Family Guidance Center vs. Symetria Recovery Summary
| Clinic | Family Guidance Center | Symetria Recovery |
| Price | Generally cheaper for No Insurance or Medicaid | Generally cheaper for Private Insurance |
| Google Reviews | 3.4 rating (159 reviews) | 4.9 rating (308 reviews) |
| Illinois Locations with a Nearby Alternative | Chicago Joliet Des Plaines Arlington Heights Glenview Aurora Harvey | Chicago Joliet Des Plaines Naperville Palos Heights |
| Illinois Locations with No Nearby Alternatives | In Manteno, Springfield & Quincy, FGC is the only choice | In Vernon Hills, Symetria is the only choice |
Is Family Guidance Center Cheaper Than Symetria Recovery?
While Family Guidance methadone clinic usually has cheaper self-pay rates, patients with Medicare or private insurance can end up paying a lot less by using their insurance instead.
Family Guidance Centers is likely cheaper if a patient:
- Has no health insurance
- Has Medicaid insurance
Symetria Recovery is likely cheaper if a patient:
- Has private health insurance (usually through an employer)
- Has Medicare insurance
Nearly every insurance company covers methadone and Suboxone treatment at Symetria Recovery — including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Cigna, United Healthcare, Magellan, Humana, Aetna and Medicare.
Patients that have been in the hospital or in an inpatient rehab using private insurance earlier in the year often pay nothing out-of-pocket for methadone treatment at Symetria.
No, HIPAA does not allow employers to access medical records or insurance claims.
There are also no notifications to your employer or anyone else that you inquired about methadone treatment if you use the “check insurance” button or call in with your specific insurance policy.
Will my employer find out about my methadone treatment if I use my insurance?
The Patient Experience - Family Guidance Centers vs. Symetria Recovery
The patient experience is very different. Government-funded clinics like Family Guidance Center Chicago are normally forced to overcrowd and understaff to get as many people in as possible.
Whereas, private clinics like Symetria, don’t have long lines or crowded rooms and are able to treat each patient as a person, not a number.
Patients can also usually get in much quicker here than at clinics like Family Guidance.
Family Guidance Facility Photos
For comparison, here's what Symetria Recovery looks like:
Patient Time at Family Guidance Centers
When you have five thousand patients like Family Guidance Centers, you have to operate like a machine. There is very little time to listen or personalize treatment or doses. And, there’s no room for flexibility.
At a private clinic like Symetria, the dramatically different staff-to-patient ratios allows for one-on-one care and affords time to listen to each patient. (Yes, we do actually listen).
Symetria is also able to help beyond medications. Whether patients need couples therapy, housing or psychiatry medications for underlying issues like depression or anxiety, help is all under the same roof. The therapy is unlimited. And, it’s all covered by insurance. It’s also why patients here are 80% more likely to stay healthy long-term, compared to other treatment options including Family Guidance.
Family Guidance Clinic Hours
The hours listed for Family Guidance methadone clinic show the clinic closing at 2:30 PM on weekdays. Symetria Recovery Chicagoland clinics stay open much later to accommodate afternoon and evening dosing hours. For example, the Naperville and Des Plaines clinics are open until 8:30 PM and also open up an hour earlier at 5 AM.
For patients that require afternoon, evening or earlier morning dosing hours, Symetria Recovery locations in Chicago offer more options than Family Guidance.
Family Guidance Centers Locations & Alternatives
Family Guidance Centers lists 11 MAT locations on their website. Symetra Recovery has 12, but only 6 in Chicagoland.
There are no alternative Symetria Recovery centers in:
- Springfield, IL
- Quincy, IL
- Manteno, IL (the closest Symetria clinics are around 50 minutes north in Joliet and Palos Heights)
For all Chicago-area locations, there are Symetria Recovery alternative locations that are worth considering, some within walking distance.
★★★★ 3.6 (86)
Family Guidance Center – Joliet
Joliet IL 60435
vs.
★★★★★ 4.6 (86)
Symetria Recovery – Joliet
Less than 1 mile (walking distance) from Joliet location
★★★★ 4.2 (30)
Family Guidance – Des Plaines
Des Plaines, IL 60016
vs.
★★★★★ 4.5 (15)
Symetria Recovery – Des Plaines
Less than 0.5 miles from Des Plaines location (walking distance)
★★★★ 4.0 (10)
Family Guidance Clinic – River North
Chicago, IL 60654
vs.
★★★★★ 4.9 (28)
Symetria Recovery – Chicago
5 miles north of Chicago location and accessible to the 3 other FGC city locations
★★★★ 3.8 (10)
Family Guidance Clinic – Aurora
Aurora, IL 60505
vs.
★★★★★ 4.7 (42)
Symetria Recovery – Naperville
10 miles east of the Auora location in Warrenville / Naperville
★★★★ 3.8 (12)
Family Guidance Clinic – Harvey
Harvey, IL 60426
★★★★ 3.6 (86)
Family Guidance Center – Joliet
Joliet IL 60435
vs.
★★★★★ 4.9 (9)
Symetria Recovery – Palos Heights
12 miles northwest of the Harvey location in Palos Heights
See more: Symetria Recovery Reviews
Map of All Family Guidance Centers and Symetria Recovery Illinois Locations
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Whether Family Guidance Centers, Inc. or Symetria is a better fit, make the call today to get help.