Methadone Clinics in Des Moines, Iowa
2 SAMHSA-certified opioid treatment programs operate inside Des Moines city limits. Each clinic below carries a current NPI on the CMS Medicare Provider OTP file. We list the operator-stated phone next to our verified intake line so you choose how to make contact.
2 verified clinics in Des Moines
Covert Action LLC
Des Moines at a glance
212,464
Residents
88.2 sq mi
Land area
34.6
Median age
$63,966
Median household income
6.7%
Uninsured (civilian)
11.1%
Families below poverty
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates (2023).
Overdose context for Polk County
Polk County reported a model-based drug poisoning death rate of 27.1 per 100,000 residents in 2021 (95% CI 25.6 to 28.7). That sits 4.9% below the national county mean of 28.5 per 100,000.
201918.1
202023.4
202127.1
Three-year change (18.1 to 27.1): +9 per 100,000.
County-level estimates are reported at the county level, not the city level. Source: NCHS Drug Poisoning Mortality by County (CDC dataset rpvx-m2md), 2019 to 2021 model-based estimates. NCHS urban/rural classification: Medium Metro.
Closest methadone clinic to Des Moines
Nearest verified opioid treatment program in Iowa: United Community Svcs INC in West Des Moines, about 5.9 miles (9.4 km) from Des Moines by straight-line distance. Driving time will run longer.
Why this matters for treatment access
Polk County reports a 2021 drug poisoning death rate of 27.1 per 100,000, modestly below the national county mean of 28.5. About 6.7% of residents are uninsured. Most clinics in the area accept Medicaid; confirm before scheduling intake. That works out to roughly 14,235 uninsured residents in Des Moines alone.
What to ask before you call
Methadone is a daily-dose program. That changes the questions you should be asking. Run through these before you commit to a clinic:
- What time does dosing start, and what time does it close? Daily methadone often means a 6am window five or six days a week.
- Which insurance plans do you bill? Medicaid coverage for OTPs varies by state plan and managed-care organization.
- How long does intake take from first call to first dose? In some states it is same-day. In others it can run a week.
- What is your take-home schedule? Federal rules let stable patients earn take-home doses over time. Clinic policy on how fast you earn them differs.
- Do you offer counseling on-site or do I coordinate it elsewhere?
If the in-city options do not fit
Closest alternative inside Iowa: United Community Svcs INC in West Des Moines, about 5.9 miles from Des Moines. Office-based buprenorphine is also available locally and does not require daily clinic visits.
Nearby cities with methadone clinics
West Des Moines (1 · 7.3km) Ankeny (1 · 14.3km) Knoxville (1 · 53.7km) Cedar Rapids (1 · 168.2km) Council Bluffs (1 · 190.1km)
Need office-based treatment instead of a daily-dosed OTP? Many providers in Des Moines prescribe buprenorphine in office settings. See Suboxone providers in Des Moines.
Want a non-opioid alternative? See Iowa Vivitrol providers for monthly extended-release naltrexone.
State-level access scoring, regulatory context, and the full directory live on the Iowa methadone hub.