Addiction Treatment Affiliate Program: The Rules That Keep It Working

Why the rules are strict

In the late 2010s, reporting and investigations into patient brokering and deceptive rehab marketing led to major changes across the industry. Google restricted addiction treatment ads and introduced a certification requirement. Meta added its own certification and permission process. Congress passed the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act as part of the SUPPORT Act in 2018.

The result is that buyers in this space are cautious, and one bad traffic source can get a whole network flagged. Clear rules are what keep treatment centers willing to buy calls, which is what keeps publishers paid. Think of the rules below as what it takes to work in a market that rewards quality precisely because it's hard to enter.

Traffic we accept

• Organic search from content you own and operate
• Google Business Profile and map listings that accurately represent who answers the phone
• Paid search and call-only ads, run in compliance with Google's addiction services policy
• Social media, including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, run in compliance with platform rules
• Directories and resource sites with clear, honest information
• Inbound call centers that handle treatment inquiries and transfer callers with their knowledge

Traffic we don't accept

• Incentivized calls. No gift cards, cash, travel, housing or anything else of value offered to callers.
• Impersonation. No ads, listings or scripts posing as a specific facility, a government agency or a public hotline.
• Misleading claims. No "free rehab," guaranteed outcomes or promises of insurance coverage.
• Unconsented outbound calls or texts. Outbound marketing calls and texts are subject to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and state laws, and we don't accept them without proper consent.
• Recycled or aged traffic passed off as fresh inquiries
• Brand bidding on treatment center names without permission
• Hidden routing, where callers don't know who they're being connected to

Ad platform requirements

If you run paid traffic, the platforms' rules apply to you directly, not just to the treatment centers you send calls to.

• Google Ads requires LegitScript certification to promote recovery-oriented drug and alcohol addiction services in the U.S., and the policy explicitly includes lead generators and referral agencies. Not every business is eligible.
• Meta requires LegitScript certification and written permission from Meta for addiction treatment ads targeting people in the U.S.

We'll ask how your paid traffic is certified during review. Running uncertified ads puts your ad accounts and your earnings at risk, and it isn't allowed on our network.

Ad copy and landing page guidelines

Good copy in this field is honest and calm. It treats the reader as an adult making a hard decision. A few examples:

Landing pages should say who operates the site, make clear that calls go to treatment providers and include a privacy policy. Approved scripts and claims are shared with every partner before launch, and our team reviews creative before it goes live.

Consent and privacy

Every caller on our network hears a recording notice before connecting. On your side:

• Don't collect health details through forms unless you're prepared to protect that data properly
• Don't sell, share or reuse caller information outside the program
• Be transparent on your site about how calls are handled and who answers them
• Disclose your relationship with us clearly, in line with FTC guidance on material connections

Call center standards

If you operate an inbound call center, a few additional expectations apply. Agents must tell callers they're being connected to a treatment provider before transferring. Agents shouldn't diagnose, recommend a level of care or promise coverage, cost or admission. Scripts are reviewed before launch, and recordings may be reviewed afterward. The goal is simple: the caller should never be surprised by who they end up talking to.

How we review and monitor traffic

Review doesn't stop after approval. We look at call patterns, states and, where relevant, recordings to make sure traffic stays consistent with what was approved. Sudden changes, such as a spike in very short calls or calls from states you don't normally reach, prompt a conversation with your publisher manager. Most issues are fixed quickly when they're caught early.

A pre-launch checklist

Before any new source, page or campaign goes live, run through this list:

• The site or ad clearly states who operates it
• Copy avoids "free," guarantees and coverage promises
• Calls are described as going to licensed treatment providers
• Paid campaigns run under the required platform certifications
• A privacy policy and affiliate disclosure are visible
• Emergency guidance appears on pages about overdose or withdrawal
• Your publisher manager has approved the creative

If you can check every box, you're very unlikely to run into problems later.

What happens when a rule is broken

Traffic that breaks network rules is paused while we review it. Depending on the issue, that can mean a warning and a fix, non-payment for affected calls or removal from the program. Serious violations, such as incentivized callers or impersonation, are treated as grounds for immediate removal.