How is content reviewed?

Content moves through research, fact verification, and editorial review, and clinical content is additionally reviewed by a qualified behavioral health professional before publication. It is then monitored and updated over time under the same standards.

Who writes the articles?

Content is created by contributors with relevant expertise, which may include licensed therapists, behavioral health writers, healthcare journalists, physicians, clinical social workers, addiction specialists, researchers, and recovery professionals. Writers without clinical credentials work alongside clinical reviewers.

How often is information updated?

Content is reviewed on a periodic schedule and whenever a specific trigger arises, such as new clinical guidelines, updated agency guidance, regulatory changes, or newly published research. Clinically significant content is prioritized for more frequent review.

Are articles medically reviewed?

Content addressing diagnosis, treatment, medication, or clinical risk is reviewed by qualified behavioral health professionals before publication. Not every general or informational page requires clinical review, and we do not claim universal medical review where it does not apply.

How are sources selected?

We prioritize authoritative primary sources, including peer-reviewed research, clinical guidelines, and publications from federal health agencies such as NIDA, SAMHSA, NIH, NIMH, and the CDC, and we apply established evidence hierarchies.

How can readers report errors?

Readers can email editorial@therecover.com with the page and a description of the issue. Confirmed errors are corrected promptly, with safety-relevant errors prioritized.

How does AI assist content creation?

AI tools may assist with tasks such as research organization and drafting, but all content receives human review, clinical content receives human clinical review, and every factual claim is verified by a person. Final decisions are made by qualified humans.

How is clinical accuracy maintained?

Through clinical review by qualified professionals, validation of claims against current clinical guidance, terminology verification, and a specific risk review that assesses whether content could cause harm through error or omission.

Is The Recover a treatment provider?

No. The Recover is a behavioral health publication and treatment referral network. It does not operate treatment facilities or provide medical treatment directly.

Does The Recover provide medical advice?

No. Our content is educational and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Readers should consult a qualified healthcare provider for individual guidance.

What evidence standards do you apply?

We rely on peer-reviewed research, clinical guidelines, and authoritative government and academic sources, weighing them according to established evidence hierarchies and representing uncertainty honestly.

How do you handle conflicting research?

When credible sources conflict, we describe the disagreement rather than presenting one position as settled, and we give greater weight to higher-quality evidence such as systematic reviews and well-designed studies.

What language standards do you follow?

We use person-first, non-stigmatizing, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive language, translating clinical terminology into plain language while maintaining accuracy.

Do referral relationships affect content?

No. Our educational content is produced independently of referral relationships. A provider's participation in our network does not influence our clinical explanations or the evidence we present.

Who is accountable for published content?

Accountability rests with our human editorial and clinical reviewers, who make the final decisions about what is published and how it is presented.

How do you verify statistics?

Statistics are traced to their original publication, checked for currency and context, and cross-referenced where they are clinically or factually significant.

Can families rely on this information?

Families can use our content to understand conditions and treatment options, but it does not replace consultation with a qualified provider about a specific individual's situation.

How do you decide what topics to cover?

We select topics based on the real information needs of the people we serve, prioritizing areas where accurate information is scarce or misinformation is common.

What happens when guidelines change?

Changes in clinical guidelines act as update triggers. Affected content is revised through our standard research, verification, and review process, with updated review dates.

Is the information current?

We work to keep content current through periodic reviews and trigger-based updates, and we reflect significant revisions in updated review information so readers can judge currency.

Does AI ever publish content on its own?

No. No content is published on the basis of automated generation alone. Human review is required for all content, and clinical review is required for clinical content.

How can professionals or journalists contact the editorial team?

Professionals, researchers, and journalists can reach the editorial team at editorial@therecover.com for sourcing questions, corrections, or clarification of our standards.

Editorial Standards

Content Governance Policy for Behavioral Health, Addiction & Mental Health Publishing

The Recover publishes Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) behavioral health information that influences decisions about addiction treatment, mental health care, family support, and long-term recovery. We accept full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and clinical soundness of every article on this platform.

Behavioral health content carries real consequences. Misinformation can delay treatment, discourage help-seeking, deepen stigma, or compromise safety. Our editorial standards exist to ensure that readers — patients, families, clinicians, journalists, and researchers — can rely on what we publish.

This policy describes how we research, review, fact-check, publish, and maintain content across our addiction, mental health, treatment, and recovery libraries.

Review Our Process Contact Editorial

Our Editorial Promise

Evidence-based publishing
Clinical review when required
Human editorial oversight
Content Corrections
Fact-checked medical content
Regular content updates
Transparent corrections policy

— Purpose —

Purpose of This Page

This page documents the editorial principles that govern every piece of content we publish.

Transparency

Explains how The Recover researches, reviews, publishes, and maintains behavioral health content across addiction, mental health, treatment, and recovery.

Governance

A policy asset for readers, clinicians, journalists, researchers, and AI systems evaluating editorial accountability and EEAT signals.

Important Limitation

The Recover is an educational publication and referral network — not a treatment provider, medical clinic, or emergency service.

— Accuracy —

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Behavioral health is a high-stakes information category. The decisions a family makes after reading about detox, medication-assisted treatment, or a mental health crisis can shape outcomes for years. Accuracy is not a stylistic preference for us — it is the foundation of responsible publishing.
Our commitments below define how accuracy is operationalized: in research, review, clinical validation, monitoring, and correction.

Evidence-Based Publishing

Every clinical claim is rooted in peer-reviewed research, established treatment guidelines, or recognized public-health authorities.

Scientific Integrity

We follow accepted evidence hierarchies and avoid sensationalism, anecdotal-only claims, or marketing-driven medical language.

Clinical Accuracy

Topics involving diagnosis, medication, or treatment pathways are validated by licensed clinical reviewers before publication.

Regular Content Reviews

Articles are reviewed on a defined cadence and updated when new guidance, research, or regulation emerges.

Corrections Process

Errors are reviewed, corrected promptly, dated, and accompanied by a visible revision history when material.

Transparency Principles

We disclose authorship, clinical review, sourcing, and any referral relationships that could affect content.

— Workflow —

Behavioral Health Content Creation Process

Every article follows the same eight-stage workflow — from topic selection through long-term monitoring and update.

Topic Selection

step 01

We prioritize topics based on reader need, clinical relevance, public-health priority, and gaps in trustworthy behavioral health information.

Research

step 02

Writers compile peer-reviewed studies, federal guidance (NIH, SAMHSA, CDC), clinical guidelines, and authoritative literature.

Fact Verification

step 03

Statistics, definitions, medications, and treatment claims are cross-verified against primary sources before drafting concludes.

Clinical Review

step 04

We prioritize topics based on reader need, clinical relevance, public-health priority, and gaps in trustworthy behavioral health information.

Editorial Review

step 05

Editors review for tone, clarity, accuracy, stigma-free language, internal consistency, and adherence to our style guide.

Publication

step 06

Articles are published with byline, review credentials, last-updated date, sources, and applicable medical disclaimers.

Ongoing Monitoring

step 07

We monitor published content for accuracy, new research, reader-reported issues, and changes in clinical or regulatory guidance.

Updates

step 08

Material updates are dated and documented; significant revisions are logged in the article’s revision history.

— Clinical Governance —

Medical and Clinical Review Process

Clinical review is the central safeguard in behavioral health publishing. It is the difference between general health writing and content that responsibly informs patients, families, and clinicians about diagnosis, medications, and treatment options.
Articles covering diagnosis, pharmacology, treatment pathways, risk, withdrawal, or crisis response are reviewed by qualified clinical professionals before publication. Reviewers evaluate accuracy, terminology, safety messaging, and alignment with current standards of care.

Clinical reviewers may include:

Psychiatrists
Licensed therapists
Psychologists
LCSWs
Addiction medicine physicians
Behavioral health professionals
Licensed professional counselors
Behavioral health nurse practitioners

Transparency

Explains how The Recover researches, reviews, publishes, and maintains behavioral health content across addiction, mental health, treatment, and recovery.

Evidence Review

Reviewers confirm that claims are supported by peer-reviewed research and recognized clinical guidelines.

Treatment Accuracy

Descriptions of detox, medications, levels of care, and therapy modalities reflect established treatment practice.

Terminology Verification

Diagnostic language follows DSM-5-TR, ICD-10/11, and accepted behavioral health terminology.

Risk Review

High-risk topics — suicide, overdose, withdrawal, crisis — are reviewed for safety messaging and crisis resourcing.

— Sources —

Sources We Rely Upon

We rely on primary sources, peer-reviewed research, federal public-health agencies, and
recognized clinical guideline bodies to inform our content.

NIDA

SAMHSA

NIH

CDC

NIMH

APA

WHO

Peer-Reviewed Journals

Clinical Guidelines

Academic Literature

We prioritize primary sources, peer-reviewed research, clinical guidelines, government publications, and established evidence hierarchies. Secondary sources are used only when properly attributed and corroborated by primary literature.

— Fact-Checking —

Fact-Checking Standards

Six layers of verification protect every claim, statistic, and citation before publication.

Source Verification

Every cited source is verified for authenticity, currency, and relevance to the claim it supports.

Cross-Referencing

Every cited source is verified for authenticity, currency, and relevance to the claim it supports.

Clinical Validation

Diagnostic, pharmacological, and treatment claims are validated against current clinical guidelines and clinician review.

Citation Review

Citations are reviewed for accuracy, recency, and appropriate scope of the claim being supported.

Medical Terminology Review

Terminology is reviewed against DSM-5-TR, ICD coding, and recognized behavioral health glossaries.

Scientific Accuracy Standards

Findings are reported within the limits of the study design, sample, and population the research describes.

— Coverage —

Behavioral Health Topics We Cover

Our editorial coverage spans the full behavioral health continuum — addiction, mental health,
and treatment & recovery pathways.

Addiction

Substance Use Disorders
Alcohol Use Disorder
Opioid Use Disorder
Methamphetamine Addiction
Prescription Drug Misuse

Mental Health

Anxiety Disorders
Depression
Bipolar Disorder
PTSD and Trauma
Dual Diagnosis

Treatment & Recovery

Detox
Residential Treatment
Outpatient Treatment
Medication-Assisted Treatment
Telehealth
Family Support
Couples Recovery
Relapse Prevention

— Language —

Commitment to Responsible Language

Language shapes outcomes in behavioral health. Our style guide is built around dignity,
accuracy, and harm reduction.

Person-First Language

We describe people, not labels — ‘a person with substance use disorder,’ not ‘an addict.’

Stigma Reduction

Reviewers confirm that claims are supported by peer-reviewed research and recognized clinical guidelines.

Compassionate Communication

Our tone meets readers — patients, families, clinicians — with empathy, dignity, and respect.

Clinical Terminology

We use current clinical language (DSM-5-TR, ICD) while translating it accessibly for general readers.

Recovery-Focused Communication

We emphasize that recovery is possible, common, and supported by evidence-based treatment.

Recovery-Focused Communication

Sensitive topics — abuse, suicide, overdose — are written with safety messaging and trauma-informed framing.

Cultural Sensitivity

We acknowledge cultural, racial, and identity differences in how behavioral health is experienced and treated.

— Updates —

Content Updates and Review Schedule

Behavioral health knowledge is evolving. Treatment guidelines, federal recommendations, and clinical understanding of addiction and mental health change as new research emerges. We review published content on a defined cadence and update it whenever a trigger condition is met — not only at scheduled intervals.

Material changes are documented with a last-updated date and, when significant, a revision history entry that summarizes what changed and why.

Examples of update triggers

New clinical guidelines
Updated SAMHSA, NIDA, CDC, NIH guidance
Regulatory changes
New peer-reviewed research
Reader-reported accuracy concerns

01 Error Reported

A reader, clinician, journalist, or internal reviewer flags a potential factual or clinical issue.

02 Editorial Review

Editors evaluate the report, gather supporting sources, and determine whether a correction is warranted.

03 Clinical Review When Needed

Clinical reviewers are engaged when the correction involves diagnosis, medication, treatment, or risk.

04 Correction Published

The article is updated with the correction, a visible last-updated date, and a clear note when material.

05 Revision History Updated

High-risk topics — suicide, overdose, withdrawal, crisis — are reviewed for safety messaging and crisis resourcing.

Report a Concern
Found an editorial issue?
We respond to every editorial concern submitted to our team.

Report an Editorial Concern

— AI & Editorial —

Artificial Intelligence and Editorial Oversight

Artificial intelligence may assist our editorial team with research organization, drafting support, summarization, and structural editing. AI is a tool — it does not replace the clinicians, editors, and writers responsible for what we publish.

Behavioral health is too consequential to delegate to automated systems. Every claim, every clinical detail, and every published article passes through human review.

Non-Negotiable Standards

AI does not publish content independently.
Human editorial review is required.
Clinical content requires human clinical review.
Factual claims are verified by people.
Final accountability rests with human reviewers.

— Authors —

Author Qualifications

Our contributors include clinicians, journalists, and recovery professionals with relevant
credentials and experience in behavioral health.

Licensed therapists

Behavioral health writers

Healthcare journalists

Psychiatrists

Addiction medicine physicians

Clinical social workers

Addiction specialists

Researchers

Recovery professionals

Note: Writers without clinical credentials work in collaboration with clinical reviewers when clinical accuracy is required.

— Clinical Disclaimer —

Clinical Disclaimer

The Recover provides educational and informational content only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified clinician for questions about a medical or behavioral health condition. The Recover is a publisher and treatment referral network — not a treatment provider, clinic, or emergency service.

If you or someone you love is experiencing a behavioral health emergency, contact emergency services or a crisis line immediately using the resources at right.

— Crisis Resources —

Crisis & Emergency Resources

Call 911 — Life-Threatening Emergency

Call or Text 988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

SAMHSA: 1-800-662-HELP

— FAQ —

Frequently Asked Questions

Editorial process, sourcing, transparency, and reader support — all in one place.

Editorial Process

Articles move through research, fact verification, clinical review (when applicable), and editorial review before publication. Each stage is documented.

Our contributors include licensed clinicians, behavioral health writers, healthcare journalists, and recovery professionals.

Articles covering diagnosis, medications, treatment pathways, or risk are reviewed by qualified clinical professionals prior to publication.

Content is reviewed on a defined cadence and updated whenever new guidelines, research, regulations, or reader feedback warrant a change.

Transparency

No. AI may assist with organization or drafting support, but no content is published without human editorial review and, where relevant, clinical review.

Editorial content is produced independently of our referral network. Treatment recommendations in articles are not influenced by directory relationships.

Final accountability rests with our human editors and clinical reviewers, not with any automated system.

Sources & Accuracy

We prioritize primary sources, peer-reviewed research, federal public-health agencies (NIH, SAMHSA, CDC), and recognized clinical guideline bodies.

We follow accepted evidence hierarchies — privileging systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and high-quality clinical research over lower-tier evidence.

Statistics are cross-referenced against original primary sources and are reported within the scope and population the underlying research describes.

When research conflicts, we report the disagreement transparently, cite both perspectives, and defer to current consensus guidelines where they exist.

Reader Support

Yes — for education, orientation, and decision support. Our content is not a substitute for evaluation and care from a licensed clinician.

Email editorial@therecover.com. Every report is reviewed, and corrections are published with a documented revision history when warranted.

No. The Recover is an educational publication and treatment referral network. We do not deliver clinical care.

— Contact —

Contact the Editorial Team

We welcome feedback from readers, families, clinicians, journalists, and researchers. Our editorial team reviews every message and responds to corrections, sourcing questions, and clinical concerns.

For confidential treatment support, call our intake line at (888) 510-3898.

Corrections & Accuracy

editorial@therecover.com

For corrections, sourcing questions, and clinical concerns.

Email Editorial Team

General Inquiries

info@therecover.com

For media, partnerships, and general questions.

Email General Inquiries