California Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Center

Californians tend to use certain illicit drugs at higher rates than the nation as a whole. For example:

• Californians age 12 and older had higher rates of past-year marijuana use and past-year cocaine use than the national average in 2014-2015 (15.25% vs. 13.35% and 2.16% vs. 1.75%, respectively).¹
• Past-month illicit drug use among teens has consistently been above national averages since 2010, and it increased between 2012 and 2014.^1,2,3,4
• The rate of past-year alcohol use disorders among those 12 and older in California was also slightly higher than the nation as a whole in 2014-2015 (6.6% vs. 6.1%).³

Despite the prevalence of substance abuse in California, on average, only 7.2% of those aged 12 and older who needed treatment for alcohol dependence or abuse received it during 2010-2014. During the same period, on average, only 11.7% of those aged 12 and older with illicit drug dependence or abuse received the treatment they needed.⁴

The state has seen its share of drug overdose deaths, like the rest of the country. About 4,500 Californians died from drug overdoses in 2014, a 50% increase from 2002.⁵  From 2013-2015, Orange County averaged about 5,500 hospitalizations and 700 deaths from substance abuse-related causes.⁶ The leading cause of death was accidental overdoses from prescription opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone.⁶ 

In Los Angeles County, nearly 400 deaths involved prescription opioids each year from 2006-2013, and prescription opioids were involved in about 60% of all drug-related deaths during that time period.⁷

Many residents and nonresidents seek substance addiction treatment in California. The state is well-known for the number of rehab centers it offers. No matter what kind of program you’re looking for—be it inpatient/residential or outpatient—you have a good chance of finding it here.

If you are thinking of traveling for treatment, find out whether your insurance will cover treatment out of state. If you’re already in the state, see if there’s a local program that will meet your needs or whether getting help in another part of the state is a better option.

Many people use insurance to pay for drug and alcohol abuse treatment. However, not having insurance doesn’t necessarily preclude you from getting help.

Other ways to pay for treatment include taking out a loan, borrowing from savings, and seeing whether you qualify for public insurance programs such as Medi-Cal and Medicare. In many cases, you may even be able to work out a payment plan with the center.

You can contact us anytime for questions about treatment programs and payment options at 1-888-744-0069 Who Answers?.

• California Alcoholics Anonymous: AA hosts meetings in every region of the state. The program uses a step-by-step recovery method to help people achieve sobriety.
• California Narcotics Anonymous (North, South, Central): NA also has meetings available in most California cities. The program is based on AA but focuses specifically on drugs other than alcohol.
• Medi-Cal: Medi-Cal provides healthcare to needy individuals and families. Many rehab centers in the state (though not all) accept Medi-Cal as payment.
• California Youth Crisis Line: This helpline is available 24/7 to assist youth and families who are struggling with trauma, depression, drug use, bullying, and other problems.
• California Department of Health Care Services: Get information about many different health care and behavioral health services for residents, including youth mental health programs, suicide prevention, substance use disorders, and services for seniors, women, and veterans.
• Narcotic treatment programs in California: Use this interactive map from the California Department of Health Care Services to find programs in the state that provide medication-assisted treatment to people who are addicted to opioids.
• NAMI California: Get support, help others, and learn more about mental illness in the Golden State.

1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. National Survey on Drug Use and Health State Tabs: California.
2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Results from the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed Tables.
3. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Behavioral Health Barometer: California, Volume 4: Indicators as measured through the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, and the Uniform Reporting System. HHS Publication No. SMA–17–Baro– 16–States–CA. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2017.
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Behavioral Health Barometer: California, 2015. HHS Publication No. SMA–16–Baro–2015–CA. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2015.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drug Poisoning Mortality: United States, 1999-2015
6. Orange County Health Care Agency and Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department. (2017). Drug & Alcohol Morbidity and Mortality in Orange County.
7. County of Los Angeles Public Health. (2015). Rx Opioid misuse/abuse and Consequences. Substance Abuse Prevention and Control: Medical Director’s Brief. No. 2.