Expert Insights
Recently, The High Desert Community Coalition has started to distribute Narcan to the Victorville, CA community and teach them how to administer it. Through a news article I learned that firefighters, paramedics, and law enforcement have been administering it, but now community members will be able to access it at places like convenience stores, hotels, smoke shops, and liquor stores. This is incredibly important because Narcan saves lives and should be in the hands of every person, whether they use drugs or not.
~ Kelly Fitzgerald Junco
Paying for Alcohol and Drug Rehab in Victorville
Rehab is often thought of as unaffordable, and it shouldn’t be that way. You can still receive quality and professional treatment for a substance use disorder regardless of your income level.
Several options come into play when deciding how to pay for drug and alcohol rehab in Victorville, California:
- Private health insurance: Having private health insurance, such as Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, etc., is one of the best ways to make care more affordable. However, the extent of your coverage will depend on your specific policy and whether it’s considered in-network with your intended facility.
- Medi-Cal: Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program. Medicaid is a public health insurance program that aims to provide healthcare services for low-income individuals and families who meet specific eligibility requirements. The primary eligibility requirements for Medi-Cal are that your income level must fall below the federal poverty line, and you must be a legal resident of the state and county where you’ll be receiving treatment.4
- State-funded: State-funded rehab is either free or provides low-cost care for those who have no other options. State-funded treatment includes residential care, outpatient, and even opioid addiction treatment medication from methadone clinics.
Some of the free drug and alcohol rehabs in Victorville, California, include:
- Victory Valley Center for Change
- Granite Recovery Centers
- Above it All Treatment Centers
- Inland Behavioral and Health Services Inc.- Westside Counseling Center
Alcohol and Drug Use Statistics in Victorville, California
Here are some of the most recent and eye-opening statistics involving substance use disorders in Victorville and San Bernardino County:3
Over the past ten years, San Bernardino County saw a 103% increase in opiate admissions and an 18% in alcohol admissions.
In 2019, 11% of serious collisions involving motor vehicles in San Bernardino County involved alcohol.
Over the past ten years, overdose-related deaths involving illicit substances within the county steadily increase by 12.9 deaths per year.
20% of individuals receiving substance use disorder treatment in 2019 and 2020 also received mental health treatment.
- In 2019, alcohol-involved collisions took 77 lives in San Bernardino as well.
- Roughly half (45%) of the individuals served by the county’s substance use disorder services are white, followed by 38% Latino, and 9% black people.
Overdose fatalities can be prevented simply by calling emergency services and administering naloxone (Narcan) if possible.
California has enacted a Good Samaritan law in conjunction with naloxone access and immunity.2 This law is meant to protect those who call emergency services from prosecution for drug possession while also making naloxone – an opioid reversal medication – accessible to the public.2
California Alcohol and Drug Laws
California law includes the following policies related to substance abuse:1,2,3,4,5
California Employee Protections for Drug or Alcohol Rehab: California’s labor code requires employers with 25 or more employees to provide accommodation to staff who voluntarily choose to attend alcohol or drug rehab. This may include unpaid time off or use of sick or vacation time. Employees who wish to request time off for addiction treatment may be able to request it under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act.
Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act: This act provides treatment opportunities for individuals who are convicted of non-violent crimes. Eligible offenders may serve their time in drug treatment rather than in prison.
California Government Prevention and Care Services: Senate Bill 110 expanded these services to include contingency management (an incentivized treatment program) as a benefit covered under Medi-Cal. Patients who demonstrate substance-free behavior, such as drug-free urine tests, are rewarded with vouchers or gift cards.
California Ethical Treatment for Persons with Substance Use Disorder Act: This bill protects residents undergoing addiction treatment by requiring alcohol and drug rehabs in California to adopt a client bill of rights that seeks to ensure every client is treated with dignity, honesty, and respect.
California’s Good Samaritan Law: This law encourages California residents to call 9-1-1 if an overdose is suspected. It protects individuals who seek emergency medical care for overdose from legal repercussions for possession of a controlled substance/drug paraphernalia or providing alcohol to minors.
Levels of Care for Substance Abuse
Multiple levels of care exist for alcohol and drug rehabs in Victorville. Some residents require all levels of care during their journey to recovery, while others receive only the less intensive options.
Medical Detox
Detoxification is the process of safely and comfortably removing drugs or alcohol from your body while in a supervised medical setting. Many people choose a medical detox program to help prevent or manage severe withdrawal symptoms. This is usually the first step in the recovery process.
Inpatient Care
An inpatient or residential setting involves living at an accredited rehab facility 24/7 to receive treatment for addiction. A combination of evidence-based interventions is provided, including things like individual and group therapy, nutritional counseling, and medication administration.
Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs)
PHPs are a type of outpatient treatment in California that often involve many of the same therapies and methods of inpatient care. The difference is that you only visit the Victorville drug rehab during scheduled session times, then you can return home.
Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs)
A step down from PHPs, IOPs are a type of outpatient treatment in California allowing you to attend onsite sessions for several hours a day, multiple days each week, while spending the rest of your time at home, working, or fulfilling other obligations.
Standard Outpatient
As the least intensive setting, standard outpatient care is best for California residents with a strong support system and a high level of motivation. It involves just one or two hours of treatment per week.
Relapse Prevention
Aftercare, or relapse prevention, provides ongoing support after a rehabilitation program is complete. Aftercare may include 12-step groups, non-12-step groups like SMART Recovery, ongoing therapy, sober living homes, and more.
Traveling for Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Victorville
Whether it’s you or someone you care about seeking treatment from one of the alcohol and drug rehabs in Victorville, California, it’s a good idea to get to know the city a little better. This way, when you have visitors or go to visit your loved one, it’ll be easier to get around and even make plans to sightsee while you’re in town.
Hotels: Given its Inland Empire location in the heart of Southern California, there are an endless number of hotels to choose from that can suit a wide variety of budgets. If you’re dependent on public transportation to get around, it’s recommended that you choose a hotel as close to the treatment facility as possible to make visiting your loved one easier.
Transportation and Walkability: Generally, Victorville isn’t very walkable outside of Central City, East Bear Valley, and West City. Its public transportation is also limited to the inner-city rail and public buses, which means you’ll want to rent a car upon visiting to get around easier.
The closest airport to Victorville, CA, is the San Bernardino International Airport (SBD) which is less than an hour away. Other nearby airports include Ontario/San Bernardino (ONT), Santa Ana Airport (SNA), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and the San Diego Airport (SAN). Of course, you’ll need to plan your transportation via bus or car rental if you decide to fly into SNA, SAN, or LAX, as they are each more than an hour away from Victorville, CA.
Community: Victorville is located at the high point between Los Angeles and Las Vegas in Southern California. It’s considered a growing and vibrant community that’s home to clean air, beautiful mountain vistas, family-friendly recreational activities, and breathtaking sunsets. Victorville is also just a few hours from Southern California’s beaches, national parks, mountain retreats, and plenty of other major attractions.5
Resources
- Life Stories. (n.d.). San Bernardino County Opioid Death Statistics.
- California Legislation Information. (n.d.). Chapter 9. Liability Limitation.
- San Bernardino County | Community Indicators. (n.d.). Substance Abuse.
- San Bernardino County | Transitional Assistance Department. (n.d.). Medi-Cal.
- Victorville, CA. (n.d.). About Victorville.
