Fresno, CA Drug Treatment and Alcohol Rehab Information

 
Fresno is a city in California located smack in the middle of the state, in a region commonly referred to as the Central Valley, which also contains the San Joaquin Valley. Ranked the fifth largest city in California, Fresno’s urban sprawl is surrounded by rural and agricultural areas.[1]

A high poverty rate of 27.1 percent (measured in 2010) and a high unemployment rate of 16 percent in 2011, which was higher than the California state average of 11 percent, may be indicators for drug abuse, crime, and mental illness.[2], [3] In 2009, an estimated 5.1 percent of the adult population in Fresno County was suffering from a serious mental illness.[4] The rate of adults with serious mental illness in Fresno is 2 percentage points higher than the state of California on average.[5]

What may be more alarming is that the state public mental health system only serves about 30 percent of those with mental health needs in California.[6] This may be partly due to funding, overcrowding, or individuals not recognizing the need for treatment. Intervention, prevention, and educational services run by nonprofit and community organizations strive to change the public perception and stigmas surrounding mental health and substance abuse, therefore encouraging more people to seek necessary treatment. Outside of public services, individuals have the option to seek private substance abuse or mental health services that may be more comprehensive and readily available.

 

Behavioral Health Services

The Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health is a network of public providers with more than 300 professionals on hand to provide substance abuse and mental health services to rural and metropolitan residents of the city and county of Fresno. These providers are sensitive to the potential language barriers, income disparities, and cultural differences within the area.[7] Services offered include:

  • Intensive services: Crisis services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and include assessment, stabilization, and inpatient services.
  • Adult outpatient services: Community-based treatment programs perform on an outpatient basis for individuals with mental health needs and may include case management, rehab, clinical services, medication, and peer support.
  • Substance use disorder services: Integrated prevention and treatment services are available for individuals battling substance abuse and addiction.
  • Managed care services: Medi-Cal recipients can receive private mental health services from one of the 142 contracted providers.[8]


The Fresno County Network of Care also provides a service directory of behavioral health care providers in the region as well.[9] Treatment for substance abuse and mental illness usually falls into one of two broad categories: residential or outpatient. Residential treatment means that the individual will stay onsite at a specialized facility for a set amount of time receiving therapy, counseling, life skills training, education, nutritional services, peer support, and a structured schedule. Outpatient services may include many of the same methods and programs; however, it may be more flexible, and individuals return home at the end of the day. Detox services for individuals dependent on drugs or alcohol may be offered in either of the two settings, although inpatient medical detox is the safest method for withdrawal from certain substances, such as alcohol, opiates, and benzodiazepines.

As needs change throughout recovery, people may move between levels of treatment and programs. Programs are public; open to low-income, uninsured, and Medi-Cal recipients; or private. Private treatment programs may accept Medi-Cal and private insurance policies as well. Most facilities have professionals on staff to help people work out funding.

 

Fresno as a Meth Capital

Methamphetamine has been an issue in the Central Valley of California for several years, and its presence may even be increasing recently. Meth is a powerful and highly addictive stimulant drug that is manufactured into a powder or crystal form in illegal laboratories. Super labs, which produce at least 10 pounds of meth at a time, were common in rural California at one point, using common farm fertilizer and over-the-counter cold products containing pseudoephedrine. In 2003, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) seized 55 super labs in the region, which was 43 percent of all super lab seizures in the state.[10]

The Central Valley HIDTA includes nine counties on top of Fresno County, including:  Sacramento, Kern, Kings, Tulare, Shasta, San Joaquin, Madera, Merced, and Stanislaus.[11] In 2005, the Combat Methamphetamine Act (CMEA) was passed, which placed tighter controls on the sale and purchase of pseudoephedrine- and ephedrine-containing products, making it more difficult to buy them in the amounts needed to produce such high quantities of meth.[12] Meth availability and abuse took an almost instantaneous hit in the region and across the United States.

It wasn’t long before Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and Mexican drug cartels picked up the slack, however. It is estimated that today close to 90 percent of the methamphetamine in America comes from Mexico, and California’s proximity to its southern neighbor may make it an easily accessible target area for drug smugglers.[13]

In 2011, the Central Valley HIDTA considered meth to be the region’s biggest drug threat, as creative DTOs found new and innovative ways to bring the drug or its ingredients across the border to set up production labs. In 2010, five of the seven super labs seized in California were in the Central Valley region.[14] A new technique called smurfing appeared, as Mexico law enforcement and legislation cracked down on its pseudoephedrine sales. With smurfing, meth producers send someone to multiple pharmacies in different areas to buy the maximum amount of the precursor stimulant allowable, enabling them to amass a bulk supply.

Meth seizures have been steadily climbing. In 2014, they saw a 300 percent jump over 2009 meth seizures for all points of entry into California.[15] Meth may be being smuggled into California from Mexico in liquid form and then reformed into a solid in illicit labs in California, as may be indicated by a Central Valley record meth bust recorded in early 2014 in Madera, California, just a mere half-hour from Fresno.[16] A growing trend in the Fresno area may be being transporting meth as a liquid from Mexico in iced tea and tequila bottles, thermoses, gas tanks, and other liquid containers to then convert into Mexican “ice” methamphetamine.[17] This process can be highly dangerous, and meth labs and reformation labs alike have a tendency to explode at times.

Meth produced or reformed in Central Valley may be then shipped via mail to other parts of the country. The DEA busted a Fresno-based methamphetamine trafficking ring that was mailing meth through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to Louisiana with intent to distribute in mid-2014.[18]

Recent Fresno and Central Valley methamphetamine information:

  • Almost 10,000 admissions for substance abuse treatment in the Central Valley region in 2014 were for meth, making it the number one substance individuals are seeking treatment for and showing an upward trend in recent years.[19]
  • Meth and crime are often related, and dangerous drug arrests in the Central Valley are steadily increasing. They approached 20,000 arrests in 2013.[20]
  • Between 2009 and 2010, meth seizure amounts tripled in the Central Valley up from around 1,000 kilograms to almost 2,500 kilograms.[21]
  • Super labs in and around Fresno may produce up to 150 pounds of meth at a time, and the Central Valley region is believed to be the location of most of the domestic super labs.[22]


Fresno County has a 12-Step, peer-support group program. The Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA) chapter in the area is available to help local individuals battling meth addiction.[23] Support groups are beneficial during recovery to provide a safe haven for individuals facing similar circumstances. There are many different kinds of CMA groups to support all kinds of different people.

 

Marijuana Presence in the Central Valley

The strength and establishment of Mexican drug cartels and DTOs in the Central Valley may make it likely for other drugs to be readily accessible as well. For instance, marijuana is often grown, cultivated, and produced in the rural regions of the Central Valley, and many of these marijuana-growing operations are probably operated by Mexican cartels.[24]

Marijuana is partially legal in the state of California, for medicinal use. While there are many legal grow operations to support this, many illegal ones may be using them as cover for their cultivation and production of recreational marijuana. The fertile lands and national forests in the Central Valley may be ideal for cannabis cultivation. Public lands may be hotspots for Mexican DTOs and cannabis growing operations to set up camp as they may be harder for law enforcement to get to, and regulations differ some on public versus private lands, making these areas prime targets for producing marijuana.

In 2010, it was estimated that 90 percent of the cannabis grown in outdoor grow operations on American soil were in only seven states: Washington, California, Hawaii, Kentucky, Oregon, Tennessee, and West Virginia (often referred to as the Marijuana 7 or M7).[25] In California alone, over 7 million cannabis plants were found and eradicated in 2010, and more than 1 million of these eradicated outdoor cannabis plants were located in the Central Valley.[26] The Shasta-Trinity National Forest in California’s Central Valley had the highest number of plants in any of the national forests eradicated in the US in 2010.[27]

Large-scale cannabis grow operations may be both indoor and outdoor, and crime rates may indicate their presence in the Central Valley as street gangs and cartels will violently defend their operations.[28] In 2010, in the Central Valley HIDTA region, almost 11,000 kilograms of marijuana was seized, which is up from just over 3,000 kilograms in 2007.[29] Across the Central Valley HIDTA, marijuana treatment admissions are actually declining, down to around 6,000 admissions in 2014 from closer to 7,000 in 2013.

Heroin Creeping In

Another drug that is seeing sharp increases in drug abuse indicators in and around Fresno and the Central Valley is heroin. Heroin treatment admissions rose 63 percent from 2012 to 2014 in the Central Valley HIDTA region. In Fresno County specifically, substance abuse treatment admissions listing heroin as the primary drug jumped from around 1,100 in 2012 to closer to 1,750 in 2014.[30]

The DTOs, cartels, and criminal organizations already trafficking meth and possibly marijuana in the Central Valley may be expanding into heroin as well.[31] Heroin coming up from Mexico is typically black or brown tar heroin.

Heroin is an opioid drug that may be seeping into the upper and middle classes as well as the economically disadvantaged, as numbers in 2013 indicate that heroin abusers nationwide are likely financially well-off, privately insured and many are between the ages of 18 and 25.[32] This new breed of heroin abuser may have first been dependent on prescription opioid narcotics. These users may be turning to a new and cheaper opioid source in heroin, as prescription painkillers become harder to find on the street and more tightly controlled by prescribers. In fact, 45 percent of heroin abusers in 2013 were also dependent on prescription opioid pain relievers.[33] With the rise in number of heroin abusers in Fresno and the Central Valley, narcotics arrests are also following a similar upward trend.[34]

 

Improving Mental Health

Substance abuse and addiction are commonly put into the same category of services or department as mental illness. They are often both headed under a department titled “behavioral health,” and they often co-occur. A dual diagnosis is when someone suffers from mental illness and a substance use disorder at the same time.

Mental illness and substance abuse both need to be treated in an integrated fashion as both can interfere with treatment of the other if not handled simultaneously. Substance abuse can make mental illness symptoms worse, for instance, and may interact with necessary medications. In California in 2010, approximately 1,175,000 individuals lived with a serious mental illness, which is when mental illness symptoms interfere with the functions of daily life.[35]

Untreated mental illness may lead someone to feel that suicide is a viable option, and in Fresno County, in 2009, there were 64 suicide deaths.[36] The Fresno County rate of suicide death was lower than the state overall, however; in Fresno, the rate was 6.6 per 100,000 population, while the California rate was 9.7 per 100,000 population.[37] It is estimated that about four youth under age 18 in Fresno County commit suicide each year. Particularly significant is that nationally the rate for those attempting, and not completing, suicide is more than 25 times greater those that actually commit suicide.[38] The Fresno Survivors of Suicide Loss (Fresno SOS) is an organization that works to help families of victims cope with the loss of a loved one, and also serves as a community education and prevention group that provides local resources for getting help early on.[39]

Both substance abuse and mental illness are treatable, and the right help and treatment program can make a huge difference in the lives of everyone involved. Behavioral health services often include preventative and crisis services as well as rehab and recovery support services. There are many levels of care and types of programs offered.

Most people who need treatment may not seek it for a variety of reasons; however, treatment can be highly beneficial and may drastically improve overall quality of life. Stay informed and understand all the options when seeking a mental health or behavioral health treatment program. Recovery may be only a phone call or mouse click away.

Fresno is a city that was born due to the need for travel. Back in 1872, according to the city’s website, the Central Pacific Railroad Company needed a station in California, and the company director for the railroad fell in love with the potential he saw in this sandy, sunny spot. While Fresno is much different than it was back then, one thing has not changed. It is still a hub of travel activity, and some people come to Fresno due to a need for addiction recovery.

Fresno has many treatment centers that could help people struggling with drugs, alcohol, or both. These are the top 15 options within the city’s limits:

  1. Central California Rehab: This large treatment facility serves the Fresno area, and it provides a number of different programs for people who have addictions. Medical detox, residential addiction treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, day treatment, and sober living are all available through this organization. There are programs made for people who have mental illnesses in addition to addiction, and there are legal resources available for those who have a court-mandated treatment program to complete. Counseling services are provided by state-certified professionals, and the treatment team also includes medical doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and lawyers. Care is provided in individual and group formats.

  2. Valley Recovery Center of California: The full spectrum of addiction care is available through this treatment provider. Residents of Fresno can take a quick trip up to Sacramento for residential medical detox services, and they can stay in Sacramento for follow-up residential care. When that is complete, these people can transfer back to the Fresno facility for outpatient care. There is a partial hospitalization program that offers care for six hours per day, and there is an intensive outpatient program that offers 3-5 sessions per week on a flexible schedule. All programs use a combination of individual therapy, family therapy, group therapy, and support group work to bring about addiction change.

  3. Aegis Treatment Center: Medications can help to soothe chemical imbalances caused by addiction, and they could be an important part of ongoing care for people with addictions. These medications allow people to focus on building a healthy lifestyle, since they can quench drug cravings. The team at this organization provides replacement therapy, along with individual counseling, group counseling, support group work, educational programs, social work, and peer review. This is a multidisciplinary approach that is designed to take advantage of the combined strength of all of these different types of therapy. Payments from insurance programs are accepted, and there is a sliding scale form of payment for people with financial difficulties.

  4. Fresno New Connections: This outpatient treatment center is conveniently located in Fresno, and it offers care for adults with addictions. This private, nonprofit organization is founded on the belief that addictions can impact a person’s mind, body, and spirit, and that recovery can be defined as a life that is comfortable even in the absence of mood-altering drugs. Care is community-based and culturally sensitive. Private insurance plan payments and Medi-Cal payments are accepted.

  5. Fresno Drug Rehab Centers: Superior care at an affordable price is the goal of this addiction treatment provider in Fresno. The team offers treatment programs that last 45-90 days, and they are appropriate for anyone who is addicted to alcohol and/or drugs. The client list is kept small, as the organization accepts only 8-10 residents in the treatment facility at any given time, and that small size allows everyone who enrolls to have individual attention. Therapies provided include group therapy, individual therapy, family therapy, exercise, yoga, music therapy, and art therapy. There is an aftercare program for ongoing support available to those who complete the program. Insurance plan payments are accepted.

  6. Medmark Treatment Centers: This large treatment provider offers 22 clinic locations all across the country. There is one conveniently located in Fresno, available to help adults in need of addiction recovery care. The team offers medication management for addictions to opioids, and the team provides individual and group counseling to help temporary sobriety habits become permanent. The organization believes that addiction care should be reasonably priced, so everyone who needs help can get it. An outpatient treatment model helps to keep costs down, but the care provided is still intense. People who enroll are offered an individualized treatment plan that might include medication, group counseling, case management, reintegration services, individual counseling, and relapse prevention education.

  7. MyLife Recovery Centers: The founders of this organization believe that addiction requires more than therapy. They believe that addiction is a complex brain disease that requires a treatment approach that is medically based and comprehensive. The team utilizes a subcutaneous form of medication management to assist with cravings, along with personalized one-on-one therapy provided on an outpatient basis. The therapy features aspects of life coaching, helping people to see their addiction issues clearly and holistically. With this help, people can learn more about what they should do to keep an addiction from returning. Financing is available.

  8. Delta Care Inc: Since 2007, this addiction treatment facility has provided medical and psychiatric help to those enduring financial hardship. Since addictions and poverty often go hand in hand, this provider offers a number of therapies that could be ideal for those living with a problem involving drugs and/or alcohol. This locally owned treatment provider offers medical and psychiatric help on an outpatient basis. The facility is clean and spacious, and all care is confidential.

  9. BAART Programs: Addictions to opiates are the exclusive focus of this treatment provider. The team can provide medications to assist with withdrawal from these drugs, and the team can offer those same medications at lower dosages for those who continue to struggle with cravings that put them at risk for relapse. Treatment programs also involve individual and group counseling, and people who enroll are encouraged to take advantage of 12-Step support groups in the community.

  10. Alpha Behavioral Counseling: Private counseling for mental health issues is provided by this organization. The team emphasizes a form of counseling known as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This form of therapy helps to highlight the connection between the way people think and the way people act, and it could be a very powerful form of treatment for those who have addictions that develop or persist for no discernable reason. The team can also provide counseling for couples. The treatment team is licensed and experienced, and there are counselors who speak Spanish as well as English. Treatment hours are flexible. Insurance plan payments are accepted, and fees are offered on a sliding scale.

  11. Eleventh Hour: This organization provides private intensive outpatient care and day treatment for people living with addictions. The treatment program consists of addiction education, group counseling, 12-Step meetings, and recovery planning. Those who complete the program can enroll in an aftercare program that offers group counseling once per week for six months. The team believes that addiction recovery should come at a reasonable price, and as a result, fees are intentionally low. Insurance payments are accepted too.

  12. Herndon Recovery Center: A full series of treatment options for addictions is available at this Fresno treatment center. Many people who enroll utilize more than one service on their recovery journey. Care may begin with medical detox, which is provided on a residential basis. Then, people may enroll in residential care in order to get intensive recovery programming in a safe and protected environment. Finally, there are outpatient programs that can help people continue to practice the lessons of recovery in a safe environment. There are family services available for people who want to provide support to a loved one who is achieving recovery. The treatment team is led by a board-certified psychiatrist who was once the Chief Psychiatrist with the Fresno County Department of Mental Health. Insurance plan payments are accepted.

  13. The Living Center: This facility offers care for both adults and adolescents who are living with an addiction. Treatment is typically provided on a residential basis, which allows people to move away from their harmful and destructive lives and into a center that is filled with peace and sobriety. Here, they are provided with a treatment program that may include medical detox, group therapy, individual counseling, family therapy, experiential learning, recreation therapy, and relapse prevention training. There are outpatient courses available for those who do not need around-the-clock support. Insurance plan payments are accepted.

  14. Turning Point of Central California: This organization is devoted to helping people with emotional and/or physical difficulties, including addiction, to become healthy and happy members of society. The organization does that work by partnering with a number of recovery organizations, including some that offer residential care and others that offer outpatient support. There are programs for both adults and adolescents, and there are special services available for those who have mental illnesses in addition to addiction. Donations, grants, and contracts with governmental agencies fund the work. The group hopes to help people get better, and often, people who utilize these services are unable to pay for them.

  15. King’s View Behavioral Health: Underserved populations in rural areas are the focus of this large organization. The team aims to help these people to overcome challenges involving mental health, so they can build healthy lives and become valuable members of their communities. Available drug and alcohol treatment services include medication management, outpatient counseling, and court-ordered or legally mandated recovery programming.

This is a snapshot of the addiction treatment programs ready and willing to serve you in Fresno. If you expand your search outside of the city’s limits, you may find even more. A quick phone call is usually all that is required to get the admissions process started, and in most cases, there is no charge for an admissions inquiry. The time to start is now.

 

[1] (2015). “Discover Fresno.” City of Fresno. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[2] (July 2013). “Mapping the Gaps. Mental Health in California.” California Health Care Foundation (CHCF). Accessed October 1, 2015.

[3] (July 2012). “Criterion 2:  County Mental Health System Updated Assessment of Service Needs.” Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[4] (July 2013). “Mapping the Gaps. Mental Health in California.” California Health Care Foundation (CHCF). Accessed October 1, 2015.

[5] (n.d.). “State Statistics: California.” NAMI State Advocacy 2010. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[6] Ibid.

[7] (n.d.). “Department of Behavioral Health.” The County of Fresno. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[8] Ibid.

[9] (2015). “Fresno County Behavioral Health.” Network of Care. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[10] (Mar. 2005). “Methamphetamine Drug Threat Assessment.” National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC). Accessed October 1, 2015.

[11] (n.d.). “About.” Central Valley California (CVC) High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). Accessed October 2, 2015.

[12] (n.d.). “CMEA (Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005).” U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Office of Diversion Control. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[13] Dibble, S. (Jan. 2015). “Record Border Meth Seizures.” The San Diego Union Tribune. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[14] (Aug. 2011). “Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Drug Threat Assessment 2011.” U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC). Accessed October 1, 2015.

[15] Dibble, S. (Jan. 2015). “Record Border Meth Seizures.” The San Diego Union Tribune. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[16] Serna, J. (Mar. 2014). “Methamphetamine Seizure is Among Largest Ever in Central Valley.” Los Angeles (LA) Times. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[17] (2015). “Meth Task Force.” Fresno Sherriff’s Office. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[18] (Sept. 2015). “Meth Trafficker Receives Over 12 Years in Prison for Fresno-Based Methamphetamine Conspiracy.” United States Department of Justice (DOJ). Accessed October 1, 2015.

[19] (May 2015). “Trends in Drug Abuse Treatment and the Drug Threat. Vol. 1:  Will Heroin Overtake Methamphetamine?” Central Valley California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). Accessed October 1, 2015.

[20] (May 2015). “Trends in Drug Abuse Treatment and the Drug Threat. Vol. 3:  Drug Arrests Compared With Treatment Numbers- Some Unexpected Findings.” Central Valley California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). Accessed October 1, 2015.

[21] (Dec. 2012). “Horrific Murder No Surprise in U.S. Meth Capital.” USA Today. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[22] Ibid.

[23] (2015). “Central Meth Anonymous Fellowship.” Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA). Accessed October 2, 2015.

[24] (Aug. 2011). “Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Drug Threat Assessment 2011.” U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC). Accessed October 1, 2015.

[25] Ibid.

[26] Ibid.

[27] Ibid.

[28] Ibid.

[29] Ibid.

[30] (May 2015). “Trends in Drug Abuse Treatment and the Drug Threat. Vol. 1:  Will Heroin Overtake Methamphetamine?” Central Valley California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). Accessed October 2, 2015.

[31] Ibid.

[32] (July 2015). “Today’s Heroin Epidemic.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Accessed October 2, 2015.

[33] Ibid.

[34] (May 2015). “Trends in Drug Abuse Treatment and the Drug Threat. Vol. 3:  Drug Arrests Compared With Treatment Numbers- Some Unexpected Findings.” Central Valley California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). Accessed October 2, 2015.

[35] (n.d.). “State Statistics: California.” NAMI State Advocacy 2010. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[36] (2009). “Data Summary Sheet on Suicide Deaths and Nonfatal Self-Inflicted Injuries Fresno County.” California Department of Mental Health Office of Suicide Prevention. Accessed October 2, 2015.

[37] Ibid.

[38] Furfaro, H. (May 2015). “Suicides of Two Kingsburg High Students Shake Community.” The Fresno Bee. Accessed October 2, 2015.

[39] (2010). “Fresno Survivors of Suicide Loss.” Fresno SOS. Accessed October 2, 2015.