Sacramento, CA Drug Treatment and Alcohol Rehab Information

 
The capital of California, set in a geographically diverse county with an equally ethnically and culturally diverse population, Sacramento is a picturesque and historic city located in the northern part of California’s Central Valley. Sacramento County is a part of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) along with nine other neighboring counties.

The range of geography in Sacramento County may account for some of the drug activity in the area. Sacramento has a highly developed highway infrastructure that may allow Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) to smuggle drugs across the southwestern border, into the neighboring city of San Jose, and then onward into Sacramento, which may be a hub for transporting drugs into other parts of the county.[1] Methamphetamine and marijuana may also be produced locally in the Central Valley and then moved through Sacramento, out across California, and into other states.[2]

Drug prevalence in the area can influence substance abuse and dependency rates as well as property and violent crimes and even mental health. Substance abuse can disrupt mental illness treatment and make symptoms worse. Mental illness and substance abuse also often occur together in the same person at the same time, and both are generally considered behavioral health issues and fall under the treatment arm of behavioral health services.

 

Sacramento Substance Abuse and Mental Illness  Statistics

Data related to substance abuse in Sacramento and the surrounding areas:

Tobacco

  • Sacramento County has a higher rate of current tobacco smokers (2013 data) than the state average; 14 percent of the population smokes, which more than the California state rate of 11.6 percent.[3]
  • Emergency department (ED) visits related to tobacco in downtown Sacramento are double the rates for the county.[4]
  • One-third of the residents of the Woodlake and Old North Sacramento neighborhoods are current smokers (in 2013).[5]


Alcohol

  • The number one abused substance by youth in Sacramento County, as of 2014, was alcohol.[6]
  • Almost 30 percent of Sacramento County 11th graders reported past-month drinking, which is generally considered a measure of current alcohol abuse (2009-2011).[7]
  • From numbers collected between 2009 and 2011, approximately 43 percent of the county’s 9th graders had tried alcohol before they turned 15.[8]
  • Almost 20 percent of 11th graders (on average between 2009 and 2011) reported past-month binge drinking, which is more than five drinks in about a two-hour time period.[9]
  • In 2007, over 30 percent of the residents in Sacramento County reported past-month binge drinking, which was just above the state average.[10]

Illicit drugs

  • Methamphetamine is considered the biggest drug concern in Central Valley California (CVC). In 2014, more than 1,600 individuals were admitted for substance abuse treatment in Sacramento County listing meth as the primary drug of abuse.[11]
  • Substance abuse-related ED visits in downtown Sacramento were way higher than county rates. In 2010, the rate was 1,518 per 100,000 population and the county rate was closer to 300 per 100,000 population.[12]
  • Hospitalizations in downtown Sacramento for substance abuse were also higher than county rates in 2013, as 763 residents per 100,000 population were hospitalized as compared to 176 per 100,000 population.[13]
  • Heroin abuse is on the rise, and treatment admissions went from under 1,000 in 2010 to over 1,600 in 2010 in Sacramento County.[14]
  • The number of Central Valley residents admitted to substance abuse treatment for marijuana abuse and/or dependency is declining. It was just under 6,000 people in 2010.[15]
  • Approximately 26 percent of 11th graders on average between 2009 and 2011 reported abusing marijuana four or more times in their lifetime.[16]

Drugs and crime

  • In Sacramento County, 83 percent of males arrested in 2013 had at least one drug in their system at the time of their arrest.[17]
  • Half of arrestees in Sacramento County testing positive for drugs when booked had more than one drug in their system at the time.[18]
  • Arrests for dangerous drug crimes is rising, and in 2013, numbers reached almost 20,000 in CVC.[19]
  • Close to 60 percent of arrestees in 2013 in Sacramento tested positive for marijuana.[20]
  • Also in 2013, approximately 18 percent of arrestees in Sacramento tested positive for opiate drugs, which includes both heroin and prescription painkillers. This is drastically higher than the 3 percent testing positive for these drugs in 2000.[21]
  • More than half (51 percent) of adult males arrested in Sacramento tested positive for methamphetamine in 2013, and only 30 percent reported a failed buy in 2013 compared to the 50 percent reporting this a year prior.[22]

Mental illness

  • There were 2,250 ED visits per 100,000 population that were related to mental health issues in 2010, which is much higher than the county rate of 489 per 100,000 population.[23]
  • Hospitalizations related to mental health concerns were also above the county rates in downtown Sacramento: 1,464 per 100,000 population and 377 per 100,000 population respectively.[24]
  • The suicide rate in the Sacramento area on average between 2008 and 2010 was 13.2 per 100,000 population, which was higher than the 10.2 per 100,000 population for the state of California.[25]
  • In 2009, an estimated 4.5 percent of Sacramento County residents lived with a serious mental illness (SMI).[26]

 

Understanding the Data

In looking at the statistics surrounding mental health and substance abuse in the Sacramento area, several deductions can be made. One is that heroin and methamphetamine indicators are rising, meaning that the drugs are likely more readily available and therefore potentially more commonly abused. The crime rates show that heroin, meth, and marijuana are commonly found in arrestees, further indicating a connection between drug availability, drug abuse, and crime. Specifically, the drop in failed meth buys by arrestees in 2013 from 2012 may be testament to meth being more available and easier to get in the area, as law enforcement efforts may not be able to keep up with the higher drug activity. Meth remains the number one drug for Sacramento County and CVC admissions for substance abuse, with heroin admissions rising into second place above marijuana.[27]

Heroin may be becoming more popular as it may serve as a substitute for opioid painkillers, which are now more tightly regulated and potentially harder to divert for recreational purposes. Opioid overdoses have been steadily rising in Sacramento, and rates are higher in Sacramento County than the rest of the state at 3.3 overdoses per 100,000 population.[28]

Tobacco, substance abuse, and mental illness may all be tied together as various studies may indicate correlations between them. For instance, smokers may be more prone to drinking and vice versa.[29]  Smokers are also likely to have an alcohol use disorder at rates four times those of nonsmokers.[30] Alcohol and tobacco are two of the biggest causes of preventable death in America, and engaging in one may increase the risk for picking up and becoming dependent on the other.[31] Individuals in the United States battling mental illness may be more than 70 percent more likely to smoke than the general public as well.[32]

Another consideration in looking at Sacramento’s substance abuse patterns and statistics is that of underage drug and alcohol abuse rates. Underage substance abuse is problematic for many reasons. For one, it can damage regions of the brain that are still underdeveloped. Parts of the prefrontal cortex that are related to motivation, the regulation of emotions, impulse control, and decision-making may be altered with alcohol or drug abuse before the region is fully developed, increasing the odds for mental health and addiction issues later in life.

Kids who drank alcohol before age 14, who were over age 18 by 2013, suffered from an alcohol abuse or dependency 15.4 percent of the time, while those who were over 18 before consuming alcohol for the first time only battled alcohol dependence or abuse at a rate of 3.4 percent.[33] Similarly of those youths who tried marijuana before 14, approximately 11.5 percent had an illicit drug dependence or abuse problem, while only 2.6 percent of youths who waited until after age 18 to try to the drug had a drug abuse or dependency in 2013.[34]

Not only can underage abuse of alcohol or drugs potentially lead to future addiction, it can create several other problems potentially, including troubles in school, poor academic performance and possibly truancy, suspensions, high dropout rates, behavioral health issues such as criminal activity and violence, and high unemployment rates. Kids who stay in school and remain educationally involved have lower rates of substance abuse and negative risk factors than those who don’t stay in and involved with school.[35]

 

Turning Things Around

In terms of substance abuse, one of the first aspects of treatment is actually prevention. Many community organizations and nonprofit groups run educational programs and other prevention services to help kids and families understand the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, and improve the health of the local residents. Treatment for substance abuse beyond prevention may depend on the individual needs of the person seeking care. For instance, an individual who has been injecting heroin may be dependent on the drug and benefit from a detox program in order to manage the difficult, and sometimes dangerous, withdrawal side effects and drug cravings that may occur when the drug use is stopped. Medical detox may employ the use of pharmaceuticals to help with withdrawal symptoms and facilitate a smooth and safe detox.

Generally, residential programs are more comprehensive and may be the optimal choice for an individual dependent on drugs or alcohol. Therapy, counseling and other research-based methods may be used during both mental health and substance abuse treatment programs that can be provided at a number of different locations. In a general sense, treatment usually falls into these categories: prevention, crisis services, rehab and recovery, and aftercare or recovery support services. Some programs may be more comprehensive than others, and programs may be offered in a residential or an outpatient setting.

The Sacramento County Department of Behavioral Health Services provides public mental health and drug and alcohol treatment to area residents.[36] Public means that underserved populations, such as low-income individuals, uninsured individuals, and those covered under the state Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) have access to low-cost, and often free, services. To find local services, residents can go to the Sacramento Network of Care behavioral health website, and enter in a specific treatment type or keyword to find local service providers.[37] Private mental health and substance abuse providers may provide a more specialized approach that may include holistic and alternative methods in addition to traditional approaches.

[1] (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.

Sacramento got its start in the Gold Rush era, when people flocked to the rivers to pan for gold. Drinking was a big part of the culture back then, as people who spent all day with their feet and hands in the icy cold water often needed something warm to break up the chill. Drinking and drugging remain part of the culture for some people who live in Sacramento, but it doesn’t have to be that way. With treatment and counseling, people with addictions can get better. And there are plenty of facilities in Sacramento that can help. These are the top 15 options in the city limits:

  1. Valley Recovery Center of California: A supportive atmosphere in which people can learn more about addictions and recovery is available in this treatment center. Care begins with medical detox, and while it might not be necessary for every person who has an addiction, people with a history of opiate abuse might need this help in order to get sober. When detox is complete, there are two programs available for rehab. One is residential, and it provides around-the-clock care. The other is a day program, which runs five days a week, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is also an intensive outpatient program available that offers three group counseling sessions each week, for a total of about nine hours of care. The team can help people to understand which program will be right for them. Every program is supervised and run by clinical experts with years of experience in treating addictions. The team has a combined total of more than 60 years in recovery and treatment. They provide kind and compassionate care with a disciplined touch. Insurance plan payments are accepted. To find out more, call (888) 985-2141.

  2. WellSpace Health: This mental health treatment provider has been in operation since the 1950s, serving people who live in Sacramento and the surrounding areas. The organization offers a full menu of addiction treatment options, including medical detox, inpatient care, outpatient care, and adult drug court services. The team can provide individual or group counseling on addiction and underlying mental health challenges, and there are special interventions available for parents and people in denial about addictions. The entire staff has the training and experience to help people in need, and the team works hard to ensure that everyone who needs help can get it. The enrollment staff can help people tap into federal, state, and local programs, and the team offers sliding-scale payments for those who do not qualify for funded services. To find out more, call (916) 737-5555.

  3. Strategies for Change: Since 1978, this organization has been helping families in Sacramento with the challenges that come with an addiction. In the beginning, the group focused exclusively on women who were victimized by abuse and who self-medicated with addictive substances. That focus has widened to include all women who have addictions, including women who have mental illnesses in addition to addiction. There are additional services available for both men and children. The group provides day treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, and outpatient treatment for addiction. There are special tracks of care for people who have mental illness. People who wish to enroll must go through an intake process, so the team can find the right program. Insurance plan payments are accepted, and the team can assist people who do not have insurance or a means of private pay. To find out more, call (916) 395-3552.
  4. Cedar Point Recovery: Customized treatment programs for addiction, designed to meet people where they are now and help them get to the places they want to be, are available through this addiction provider in Sacramento. The team offers a variety of addiction treatment options on an outpatient basis, including partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient rehab. While people are enrolled, they can gain access to individual therapy, group therapy, family counseling, and alternative therapy. Insurance plan payments are accepted, and pricing is reasonable to ensure that everyone can get the care they need. Families struggling to push the person with the addiction into care can also use this program for addiction interventions. To find out more, call (866) 212-4275.

  5. Sacramento Recovery House: The founders of this organization know that addiction is a progressive disease, but they also know that people can get better. Every day, they see that recovery in real life. Men with an addiction can enroll in this residential treatment facility for 30, 60, or 90 days. During that time, they engage in support group meetings that follow the 12-Step approach, and they attend classes in substance abuse and recovery. In addition, they meet with members of the community to understand how their peers experience recovery. They also perform chores and meaningful work, to help them find a purpose in life. The program is available to anyone who needs help.

  6. MedMark Treatment Centers: The goal of this large treatment provider is to help every person who is living with an opioid addiction. The team knows that people like this can reclaim their lives and build a healthy future, and they use a unique combination of therapies to make it happen. Medications play a key role, and the team offers replacement medications during both detox and ongoing care. Those medications help to correct chemical imbalances in the brain and allow people to focus on recovery. Medications are followed by intensive addiction therapy that can help people understand how to build a healthier future. All care is provided on an outpatient basis.

  7. Bi-Valley Medical Clinic: Opiate addictions, including addictions to painkillers, are the focus of this outpatient program in Sacramento. The team provides medication management for those addictions, which can reduce cravings and allow people to focus on healing. The multidisciplinary treatment team includes doctors, nurses, social workers, and addiction counselors who can help people to understand how addiction works and how life might be better without substance abuse. The program is appropriate for people who have mental illnesses in addition to addiction. Insurance plan payments are accepted. People who do not have insurance can get care on a sliding fee scale.

  8. Bridges: This is one of Sacramento’s largest providers of addiction treatment. The team offers several different levels of care. There are residential programs for both men and women, made for those who need constant supervision and assistance in order to avoid the temptation to relapse. Care lasts between 30 and 120 days in these programs, and they are meant to be comprehensive and all-encompassing. Everything that could be contributing to an addiction is addressed here. Those who do not need such structure can enroll in outpatient programs that blend education, individual counseling, group skill-building, and self-help support group work to help people overcome their addictions. Plans are designed with affordability in mind.

  9. American Drug Rehab Centers: This large addiction treatment provider has facilities all across the United States. Each facility works in a slightly different manner and has different vital services to offer the community. In Sacramento, this group offers medical detox, followed with intensive outpatient care that involves individual counseling, group counseling, meditation, exercise, and support group work. While enrolled in treatment, people live in one of the luxury sober living homes in the organization’s family, and they learn more about how their peers experience recovery and make it stick. When the program is nearing a close, people can tap into employment and coaching programs, so they can get a good job in the community when they move back home.

  10. United Drug Rehab Group: This is another large treatment provider that has a treatment outpost in Sacramento. This organization offers inpatient treatment that lasts 30-90 days, depending on the severity of the addiction and the dysfunction the person might face at home. The team can offer medical detox, individual counseling, group counseling, and family counseling. Exercise and meditation round out the therapies on offer. Most insurance plan payments are accepted.

  11. Gateway Foundation for Women: Women in need of recovery in a safe and sober living environment can benefit from this organization. The team offers robust addiction care in a facility that feels a lot like home. Every woman has an individual recovery plan that involves individual and group therapy on a variety of different topics, such as sobriety, mental health, wellbeing, and physical health. Women also have access to support group meetings, HIV education, and transition support in addition to their peers in recovery, and they can learn from those women on an informal basis. Most women stay for 90 days, although that is negotiable.

  12. Sobriety Brings a Change: This nonprofit, community-based outpatient program for addiction has been helping people in Sacramento since 1974. The goal of the organization is to create a community that is free of addiction, and the team works toward that goal by providing robust addiction therapy that boosts motivation for success and clears the pathway to a safe and sober life. Treatment begins with a comprehensive assessment, so the team can tailor care to meet the needs of the individual. Medi-Cal payments are accepted, and those who do not have insurance can use a sliding scale of fees that make care affordable.
  13. Clean & Sober: People who are both homeless and living with an addiction can get help from this organization. It is not an addiction treatment provider, as it does not provide addiction counseling, but it does provide addiction assessments. If an addiction is found, the team can refer people in need to treatment programs in the community that can help. The team also offers safe, secure, sober housing for people who are involved in addiction care, and there are multiple meetings in the 12-Step model held each and every week that can help people understand how to deal with an addiction in the context of a community. Care is provided on a sliding scale, and the cost can be completely covered for people without an ability to pay. People can stay for a year or even longer.

  14. River City Recovery Center: This is a comprehensive solution for people living with drug and alcohol addiction, and the program is run by a team of professionals who know all about how bad an addiction can get. They know that personally, as 90 percent of them are graduates of the River City program. Care is provided on an inpatient basis, and it consists of education and counseling. People learn more about how an addiction develops, and they pick up vital skills involving relapse prevention, anger management, goal-setting, and family communication. Individual and group counseling formats are used. The facility follows the 12 Steps of recovery. The program is designed to deliver rigorous care at an affordable price, and major insurance plan payments are accepted.

  15. Azure Acres Recovery Center: For more than 50 years, this organization has provided addiction care in an environment that is both serene and gorgeous. This residential program is run by a qualified addiction treatment team that utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, 12-Step support, and family therapy to help people develop in-depth sobriety skills. Group therapy is emphasized, as the team believes that people with addictions learn the most powerful lessons from their peers, not from professionals. There are experiential programs available too, including expressive arts. After 30 days in residential are, people move on to outpatient programs to continue the healing process. Insurance plan payments are accepted.

This is a sampling of the treatment options open to you in Sacramento. There are many more in nearby communities. If you need help with an addiction, start your search today. Your future self, and your family, will thank you.

 
[2] Ibid.

[3] (2013). “Sacramento County Health Needs Assessment.” Sierra Health Foundation. Accessed October 2, 2015.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] (July 2014). “Alcohol and Drug Prevention Services Strategic Plan.” Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services Division of Behavioral Health Services Alcohol and Drug Services. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] (2010). “Indicators of Alcohol and Other Drug Risk and Consequences for California Counties. Sacramento County 2010.” Center for Applied Research Solutions (CARS). Accessed October 2, 2015.

[11] (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.

[12] (2013). “Sacramento County Health Needs Assessment.” Sierra Health Foundation. Accessed October 2, 2015.

[13] Ibid.

[14] (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.

[15] Ibid.

[16] (July 2014). “Alcohol and Drug Prevention Services Strategic Plan.” Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services Division of Behavioral Health Services Alcohol and Drug Services. Accessed October 1, 2015.

[17] (2014). “ADAM (Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program) II 2013 Annual Report.” Office of National Drug Control Policy Executive Office of the President. Accessed October 2, 2015.

[18] Ibid.

[19] (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.

[20] (2014). “ADAM (Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program) II 2013 Annual Report.” Office of National Drug Control Policy Executive Office of the President. Accessed October 2, 2015.

[21] Ibid.

[22] Ibid.

[23] (2013). “Sacramento County Health Needs Assessment.” Sierra Health Foundation. Accessed October 2, 2015.

[24] Ibid.

[25] (Sept. 2012). “Picture This:  Mental Health in the San Francisco Bay Area.” Entertainment Industries Council (EIC). Accessed October 2, 2015.

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

[27] (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.

[28] Reese, P. (Aug. 2015). “See Where California’s Heroin, Opioid Problems are Worst.” The Sacramento Bee. Accessed October 3, 2015.

[29] (Jan. 2007). “Alcohol and Tobacco.” National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA). Accessed October 2, 2015.

[30]Ibid.

[31] Ibid.

[32] (June 2013). “Smoking and Mental Illness.” American Psychological Association (APA). Accessed October 2, 2015.

[33] (Sept. 2014). “Results from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health:  Summary of National Findings.” Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Accessed October 2, 2015.

[34] Ibid.

[35] (July 2014). “Alcohol and Drug Prevention Services Strategic Plan.” Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services Division of Behavioral Health Services Alcohol and Drug Services. Accessed October 2, 2015.

[36] (2015). “Welcome to Behavioral Health Services.” Sacramento County. Accessed October 3, 2015.

[37] (2015). “Mental Health/Behavioral Health.” Sacramento County Network of Care. Accessed October 3, 2015.