Alcohol Rehab Centers in San Diego

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If you or someone you love is looking for alcohol rehab in San Diego, California, there are plenty of treatment options, including inpatient rehab, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient, as well as holistic rehab, low-cost and free rehabs, and luxury treatment. Treatment cost doesn’t have to be a barrier to quality alcoholism care—many San Diego alcohol rehabs accept insurance, MediCal, and Medicare.

San Diego Alcohol Use and Treatment Statistics

Substance and alcohol use disorders are major public health and safety issues for families in the San Diego communities.^1,2 Since 2010, 15.3% of people in San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos have used some form of illicit drug.³ In 2019, admissions for alcohol and drug misuse rose to over 20%.⁴

If left untreated, alcohol and drug misuse can have drastic consequences, including death. In San Diego County, there were 532 accidental deaths from heroin, other illicit drugs, and alcohol in 2019.⁴ That is why San Diego County provides a variety of programs and services to help you get treatment if you have decided to seek help for alcohol or substance misuse.¹

What is the Cost of Alcohol Rehab in San Diego, CA?

The cost of alcohol rehab will vary drastically depending on your needs and the amenities you desire. If you are seeking alcohol rehab in San Diego, you will be welcomed in a non-discriminatory and respectful manner.¹

The cost of rehab for alcohol addiction will vary from person to person and city to city. Some things to consider when reviewing different rehab settings and their associated costs include:

• Are you seeking inpatient vs. outpatient rehab?
• Are you in need of detox?
• What type of insurance do you have?
• Does the rehab center or healthcare providers accept your insurance?
• What are the amenities offered at the treatment center?
• How long will treatment be?

Most treatment centers accept all major forms of insurance.¹ In San Diego, if you have state-sponsored insurance, Medi-Cal, and participate in a Medi-Cal-certified program, your fees will likely be waived.¹ Make sure that you speak with the rehab center coordinator about what your out-of-pocket expenses will be and how much of your treatment’s cost your insurance will cover.

Free Rehabs for Alcoholism in San Diego

Alcohol misuse can lead to tremendous financial stress, and you may find yourself in need of financial assistance to pay for rehab. Fortunately, San Diego County residents have access to federal Medicaid funds, therefore enhancing the access to rehab centers.⁵ If you live in San Diego, you can choose from these types of free rehab programs.

• If you have Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid Program, you can qualify for state-funded rehab programs throughout the city of San Diego and the county and get your client fees waived.⁵
• Other rehab programs in San Diego that offer free or low-cost treatment for alcohol misuse include other state or local, county, or community government funding that are not Medi-Cal or Medicare. Sometimes they have religious affiliations, but this is not always the case, and there are 19 of these centers in San Diego County.⁶
• Some treatment centers in San Diego offer grants and scholarships that cover the cost of attending rehab in San Diego. Check with the rehab center you are interested in to see if they offer scholarships and whether you meet the qualification requirements to apply.

If you can’t find a rehab center in San Diego that offers free treatment, many programs throughout California offer free treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD).⁷

Does Insurance Cover Rehab in San Diego, CA?

If you live in San Diego or are a resident of San Diego County and have insurance, whether private, Medi-Cal, or Medicare, rehab for alcohol misuse is typically covered.^5,8 The Affordable Care Act extended care for the treatment of mental and substance misuse disorders, which helped shift payment of treatment away from public funds to private funds.⁷

Under San Diego County and California state and federal law, if you have insurance, you have the right to receive treatment for alcohol or substance misuse disorder.⁵ You can call the toll-free number on the back of your insurance to discuss with an agent the extent of your coverage or speak with the treatment center coordinator from your desired treatment center.

Private Insurance

In San Diego and its respective county, countless rehabs accept private insurance. Remember that under the ACA, it is a federal law that if you have private insurance, you have the right to receive addiction treatment services when medically warranted.⁸ Some of the popular insurance plans in San Diego include:⁹

• Aetna
• Anthem Blue Cross.
• Blue Shield of California.
• Cigna
• Kaiser Southern California.
• Molina
• United Healthcare.
• UC Care.

Medi-Cal (Medicaid)

California’s Medicaid program serves as health insurance for eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities, offering comprehensive coverage to many in San Diego County.¹⁰ Effective May 1, 2022, San Diego expanded care to adult s 50 years of age who meet all Medi-Cal criteria regardless of immigration status.¹⁰

If you have Medi-Cal, your fees for substance misuse treatment in rehab programs that accept Medi-Cal are waived.¹⁰ Some of the AUD treatments that the California Medicaid programs offer include:¹¹

• Alcohol withdrawal management and inpatient rehab.
• Residential treatment.
• Outpatient programs.

Medicare

Medicare is the United States federal health insurance program and is available for people that meet the following parameters:¹²

• U.S. citizens greater than 65 years of age.
• People with disabilities.
• People with end-stage renal disease, permanent kidney disease, on dialysis or transplant.

If you qualify for Medicare by meeting the above parameters, Medicare can cover alcohol misuse screening, and it can cover your treatment in San Diego. There are many different facilities in San Diego that accept Medicare insurance.⁶

Does My Insurance Plan Cover Alcoholism Treatment?

After taking the first step and deciding that you need help for alcohol misuse, you can start looking for a rehab in San Diego that provides the best individualized plan for you. Before agreeing to admission terms, you should call your insurance’s helpline—a toll-free number on the back of your insurance card—to inquire about your insurance coverage. Your treatment center’s coordinator may also help with verifying your insurance coverage, but you will also need to do a bit of research regarding coverage.

How to Pay for Alcohol Addiction Treatment in San Diego, CA

If you are struggling financially or are unsure if insurance will cover the entirety of your treatment, there are different options for financing your alcohol rehab in San Diego.

• Some rehab centers offer scholarships that can finance part or the entirety of treatment costs depending on your needs and qualifications.
• Many rehabs in San Diego offer a sliding scale payment option, which can help you reduce your treatment cost depending on your ability to pay and may depend on your income.⁶
• Payment plans and financing can help break up the cost of treatment into smaller, more manageable payments.⁶

Apply for a Rehab Scholarship

There are at least 20 rehab centers in the County of San Diego that offer some financial assistance, which can be in the form of scholarships.⁶ Scholarships for rehab are awarded based on a needs basis and may provide partial or full funding for treatment. When searching for a rehab that offers scholarships, search the FAQs (frequently asked questions), which usually provide an overview of the scholarship application. If you can’t find a treatment center in San Diego, 703 rehab programs in California can offer treatment at no charge due to some sort of financial assistance.⁷

Find a Sliding Scale Rehab Program

Many rehabs are understanding that alcohol misuse can bring financial chaos to a person’s life and can work with you regarding any financial insecurities that you may have when seeking treatment. The SAMHSA Find a Treatment Center online tool has over 40 rehab centers that offer a sliding scale program in San Diego and its county.⁶ A sliding scale program offers a flexible payment that can be raised or lowered based on a person’s ability to pay. You will need to speak with the rehab center’s coordinator to inquire about their sliding scale option.

Choose a Program That Offers Payment Plans

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Find a Treatment Center online tool can help you find a treatment center that offers many forms of financing options for you or a loved one when seeking treatment in San Diego.⁶ Financing your treatment allows you to pay off the amount owed for treatment in installments. Payment plans can also be done in the form of loans from treatment programs, but you will need to discuss the terms with them as interest rates may vary. The best way to find a program that offers a payment plan, or any other form of financial assistance is through your search engine and typing “SAMHSA Find Treatment Tool.”⁶

Popular Alcohol Rehab Centers in San Diego, CA

San Diego is home to one of the best climates in the country, with the temperature averaging over 62 degrees Fahrenheit.¹² If you are unsure of where to start on your search for the right San Diego alcohol rehab, below are some of the most popular programs in the city.

Pacific Bay Recovery

Pacific Bay Recovery in San Diego offers several programs, including medical detox, intensive outpatient, and outpatient programs. This rehab offers a variety of services to start your recovery in mind, body, and soul. It offers yoga, acupuncture, therapy counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, and hypnotherapy. This rehab also offers scholarships.

La Jolla Recovery

La Jolla Recovery is located in the beautiful beachside city of La Jolla, CA, and it provides rehab care from detox through outpatient. Through groups with counselors and recovery professionals, you will be engaged and motivated to start your path to recovery. This rehab center provides gender-specific treatment, housing for men and women, and a women’s outpatient rehab. La Jolla Recovery also tailors your program to culturally specific needs, with LGBTQ+ and couples programs.

Episcopal Community Services Central East Regional Recovery Center

The ECS Central East Regional Recovery Center is funded by the County of San Diego and provides outpatient rehab services to adults. You will receive a multidisciplinary approach to your treatment and services with co-occurring mental health disorders and employment services.

AToN Center

The AToN Center San Diego Addiction Rehab is located in splendid Encinitas, CA, offers a multidisciplinary approach to treatment for addiction. You will receive CBT, daily group and individual psychotherapy, and other holistic treatment centers that address the body and mind.

Alcohol Rehab Settings: Inpatient vs. Outpatient

There are several alcohol addiction treatment settings, with varying levels of intensiveness and structure, each with its advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, everyone’s treatment process is different. Some people may begin with medical detox for alcohol withdrawal then continue to an inpatient or residential settings, then stepping down to outpatient care afterward (this is known as making your way through the continuum of care). Conversely, other people may go right to outpatient addiction treatment, which offers more flexibility than inpatient. Everyone’s experience is going to differ based on their needs, challenges, finances, obligations, treatment preferences, and more.

Inpatient Alcohol Rehab in San Diego

Inpatient rehab provides treatment for alcohol addiction under the medical supervision of a physician and ancillary staff in an inpatient center, usually a hospital, psychiatric facility, or free-standing rehabilitation center.¹⁴ Withdrawal symptoms are closely monitored and managed during your inpatient stay.¹⁴ Once your acute alcohol withdrawal resolves, you will begin your treatment planning, which may include group counseling, family therapy, individual therapy, medication maintenance, drug education and relapse prevention classes, and aftercare planning.

Partial Hospitalization Programs

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is the next step in the rehab continuum of recovery. PHP may take place in the same setting as an inpatient treatment program or the same setting as an intensive outpatient program.¹⁴ PHP programs are the most rigorous of the outpatient programs and provide services to patients that include high-intensity counseling services during daytime hours and allow you to return home in the evenings.¹⁴

Intensive Outpatient Programs

IOPs are similar to PHPs, except that they are more rigorous outpatient programs, spending anywhere from 6 to 9 hours per day, twice to three times per week, in rehab undergoing counseling services.¹⁴ You should expect to participate in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), group therapy, psychotherapy, counseling groups, and 12-Step groups.

Standard Outpatient Alcohol Rehab

Standard outpatient treatment is the leave intensive outpatient option, including a few hours of therapy and doctor’s visits per week.¹⁴ It is often used as a form of step-down care after someone has completed an inpatient rehab, though some people with a mild alcohol addiction and strong support system may go right into an outpatient rehab.

Online Alcohol Rehab and Telehealth Services

Telehealth addiction treatment is a form of alcohol treatment that uses different forms of telecommunication mediums, including phone or video-conferencing technology to help provide rehab care over long distances without requiring you to travel to the clinic or treatment center.¹⁵ Many rehab centers have started to offer telehealth treatment programs depending on your intake. Telehealth is not ideal for everyone. Therefore, try to be as honest about your alcohol use disorder as possible during your intake to get the best-individualized treatment plan.

Medical Detox for Alcohol Withdrawal

Medical detox is withdrawal management for when you suddenly stop consuming alcohol, and it is managed by a physician or other licensed medical providers. Managed detox helps minimize the deleterious side effects by suddenly stopping alcohol consumption.¹⁴ Some of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can present within 6–24 hours from the last drink include:¹⁴

• Difficulty sleeping
• Shaking
• Anxiety and panic
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Mood swings, fatigue, irritability
• Sweaty, clammy skin
• Headaches
• Fast heart rate

More serious symptoms can start if you have severe alcohol use disorder, and the withdrawal symptoms can include seizures, with progression to hallucinations. You may begin to experience these symptoms and even delirium tremens within 48–96 hours from the last drink, which can last for up to five days. ¹⁴ Without adequate medical supervision, alcohol withdrawal may be fatal.

Therefore, the majority of medically managed detox will take place in an intensive inpatient acute care setting with healthcare provider services at your disposal to help manage withdrawal symptoms. Undergoing alcohol detox in an inpatient facility will help set up your continuum of care and your outpatient treatment needs depending on your unique social situation to help you maintain sobriety.¹⁴

Specialized Alcohol Rehab Options in San Diego

San Diego is a very diverse city and has population-specific tailored rehab programs.

Veteran Rehab

San Diego has a large military population with naval bases located in the area. There are a variety of rehab centers that offer treatment programs directed to veterans.⁶ If none of the programs in San Diego offer what you are looking for, there are more than 500 programs in the state of California that offer rehabs geared towards veterans.⁷

LGBTQ+ Rehab

In the city and county of San Diego, there are plenty of options for rehab that address the unique needs and challenges of the LGBTQ+ community, such as discrimination and prejudice.⁶

Gender-Specific Rehab

Gender-specific rehab can offer a deeper sense of belonging as you may feel more comfortable undergoing group therapy with members of your gender. In the state of California, there are more than 900 rehab centers that offer gender-specific tailored programs.⁷

Should I Travel to San Diego, CA for Drug and Alcohol Rehab?

Deciding to travel to San Diego for drug and alcohol rehab should be based on your treatment priorities. Being in San Diego for rehab does offer some great qualities that include:

• It has a year-round temperate climate, with many sunshine-filled days.
• It is a smaller city and, thus, is slower-paced compared to other cities in California.
• You have found a rehab center in San Diego that meets all your treatment goals.
• You prefer to have the calming sounds of the beach as part of your treatment.
• You have family in the San Diego area.
• Your insurance covers treatment in San Diego.

Therefore, if you live somewhere where the weather is not ideal during the winter months—and particularly if a lack of a sunshine affects your mood—you may want to travel to San Diego to take advantage of the sunny weather.

Neighborhoods in San Diego, CA, to Consider for Treatment

San Diego is a diverse place with rehab programs that are located near the beach or the mountains. If you want to be near the beach, cities like San Diego, La Jolla, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, and Chula Vista are fantastic options. If you prefer more inland options, surrounded by mountains, and find that you need more mountainous scenery as part of your recovery, Escondido, Morena Village, Fallbrook, San Marcos, Lakeside or Ramona will be great locations in the area for you to explore for rehab.

Alcohol and Drug Laws in San Diego, CA

According to the San Diego municipal code, 56.56, open alcohol beverage containers are prohibited on posted premises, and violators will be guilty of an infraction. Consumption of alcohol by a minor is illegal per article 56.61.¹⁶

In California, the Good Samaritan Law protects those who witness an overdose, come to aid, and call 911 from drug-related arrests or convictions.¹⁷ This law can help save lives, particularly during an opioid epidemic. If you or your friends are using illicit drugs, such as heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, or meth, and you suspect an overdose, you will not get in trouble for calling 911 right away. You can save a life. Under the Good Samaritan law, you are protected.¹⁷

Aftercare Options for Ongoing Sobriety

Most people with alcohol use disorder can and do recover. But remember that recovery is a lifelong process.¹³ Aftercare is part of the continuum of treatment. The goal is to maintain sobriety, prevent relapse, and build a solid support network.

Many treatment centers offer alumni programs in which you can connect with other people who completed the rehab program to help hold each other accountable and provide support. Another way to continue aftercare is by regularly attending AA meetings in San Diego and building a fellowship with the members from these meetings. Other options include going to sober living homes, group counseling, and attending meetings through a Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) recovery program.

Resources

1. County of San Diego. Behavioral Health Services. (2022). Substance Use Disorder Services.
2. W, Bill. (1981). Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions: A co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous tells how members recover and how the society functions. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
3. Substances Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2010). The NSDUH Report. Substance Use and Mental Disorders in San Diego – Carlsbad -San Marcos MSA.
4. San Diego Prescription Drug Abuse Trask Force. (2020). 2020 Report Card.
5. County of San Diego. Behavioral Health Services. (2022). Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services.
6. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022). Find Treatment.
7. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). 2020 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Series State Profiles Executive Summary.
8. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Paying for Behavioral Health Treatment: The Role of the Affordable Care Act.
9. UC San Diego Health. (2022). Insurance and Billing.
10. County of San Diego. Health & Human Services Agency. (2022). Medi-Cal Program
11. County of San Diego. Behavioral Health Services. (2022). Directory of Substance Use Disorder Program for Adults & Older Adults.
12. Climate-Data.org. (2022). San Diego Climate.
13. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2021). Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder.
14. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2006). Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment.
15. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022). Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Using Telehealth or Telemedicine.
16. San Diego Municipal Code. (2020). Chapter 5. Public Safety, Morals and Welfare.
17. California Legislative Information. (2009). Health and Safety Code – HSC. Division 2.5. Emergency Medical Services. Chapter 9. Liability Limitation.