Free and low cost recovery resources in Los Angeles

If someone is in danger right now

• Emergency or possible overdose: call 911.
• Suicidal thoughts or emotional crisis: call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Free phone lines for treatment and referral

• SAMHSA National Helpline

  1-800-662-HELP (4357). A free, confidential treatment referral and information service, available 24/7, 365 days a year, in English and Spanish (SAMHSA).

• LA County Substance Abuse Service Helpline

  1-844-804-7500, toll free. Run by the county’s Substance Abuse Prevention and Control program for screening and referral to treatment (LA County Public Health).

• 211 LA

  Dial 2-1-1 or search online for local health and social services, including drug and alcohol testing and treatment listings (211 LA).

Online tools to find care

• FindTreatment.gov: SAMHSA’s locator for licensed treatment programs, searchable by location, payment options and services.
• The LA County Department of Public Health’s Substance Abuse Prevention and Control pages link to its “Find Addiction Treatment” service locator.
• NIAAA’s Rethinking Drinking: free, private tools for looking at your drinking and options for change.
• NIDA’s Family Checkup: free, research based parenting skills for families worried about a young person.

Ways to lower the cost of treatment

Public coverage

If you have Medi-Cal, or think you may qualify, ask the county helpline which treatment services your coverage includes and how to get started.

Private insurance

Call the number on your insurance card and ask about substance use and mental health benefits, in-network providers and any authorization requirements.

Sliding scale and nonprofit programs

Many community programs charge based on income. Ask about sliding scale fees when you call.

Scholarships

Some nonprofits offer treatment scholarships for people who cannot otherwise afford care. In Los Angeles, The Blackburn Foundation offers treatment scholarships; see the link at the end of this guide.

What to ask when you call

• What level of care do you think fits my situation, based on what I have told you?
• Which programs have openings soon, and is there a waitlist?
• What will this cost me with my coverage, or without coverage?
• Are there sliding scale or no cost options?
• Do you offer services in my language?
• What should I do while I wait for a spot?

Write down the answers and the name of the person you spoke with. If the first call does not lead anywhere, call again or try a different line. Persistence pays off.

Help for families

Family members need support too, and much of it is free. Family peer groups meet across Los Angeles. NIDA’s Family Checkup offers practical parenting skills, and the national and county helplines can also advise family members who are trying to help someone else find care.

Free peer support

Mutual help groups are free and meet throughout Los Angeles, in person and online, every day of the week. Options include 12 step groups and other peer support approaches. There are also groups specifically for family members. Try a few meetings before deciding what fits; each group has its own feel.

Keeping testing affordable

Testing does not have to be expensive to be useful. A few ways to keep costs down:

1. Choose only the tests you need. An instant screen often answers the question; send to a lab only when a result is disputed or matters legally.
2. Use random scheduling wisely. Random tests at a modest frequency are more informative than frequent scheduled ones.
3. Test at an office. Mobile collection is convenient but usually adds a fee.
4. Skip extras you do not need. Chain of custody documentation matters for legal uses, but often not for family monitoring.

See what affects testing cost for a full explanation.

A simple plan if you do not know where to start

1. Make one call today. The SAMHSA or LA County helpline can screen you and suggest options.
2. Write down what you learn. Names, numbers and next steps.
3. Find one meeting this week. Peer support is free and available now.
4. Tell one person you trust. Support makes follow-through easier.
5. Add structure. Affordable testing and mentoring can help you stay on track while you arrange care.

How Blackburn Monitoring can help

Blackburn Monitoring keeps drug and alcohol testing low cost so that accountability is within reach. We offer instant 12 panel urine, breathalyzer and EtG testing, with saliva on request, by appointment at 12326 Venice Blvd in Los Angeles. A monitoring coordinator, not an app, helps you set up a plan, shares results only with people you authorize in writing, and can connect you with more support across Blackburn when you need it.

See more support beyond testing, our random testing program and our support finder. If cost is a barrier to treatment, learn about treatment scholarships at The Blackburn Foundation.