Clean Treatment Center

They are set up for 3 levels: outpatient, detox and telemedicine. Of the 8 centers within 14 miles of Thousand Oaks, 4 offer a bed.

They detox from alcohol, benzodiazepines, cocaine, methamphetamines and opioids, so the first stage and the treatment after it can happen in one place rather than across two trips to Thousand Oaks.

They take court referrals, so a program ordered by a court in Thousand Oaks is something they handle.

They offer a telemedicine option. What that covers varies, and a first appointment in Thousand Oaks often still has to be in person.

The nearest other center is under a mile away, in Thousand Oaks, and there are 8 inside 14 miles.

Compare what each program provides rather than how each one describes itself. A program willing to tell you who it is not suitable for is usually being straight with you about the rest. Write down four questions and ask every place the same four.

Programs expect family contact rather than tolerating it, though the amount is set by the person in treatment. A release of information, signed by the patient, is what opens that door, and it can be narrow or wide. Ask about the release of information early, because without it the updates stop.

Treatment is not usually a single event, and the first attempt teaching you something is part of how it works. A different level of care is often the right response rather than a repeat of the same program. Ask whether medication is on the table this time if it was not before.