Substance Use Prevention & Treatment Services

Riverside County operates four adult offender drug court programs in Riverside County (Blythe, Indio, Riverside, and Southwest).

Drug Courts are highly structured, intensive outpatient treatment programs designed for felony, non-violent substance using offenders. Drug Courts are a collaborative approach that includes teams comprised of the Superior Court, Probation, District Attorney, Public Defender and the Department of Mental Health.

The goals of the Drug Courts are to eliminate drug use and criminal behavior among the participants, save state tax dollars associated with prison costs by diverting participants from imprisonment and to reduce court calendar congestion and associated costs. Drug Courts Work!

Is someone you know starting to have problems because of drugs or alcohol? Has your child gotten into trouble at school because of drugs? Does your grandmother mix her medication and alcohol? If so we can help! We now offer an Individual Prevention Service program. This program is designed for individuals aged 12 to senior citizens who are starting to see negative consequences of drug or alcohol use, but are not yet to the point of requiring treatment. Participants and their families meet with a Prevention Specialist to set up a plan o action. The intervention is custom designed and individualized and there is no charge for the service. This services is provided at all 7 of the County operated Substance Use Clinics. 

MAT is the use of medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a whole-patient approach to the treatment of substance use disorders.

Medication assisted treatment programs are available to Riverside County residents. Individuals may call a toll free number (800) 499-3008 for an assessment by a substance use certified counselor. Individuals may also walk-in to a County Clinic and receive an in-person assessment.

Research shows that when treating a substance use disorder, a combination of medication and behavioral therapies is most successful. MAT is clinically driven with a focus on individualized patient care.

MAT services are provided in residential and outpatient settings when prescribed by a Physician.

This intensive outpatient treatment program is for pregnant and parenting substance-abusing women. Priority placement is provided to pregnant and/or parenting-injecting women.

To view our latest MOMs Perinatal Program flyer with program services and locations, click here. 

Features of the program include:

• Transportation for women and their five (5) years and under children to medically necessary treatment.
• A child learning laboratory structured as part of treatment, where women learn hands-on parenting skills.
• Group topics specific to pregnant and parenting mothers.
• Education regarding the reduction of harmful effects of alcohol and drugs on the mother and fetus or the mother and infant.
• Special speakers who provide information and referrals to other community programs available for women.

Locations:

Two program levels of outpatient services are offered to Riverside County residents. Services are designed to treat the individual who meets the criteria for a substance use disorder and has the ability and stability to participate in low-intensity, professionally directed treatment.

Individuals shall participate in a treatment program consisting of individual and group sessions based on an individualized treatment plan designed by the individual and their treatment team. Proven evidenced based practices are utilized. 

Is someone you know starting to have problems because of drugs or alcohol?

Has your child gotten into trouble at school because of drugs?

Does your grandmother mix her medication and alcohol? If so we can help!

Riverside County offers a comprehensive evidenced-based prevention program in nine (9) clinics which follow the guidelines established by the Center for Substance Prevention.

The program is designed for individuals aged 12 to senior citizens who are starting to see negative consequences of drug or alcohol use, but are not yet to the point of requiring treatment. Participants and their families meet with a Prevention Specialist to set up a plan of action. The intervention is custom designed and individualized.

The START Program is an intensive case management team designed to reduce repeated admissions to County Mental Health Programs. Referrals are made to START by the Inpatient Treatment Facility (ITF) and Emergency Treatment Services (ETS). START provides referrals to appropriate Substance Use programs (who accept co occurring disorder clients) as well as assisting the client to remain in the appropriate outpatient Mental Health Program.

FNL programs are school and community based peer prevention clubs designed to positively engage young people in preventing alcohol, tobacco and other drug-related problems.

Members of FNL/CL/FNL Kids encourage their peers by providing safe and supportive environments where they are less likely to engage in high risk behaviors and where healthy living is modeled.

FNL/CL/FNL Kids programs foster resiliency and protective factors in young people through the development of action-oriented clubs in which positive activities are planned and implemented by the young people themselves.

Ask your school if they have a chapter for your youth!

Friday Night Live (FNL): high school aged youth.
Club Live (CL): middle/intermediate/junior high aged youth. 
Friday Night Live Kids (FNL Kids): elementary school aged youth

To learn more, visit: https://www.ruhealth.org/friday-night-live-fnl .

Recovery Services are offered to consumers who have been discharged from primary residential or outpatient substance abuse treatment.  Consumers continue to reorient their behavior to the ongoing reality of a pro-social, sober lifestyle. Individuals will develop the skills to maintain sobriety and begin work on remediating various areas of their lives.

Services offered:

• Outpatient Counseling: individual or group counseling
• Recovery Monitoring: recovery coaching and monitoring via telephone/telehealth.
• Substance Abuse Assistance: Peer-to-peer services and relapse prevention.
• Support for Education and Job Skills: linkages to life skills, employment services, job training, and education services.
• Family Support: linkages to childcare, parent education, child development support services, and family/marriage education.
• Support Groups: linkages to self-help and faith-based support.
• Ancillary Services: linkages to housing assistance, transportation, case management, and individual services coordination.

Residential treatment programs are available to Riverside County Residents. Individuals may call a toll free number (800) 499-3008 for an assessment by a substance use certified counselor. Individuals may also walk-in to a County Clinic and receive an in-person assessment.

Residential facilities are unlocked, 24 hour recovery programs which utilize group support and sponsorship to help clients give up their substance use habits and learn how to live a life of sobriety.

Riverside County also offers residential programs for special needs and populations:

• designed to meet the special needs of women, especially pregnant addicts.
• for individuals who may also have a mental health diagnosis.
• for adolescents who shall receive age appropriate evidenced based treatment.
• for individuals who have a temporary or permanent cognitive impairment and who may not benefit from outpatient or other levels of residential treatment.
• for Spanish speaking individuals.

Goals include sustaining abstinence, preparing for relapse triggers, improving personal health and social functioning, and engaging in continuing care.

Each individual shall live on the premises and shall be supported in their efforts to restore, maintain and apply interpersonal and independent living skills and access community support systems.

Providers and residents work collaboratively to define

• barriers,
• set priorities,
• establish goals,
• create treatment plans, and
• solve problems.

The Spanish Speaking Program is a curriculum that focuses on relapse prevention, gaining knowledge about addiction and improving interpersonal and communication skills. The program is 16 weeks in length with groups twice weekly. In addition, individual counseling in the form of treatment planning sessions, case management, random drug testing and referrals are part of the program. The outpatient treatment modality runs similar to the non-bilingual programs afforded by the Riverside county SAP.

Withdrawal Management treatment programs are available to Riverside County residents. Individuals may call a toll free number (800) 499-3008 for an assessment by a substance use certified counselor. Individuals may also walk-in to a County Clinic and receive an in-person assessment.

Individuals shall reside at the residential setting and will be monitored during the detoxification process.  Individuals shall be evaluated by a medical professional and may receive medication services in addition to substance use treatment. 

The individual and treatment professional shall develop a treatment plan to prepare the individual for a referral into another level of care, post treatment return, re-entry into the community, and/or the linkage of the individual to community treatment, housing, and human services.