Free & Low-Cost Rehab Centers in California

865 of the 1,393 California programs in our directory don't charge, are government-run, offer reduced fees or accept Medicaid. Call a program to confirm what it charges and whether you qualify.

How California Programs Handle Cost

Each count comes from the payment details programs report in our directory. The counts overlap: a program with a sliding scale that also takes Medicaid appears in both. When one organization lists a site more than once, it counts once.

No payment accepted
38Programs that report they do not charge patients.
Government-run
137Run by a state, county or tribal agency. Some still bill insurance or use a sliding scale.
VA, military or IHS
28Run by the VA, the Department of Defense or the Indian Health Service. Only eligible veterans, military health system patients or American Indian and Alaska Native patients can use them.
Sliding fee scale
483The fee is based on your income and other factors.
Payment assistance
296The program offers some help paying. Ask what it covers.
Accepts Medicaid
588Takes Medi-Cal. What's covered depends on your plan and the service.
State-financed insurance
377Accepts a state-funded health plan other than Medicaid.

California Programs with Free, Reduced-Fee or Medicaid Options

Programs that don't charge, are government-run or offer reduced fees are listed first, followed by programs whose low-cost option is Medicaid. Showing 81 to 100 of 865.

  • Discovery House facility photo

    Discovery House

    Martinez, CA

    • Residential

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: State-financed health insurance plan other than Medicaid, Sliding fee scale, Payment assistance

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a local or county government
    • Payment assistance
    • Sliding fee scale
    • State-financed insurance (not Medicaid)
  • First Steps

    Yuba City, CA

    • IOP

    Substance use treatment · Does not treat opioid addiction · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Sliding fee scale

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a local or county government
    • Sliding fee scale
  • Fresno County Board of Supervisors Pathways to Recovery facility photo

    Fresno County Board of Supervisors Pathways to Recovery

    Fresno, CA

    • IOP

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Medicaid, State-financed health insurance plan other than Medicaid

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a local or county government
    • Medicaid
    • State-financed insurance (not Medicaid)
  • Healthy Moms Program facility photo

    Healthy Moms Program

    Eureka, CA

    • IOP

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Medicaid, Medicare

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a local or county government
    • Medicaid
    • State-financed insurance (not Medicaid)
  • House of Metamorphosis Inc Residential facility photo

    House of Metamorphosis Inc Residential

    San Diego, CA

    • Residential

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Medicaid, State-financed health insurance plan other than Medicaid

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a local or county government
    • Sliding fee scale
    • Medicaid
    • State-financed insurance (not Medicaid)
  • Humboldt County Programs for Recovery facility photo

    Humboldt County Programs for Recovery

    Eureka, CA

    • IOP

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Medicaid, Medicare

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a local or county government
    • Medicaid
  • Indio Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program

    Indio, CA

    • IOP

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Medicaid, State-financed health insurance plan other than Medicaid

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a local or county government
    • Payment assistance
    • Sliding fee scale
    • Medicaid
    • State-financed insurance (not Medicaid)
  • Inyo Cnty Health and Human Services Substance Abuse facility photo

    Inyo Cnty Health and Human Services Substance Abuse

    Bishop, CA

    • Detox
    • IOP

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Medicaid, Medicare

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a local or county government
    • Payment assistance
    • Sliding fee scale
    • Medicaid
    • State-financed insurance (not Medicaid)
  • Kimaw Medical Center Behavioral Health Department

    Hoopa, CA

    • PHP
    • IOP
    • Sober Living

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Medicaid, Medicare

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a tribal government
    • Medicaid
    • State-financed insurance (not Medicaid)
  • Lake County Behavioral Health Services Clearlake Clinic

    Clearlake, CA

    • Outpatient

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Medicaid, Medicare

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a local or county government
    • Payment assistance
    • Sliding fee scale
    • Medicaid
    • State-financed insurance (not Medicaid)
  • Lake County Behavioral Health Services Lucerne Clinic

    Lucerne, CA

    • Outpatient

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Medicaid, Medicare

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a local or county government
    • Payment assistance
    • Sliding fee scale
    • Medicaid
    • State-financed insurance (not Medicaid)
  • Lassen County Behavioral Health facility photo

    Lassen County Behavioral Health

    Susanville, CA

    • Outpatient

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Medicaid, Medicare

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a local or county government
    • Payment assistance
    • Sliding fee scale
    • Medicaid
  • Lassen Indian Health Center Behavioral Health Department

    Susanville, CA

    • Outpatient
    • MAT

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Medicaid, Medicare

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by a tribal government
    • Sliding fee scale
    • Medicaid
    • State-financed insurance (not Medicaid)
  • Livermore VAMC

    Livermore, CA

    • Outpatient
    • MAT

    Substance use treatment · Accepts clients on opioid medication but prescribed elsewhere · Cognitive behavioral therapy

    Accepts: Cash or self-payment, Medicaid, Medicare

    Why it's listed:

    • Run by the VA (for eligible veterans)
    • Payment assistance
    • Medicaid
    • State-financed insurance (not Medicaid)

Need help finding treatment in California?

To talk with a treatment representative about programs and costs, call the sponsored hotline. It's available 24/7.

Who Qualifies for Free Treatment

There's no single national rule. Each state runs its own publicly funded treatment system and sets its own eligibility rules. In California, California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) oversees publicly funded substance use services.

Federal rules do set some priorities. Programs that get SAMHSA substance use block grant funds and serve women have to give pregnant women preference for admission. Funded programs that serve people who inject drugs give treatment preference in this order:

  1. Pregnant women who inject drugs
  2. Other pregnant women with a substance use disorder
  3. People who inject drugs
  4. Everyone else

A program that reports "no payment accepted" doesn't charge patients. Government-run programs may still bill insurance or use a sliding scale, and eligibility can depend on where you live, your income and whether you're insured. Ask before you go.

How to Apply in California

California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is the California agency for publicly funded substance use treatment. Visit the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) website for help finding treatment.

  1. Call a program from the list above. Ask whether it has openings, what it charges and whether you qualify for a reduced or no-cost fee.
  2. Have your ID, proof of income and any insurance or Medicaid card ready. Programs may ask for them at intake.
  3. If you don't have insurance, contact SAMHSA's National Helpline. It's free, confidential and open 24/7, and it can refer you to California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), which handles state-funded treatment.
  4. If you might qualify for Medicaid, apply now rather than waiting. Apply for Medi-Cal.

California Rehabs That Accept Medicaid (Medi-Cal)

588 of the 1,393 California programs in our directory say they accept Medicaid, and 377 accept a state-financed health plan other than Medicaid. California's Medicaid program is Medi-Cal.

State Medicaid programs cover addiction treatment to different degrees. Whether detox, residential care, outpatient programs or medication for opioid use disorder are covered depends on California's rules and your plan, so check with both the program and your plan. Check eligibility and apply.

In California, substance use treatment programs are licensed or certified by California Department of Health Care Services, Licensing and Certification Division. Check the state's provider list.

Other Free and Low-Cost Options

Frequently Asked Questions

Is rehab free in California?

Some programs are. Of the 1,393 California programs in our directory, 38 report that they accept no payment, and 137 are run by a state, county or tribal agency. 25 more are run by the VA, the Department of Defense or the Indian Health Service. Those programs serve only eligible veterans, military health system patients or American Indian and Alaska Native patients. Government-run programs can still bill insurance or charge on a sliding scale, so ask about cost when you call. If you have no insurance, SAMHSA's National Helpline (see samhsa.gov) can refer you to California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), which handles state-funded treatment.

Does California Medicaid cover rehab?

588 of the 1,393 California programs in our directory say they accept Medicaid. California's Medicaid program is Medi-Cal. State Medicaid programs cover addiction treatment to different degrees, so ask the program and your Medicaid plan which services are covered before you start.

How much does rehab cost without insurance?

It depends on the type of care, how long it lasts and the program itself. Outpatient care usually costs less than a residential stay. In California, 483 programs in our directory use a sliding fee scale based on income, and 296 offer payment assistance. Ask for the self-pay rate and whether you qualify for a reduced fee before you're admitted.

Who gets priority for state-funded treatment?

Under federal block grant rules, programs that get block grant funds and serve women must give pregnant women preference for admission. Funded programs that serve people who inject drugs give treatment preference in this order: pregnant women who inject drugs, other pregnant women with a substance use disorder, people who inject drugs, and then everyone else (45 CFR 96.131). Other eligibility rules vary by state, so ask the program or California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).

What is the difference between a sliding fee scale and payment assistance?

A sliding fee scale sets what you pay based on your income and other factors. Payment assistance varies more: each program decides what help it offers, so ask what's available and what paperwork you'll need.

Are there options for veterans and tribal members?

Yes. Veterans can ask the VA about substance use treatment through VA health care. American Indian and Alaska Native people can contact the Indian Health Service or a tribal health program about alcohol and substance use services.

Sources

  1. 1.SAMHSA National Helpline: referrals for uninsured callers to state-funded programs: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline
  2. 2.45 CFR 96.131, treatment services for pregnant women (admission priorities): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/45/96.131
  3. 3.SAMHSA Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant: https://www.samhsa.gov/grants/block-grants/subg
  4. 4.MACPAC: Access to substance use disorder treatment in Medicaid: https://www.macpac.gov/publication/access-to-substance-use-disorder-treatment-in-medicaid/
  5. 5.VA: substance use treatment for veterans: https://www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/substance-use-problems/
  6. 6.Indian Health Service: Alcohol and Substance Abuse Branch: https://www.ihs.gov/asab/
  7. 7.State source: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/individuals/substance-use-disorder-county-access-lines/
  8. 8.State source: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/providers-partners/sud-non-emergency-treatment-referral-line/
  9. 9.State source: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/providers-partners/directories-for-substance-use-disorder-services/
  10. 10.State source: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/providers-partners/licensing-and-certification-division/
  11. 11.State source: https://data.chhs.ca.gov/dataset/sud-recovery-treatment-facilities
  12. 12.State source: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/medi-cal/apply/
  13. 13.Program counts: payment and operator details each program reports in the Sober Nation directory (SAMHSA service categories): https://sobernation.com/rehabs/

Program counts: data updated September 2026.

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