Executive Summary
Access to care remains the single greatest barrier for individuals facing substance use disorders. Our analysis of 1,141 licensed facilities reveals a complex and deeply unequal landscape.
Of facilities do not accept Medicaid, creating a massive financial barrier for the state's most vulnerable residents.
Populous counties (pop. > 50k) have zero or near-zero SAMHSA-listed treatment facilities per capita.
Geographic Disparities
The most striking finding is the geographic inequality. Santa Clara County (Silicon Valley) is a "treatment desert," while rural northern counties have the highest concentration of care.
Top 5 Deserts (Pop. > 50k)
Top 5 Oases (Pop. > 50k)
The Medicaid Gap
Only 529 (46.4%) of facilities accept Medicaid. This creates a financial firewall for low-income residents seeking recovery.
Levels of Care
While outpatient services are common, there is a distinct need for more residential and detox programs to support acute recovery phases.
Specialized Care Gaps
Less than half of all facilities (49.2%) are equipped to treat co-occurring mental health disorders—a critical component of modern addiction medicine.
Vulnerable Populations
Service Availability by Demographic
The DUI / Justice Gap
Only 5.2% of facilities serve DUI clients, signaling a major gap in public safety infrastructure.
The Payment Landscape
Modern Care Trends
Telehealth Adoption
A critical lifeline: 71% of facilities now offer telehealth, bridging geographic gaps for rural communities.
Methodology & Data Sources
This analysis was conducted by the research team at drugrehabilitationnearme.com. All data is sourced from the official SAMHSA National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SUMHSS) dataset (2024 Release).
The analysis of "Geographic Disparities" was limited to California counties with populations of 50,000 or greater to ensure statistical significance. All data was cross-referenced with federal portals to verify findings.
Access the full dataset on our California State Directory.