How rehab admissions work in Orange County

The admissions process, step by step

1. The first call. An admissions coordinator asks what substances are involved, how much and how often, any medical or mental health conditions, and what insurance you have. It usually takes 15 to 30 minutes. You can call for yourself or for someone you love.
2. A pre-assessment. The program decides whether its level of care fits. If you need medical detox and they only offer outpatient, a good program will tell you and point you elsewhere.
3. Insurance or payment check. With your permission, the program checks your benefits and tells you what you are likely to owe. Ask for this in writing.
4. Scheduling intake. Some residential and detox programs can admit the same day or next day. Outpatient programs often start within a week.
5. Intake day. Paperwork, a medical and psychological assessment, a review of house rules, and a treatment plan. Expect a few hours.

What to have ready before you call

• Your insurance card (front and back), or Medi-Cal card
• A photo ID
• A list of current medications and doses
• Names of your doctor or therapist, if you have them
• A rough history: what is used, how much, for how long, and when it was last used
• Questions you want answered (see below)

Questions to ask admissions

• What is your DHCS license or certification number?
• Which levels of care do you provide on site? Is detox medically supervised?
• What will I owe after insurance? Can you send that in writing?
• How long is a typical stay, and who decides when it ends?
• Do you offer medication-assisted treatment?
• What happens after discharge? Do you help arrange outpatient care or sober living?
• Can family be involved?

If Medi-Cal is your insurance

In Orange County, Medi-Cal substance use treatment goes through the county’s Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS). Start with the OC Health Care Agency Beneficiary Access Line at (800) 723-8641 or OCLinks at (855) 625-4657. They can screen you and connect you to a program that accepts Medi-Cal.

We are an independent directory, not a treatment center. We don’t take admissions, verify benefits or book tours. Every phone number on this site goes straight to the program, never to a call center.