Safe Refuge

About Safe Refuge

Safe Refuge is a nonprofit drug and alcohol treatment provider in Long Beach, California, that has offered a full continuum of care since 1988, from residential treatment through outpatient services and recovery housing. Their guiding belief is that everyone deserves a chance to recover, so their programs are open to people regardless of ability to pay, with a particular focus on low-income and homeless individuals. They treat substance use disorders, including co-occurring mental health conditions, and serve a wide range of people, including veterans, parolees, pregnant women, parents with children, people living with HIV/AIDS, and those affected by domestic violence. Their residential campus in Long Beach sits next to their outpatient services, and their programs are CARF-accredited and licensed by the California Department of Health Care Services.

Residential stays run from 30 to 180 days or longer as needed, in a home-like community setting, and Medi-Cal, VA referrals, and private pay are accepted; care coordinators and peer navigators can help clients apply for Medi-Cal while they begin treatment. Outpatient options include morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend schedules, an intensive outpatient track that meets seven days a week, relapse prevention groups, and anger management, with individualized treatment plans built for each client. Beyond counseling, they offer care coordination, vocational and job placement help, parenting and family services, HIV/AIDS services, 12-Step meetings, and drug testing. Graduates can stay in furnished transitional apartments for men, women, and families, often for a year or more, and remain eligible for up to a year of aftercare, including crisis counseling, housing search assistance, and an active alumni group.