Detox Centers in Riverside, CA

As the most populous city in Riverside County and the Inland Empire, Riverside faces problems with addiction and substance use disorders like any other city.

Opioid misuse and opioid-related overdose deaths continue to be a major public health concern in Riverside. Between 2011 and 2015, Riverside was among the top five cities in the county with the highest number of opioid-related deaths.¹ During that period, the five-year average rate of opioid-related deaths was 3.5 per 10,000 people.¹

Heroin and fentanyl are responsible for the majority of opioid-related overdose deaths in Riverside County. The number of heroin-related deaths increased 20% from 2014 to 2015, and heroin was found to be related to one in every four opioid overdose deaths in 2015.¹ According to the Riverside County District Attorney, the number of fentanyl-related deaths in the county rose 800% over the last three to four years, with fentanyl being involved in 227 overdose deaths in 2020.² In 2016, there were only two fentanyl-related deaths that occurred in Riverside County.³

Rates of alcohol misuse in Riverside are also higher than those in the county and the U.S. as a whole. In 2019, an estimated 18.7% of adults in Riverside reported binge drinking at least one time in the past 30 days, compared with 17.4% of adults in the county and 16.7% of adults in the U.S.⁴ Between 2015 and 2019, nearly 32% of driving deaths in Riverside County involved alcohol, compared with rates of 28.7% in California and 27% in the U.S. overall.⁵

People in Riverside who are suffering from substance use disorders have numerous options when it comes to professional treatment. There are currently 28 addiction treatment centers in Riverside and within a 10-mile radius.⁶ This represents roughly 1.2% of the 2,300 addiction treatment facilities in the entire state of California.⁷

Fifteen facilities in Riverside offer detoxification services for those who are physically dependent on substances like alcohol and opioids, and who are in need of experiencing a safe, medically supervised withdrawal.⁶ Twenty facilities offer mental health treatment for patients with co-occurring mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety.⁶ Riverside is also home to 18 buprenorphine practitioners who can prescribe this medication in an outpatient setting to those in recovery from opioid dependence.⁶

Riverside has one dedicated opioid treatment program that offers medication-assisted treatment using methadone.⁸ The facility that offers this program is located at 1021 West La Cadena Drive in Riverside.⁸ People in recovery from opioid use disorder who want to combine the use of methadone with counseling and behavioral therapy can contact this treatment center to learn more about the program.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are free 12-step support group programs that help people achieve long-term abstinence from drugs and alcohol.⁹ Research suggests that AA and NA may be more effective than psychotherapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational enhancement therapy at helping people recover from substance use disorders.⁹

AA meetings in Riverside take place seven days a week at varying times of the day at churches, hospitals, and community centers.¹⁰ Online meetings are also available for those who are unable to make it to in-person AA meetings.10 A complete list of Riverside AA meetings is available on the official website for the Inland Empire Central Office of Alcoholics Anonymous.¹⁰

There are also 47 NA meetings in Riverside and within a five-mile radius, many of which take place at churches, sober living facilities, and community centers.¹¹ A complete list of Riverside NA meetings is available on the official NA website.¹¹

Sources:

1. Napler, R. (2018, February). Overdose and Opioid Deaths in Riverside County, CA.
2. Thropay, C. (2021, May 13). Fentanyl’s heartbreaking impact and how Riverside County is tackling the deadly drug.
3. McMillan, R. (2022, January 12). Families of victims who died of fentanyl use rally to raise awareness.
4. Strategic Health Alliance Pursuing Equity Riverside County. City Dashboard: Riverside.
5. Strategic Health Alliance Pursuing Equity Riverside County. Alcohol-Impaired Driving Deaths.
6. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Find Treatment.
7. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Find a Facility.
8. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Opioid Treatment Program Directory.
9. Erickson, M. (2020, March 11). Alcoholics Anonymous most effective path to alcohol abstinence.
10. Inland Empire Central Office of Alcoholics Anonymous. Meetings.
11. Narcotics Anonymous. NA Meeting Search.