More than 5 million Californians currently need addiction treatment, but only 1 in 10 receive care. In 2021, an estimated 5.36 million Californians aged 12 and older had a substance use disorder (SUD). However, only about 10% received specialty addiction treatment. That means around 545,000 Californians accessed care while over 4.8 million went untreated.
Our incredible intake team is ready to answer all your questions and guide you through the process.
More than 5 million Californians currently need addiction treatment, but only 1 in 10 receive care.
In 2021, an estimated 5.36 million Californians aged 12 and older had a substance use disorder (SUD). However, only about 10% received specialty addiction treatment. That means around 545,000 Californians accessed care while over 4.8 million went untreated.
This trend is consistent over time. In 2018–2019, 2.9 million Californians had an SUD, but only 290,000 received care. Nationally, 15.6% of adults met criteria for SUD in 2021, yet just 9.6% received treatment.
Approximately 90% of Californians with a substance use disorder do not receive any form of treatment.
Despite billions in federal and state funding, the treatment gap remains wide and consistent across years. From 2018 through 2021, only 1 in 10 people in need received addiction care.
Outpatient and medication-assisted treatment are the most common forms of addiction care in California.
According to SAMHSA’s National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS):
These statistics highlight the system’s reliance on outpatient models, which are often more scalable but may not meet the needs of individuals with severe addiction.
Only a small percentage of Californians with addiction use detox or residential treatment services.
Capacity limitations and cost barriers make residential detox an underused resource.
California added more treatment facilities between 2018 and 2020, but the number of treated clients barely increased.
This expansion hasn’t closed the gap. Despite added infrastructure, only 10% of people in need received care during this time.
California is investing $1.8 billion in infrastructure to support addiction treatment statewide.
Through Proposition 1 and the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP), the state plans to:
This is the largest mental health and addiction facility build-out in state history, but the gap between supply and demand will persist.
The system lacks enough providers, facilities, and funding to meet growing treatment demand.
Barriers include:
Even with Medi-Cal expansion and DMC-ODS implementation, over 4.8 million Californians with addiction remain untreated each year.
The fentanyl crisis has caused a massive surge in overdose deaths and demand for fentanyl addiction treatment services.
Between 2015 and 2019, California saw a more than 10x increase in fentanyl-related overdose deaths. This trend has accelerated in recent years. As opioid-related overdoses continue to rise, demand for:
has sharply increased. However, treatment systems remain underprepared to respond.
For more, read The Fentanyl Crisis in California – Deaths, Stats, and Analysis.
State and federal policies are increasing funding and insurance coverage for addiction treatment.
Key initiatives include:
For a complete policy breakdown, visit Addiction Recovery in 2025: What New Government Policies Could Mean for Treatment.
California must increase long-term funding, provider availability, and treatment facility access to meet statewide demand.
To reduce the current shortfall, the state needs to:
Without sustained investment, over 5 million Californians will continue to face addiction without access to adequate care.
Talin Mouradian
Close
We work with most major insurance carriers. To find out your coverage options, fill out the form below and one of our admissions representatives will contact you as soon as possible.
