Our interventionists help California families move a loved one from active drug use into treatment, with a plan built around safety from the first call.
A drug intervention is a structured meeting, prepared with a professional interventionist, in which the people closest to someone who is using ask them to accept treatment that day. We travel to families throughout California, from San Francisco, Orange County and Irvine to smaller towns, and planning starts right away, because with today's drug supply waiting carries real risk.
Court-ordered addiction treatment. In limited cases, under California's LPS Act (as amended by SB 43; Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 5008 and § 5200 et seq.).
Overdose Good Samaritan law. Yes (Cal. Health & Safety Code § 11376.5).
Naloxone. Nasal naloxone is sold over the counter. The DHCS Naloxone Distribution Project supplies free naloxone to community organizations, harm reduction groups and health care settings (source).
State agency. California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
State treatment line. CA Bridge Connect (opioid treatment helpline): Call (800) 944-1807 or text (833) 308-0461, weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Emergency. Call 911 if a loved one is in immediate danger. Call or text 988 for an emotional crisis.
California recorded 9,028 drug overdose deaths in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 21.7 per 100,000, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (source). Before anything else, keep your loved one alive.
If your loved one is in immediate danger, call 911. If they are in emotional crisis, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
California has a Good Samaritan overdose law (Cal. Health & Safety Code § 11376.5) that offers some legal protection to people who call for help during an overdose. Its protections have conditions, but calling 911 is always the right move.
Naloxone (Narcan) reverses an opioid overdose, not stimulants. See our fentanyl family guide.
Since January 1, 2025, California law states that testing equipment used to check drugs for fentanyl and other contaminants is not drug paraphernalia (Health & Safety Code § 11014.5, amended by AB 2136) (source).
Each one shapes the medical side of detox differently.
In limited cases. California's LPS Act (as amended by SB 43) sets out a court process that can order treatment when strict legal conditions are met. It is a backstop, not a shortcut: a planned intervention is usually the faster and more lasting route, and a California attorney can confirm how the law applies to your family.
The law to know is California's LPS Act (as amended by SB 43; Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 5008 and § 5200 et seq.). Since 2024, severe substance use disorder can count as grave disability. Anyone may petition for an evaluation; holds run up to 14 days, plus up to 30 more. Laws change, so confirm the current rules with a California attorney before you rely on them.
Call (800) 944-1807 or text (833) 308-0461, weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
See the full steps, how fast someone leaves for treatment and our cost guide.
The state agency that oversees substance use treatment is California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). For treatment searches, California offers CA Bridge Connect (opioid treatment helpline): Call (800) 944-1807 or text (833) 308-0461, weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Yes. California has a Good Samaritan overdose law (Cal. Health & Safety Code § 11376.5) that offers some legal protection to people who call for help. Its protections have conditions, but calling 911 is always the right move.
We begin planning right away by phone or video, and travel to families throughout California, including San Francisco, Orange County and Irvine. Call (850) 563-9776 to talk through realistic timing.
One confidential conversation with a professional interventionist. No pressure, no obligation. We'll help you find the right next step for your family.
