So, you want to open an addiction treatment center (also known as a drug rehab) in the Golden State of California? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve sifted through the official documents to bring you the Cliff Notes version of how to get the job done. 

If you are planning on opening a facility that provides “detoxification, individual sessions, group sessions, educational sessions, alcoholism or drug abuse recovery, treatment planning and/or incidental medical services,” in the state of California, you’ll need to complete this process. 

(Note: If you’re only opening a sober living home in California, most of this will not apply to you! Sober living homes in California are not required to be licensed by the state.)  

Still with us? The process to get your addiction treatment center licensed in California  is somewhat lengthy, so get ready to give your patience muscles as a workout. 

After you’ve dotted all your “I’s” and crossed all your “T’s” — and forked over a hefty amount of cash in fees — you’ll be the proud owner of your very own Californian addiction treatment center! 

Let’s get started. 

Here’s An Overview of Everything You’ll Need to Do To Get Your Addiction Treatment Facility Licensed (and Certified) in California 

We said it was a lengthy process and we weren’t kidding. Here’s everything you’ll need to do to get your rehab opened in California: 

• Complete the Initial Treatment Provider Application (DHSC 6002) 

• Complete a Fire Inspection 

• Obtain zoning approval from your local authority (city and/or county)

• Get a DHCS Level of Care Designation and/or at least one residential American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Level of Care Certification

• Decide if you also want to be certified by the state 

• Decide what other certifications (if any) you want to pursue 

• Pay the fees 

California’s DHCS Website is Your Addiction Treatment Facility’s New Best Friend 

Luckily, everything you’ll need to complete most of the steps in this process can be found on the DHCS website. 

If you click “applications, forms and fees,” you’ll find your Initial Treatment Provider Application (DHCS 6002), which will walk you through the bulk of the work. 

In addition to basic contact information, the Initial Treatment Provider Application will demand specific details on the who, what, where and when of your program. Before you can complete the application, you’ll need to get clear on details like: 

• Your physical location 

• Your program’s weekly schedule 

• Your hours of operation 

• The number of beds you’ll provide 

• You ownership structure 

You’ll also need to tackle a few more requirements on the Initial Treatment Provider Application, such as:

• Fire inspection 

• Zoning approval 

These last two have forms of their own that need to be completed by your local fire department and your local zoning authority (usually your city or county). Once those are complete, they too are submitted along with the Initial Treatment Provider Application. 

There’s A Few Certifications You May Want to Pursue if You’re Opening a Drug Rehab in California, Too

Once you’re licensed in California, you need to decide if you want to get one or more of the many certifications available for addiction treatment centers. These certifications can be very powerful in communicating to potential patients that you offer superior service and high quality, evidence-based treatment. In today’s marketplace, many would-be patients and loved ones are highly skeptical of the addiction treatment industry because of the actions of a few bad actors. Certification can be meaningful in overcoming this hesitation, especially for newer facilities. 

Here’s a few of the certifications you may want to consider: 

• California’s state certification for addiction treatment centers 

• The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)

• Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) 

Don’t Forget About the Fees for Opening an Addiction Treatment Center in California 

None of this is going to come cheap. In addition to incidental fees you may encounter at the fire department or the zoning office, you’ll also be paying the state and any certifying body you want to establish a relationship with. 

Last we checked, it will cost you $3,050 to submit the Initial Residential Licensure Application Fee in California. Certification in California will set you back $2,931. If you buy both at once, the state will cut you a deal and grant both for $4,068. 

JCAHO accreditation comes with a $1820 annual fee in addition to a $2980 on-site survey fee every three years. 

CARF doesn’t post their fees currently but they do claim they are “cost competitive,” so we can assume they are similar to JCAHO’s fees at the moment.  

We’re Here to Help You Open an Addiction Treatment Center in California 

At Behave Health, we love working with addiction treatment centers that are just getting started because it is the perfect time to get your EHR right from the beginning. 

Our cloud-based, all-in-one software for the addiction treatment community brings you EHR, billing, CRM and property management functionality in one easy-to-use app you can access anywhere, instantly. 

Say goodbye to frustration and inefficiency and hello to EASY.