Native Solutions partnered with Behave Health Consulting to navigate complex licensing requirements and launch Mariposa County's first medication-assisted treatment facility despite zero local precedent
Project Snapshot:
Ribbon cutting ceremony on August 6th, 2025 for Native Solutions Treatment Center
Name: Native Solutions d/b/a Trade Recovery Center
Location: Mariposa County, California
Population Served: 20,000 rural residents across two counties (Mariposa and Madera)
Services Provided: Level 3.5 detox program, outpatient treatment, MAT services, sober living environments, supervised visitation, DUI programs, wrap around services including parenting classes and food resourcing.
Behave Consulting Services: Licensing consultation, compliance guidance, EHR system, staff training, policy development
Timeline: January 15, 2025→ Licensed July 8, 2025
Outcome: First and only MAT treatment facility in county history, $1.3M in secured funding
Native Solutions founder Lisa Parker built her reputation opening essential family services in rural Mariposa County—from supervised visitation centers to sober living homes. But when she identified the community's most critical gap, the challenge seemed insurmountable: zero treatment facilities existed for residents struggling with opioid and substance addiction. Families were being sent hours away to San Jose or Merced, only to return to the same triggers that fueled their addiction. With generational addiction plaguing the community and no local MAT programs, Lisa knew she had to act fast—but navigating state licensing requirements for a treatment facility was entirely new territory.
“The referral process was, send them to the Emergency Room. We didn’t have anything else. No MAT up here at all. Zero, no treatment facilities. Zero in our county. Nothing other than our behavioral health system.”
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The Challenge: Overcoming Behavioral Health Licensing Barriers in Rural California
As a certified grant writer, Lisa felt confident tackling the licensing application independently. She spent months crafting a comprehensive 213-page submission, only to receive a devastating blow: 16 deficiencies requiring complete revision. The rejection revealed the complexity of treatment center licensing that extended far beyond her grant-writing expertise.
The obstacles were mounting:
Complex licensing requirements with no local precedent meant county officials didn't know how to classify or approve a treatment facility.
Complex integration requirements between treatment services, detox capabilities, and existing sober living programs.
Multi-county licensing was needed to serve the broader region.
Credentialing processes for insurance reimbursement that could take months.
Staff training requirements for specialized MAT services.
Technology infrastructure to manage unified operations across all programs.
Without proper licensing, Mariposa County would continue losing healthcare dollars to outside agencies while residents remained disconnected from culturally-appropriate, local treatment options.
The Solution: Behave Health Consulting
After the licensing setback, Lisa contacted Behave Health Consulting's, Matthew Michaels, PhD, with an ambitious vision: not just a basic treatment center, but an integrated facility spanning two counties with Level 3.5 detox capabilities and outpatient services.
Matt demonstrated a deep understanding of compliance and the rural facility’s challenges offering practical solutions rather than theoretical guidance.
How Behave Health Consulting Streamlined Regulatory Approval
Regulatory Compliance & Licensing Support
Complete application revision addressing all 16 initial deficiencies.
Multi-county licensing strategy for expanded service coverage.
Level 3.5 detox program development.
Integration guidance for treatment center, outpatient services, and sober living facilities.
Operational Infrastructure Development
Policies and procedures creation for state compliance.
Staff training programs for new team members.
Credentialing assistance for insurance provider negotiations.
County coordination for occupancy and fire department approvals.
Technology Integration
Unified EMR system consolidating supervised visitation, DUI programs, and treatment services.
AI-powered documentation features reducing administrative burden.
Bed management capabilities for treatment facility operations.
One-on-one training sessions for staff proficiency.
Once the project began, Native Solutions experienced immediate operational improvements and mindset shifts that accelerated their path to licensure.
Technology Revolution: The unified EMR system eliminated the chaos of managing multiple programs across different platforms. "Just being able to have everything on one system for me, for supervised visitations, our DUI program management, SLE management... everything built into this one system for us is huge because I'm not jumping all over the place," Lisa explained.
Enhanced Documentation: AI-powered features reduced administrative burden dramatically. "Being able to use the AI features to assist writing things out is huge. You're not sitting there for hours, flipping through books like, 'Okay, did I miss something there?'"
Staff Empowerment: One-on-one training sessions built confidence and competency. Former sober living residents became certified case managers and program facilitators, creating powerful success stories within the organization.
Regulatory Confidence: With expert guidance, complex compliance requirements became manageable rather than overwhelming, allowing Lisa to focus on program development and community impact.
The Outcome: Successful Launch of Rural California's First MAT Facility
Licensed Facility: Successfully obtained state licensing July 8, 2025, making Native Solutions the first and only MAT treatment facility in Mariposa County history.
Expanded Service Capacity: Level 3.5 detox program capabilities across two counties (Mariposa and Madera) with integrated outpatient and sober living services.
Financial Success: Secured $1.325M in grant funding supporting operations, staffing, and technology infrastructure.
Operational Efficiency: Unified CRM & EMR system managing supervised visitation, DUI programs, treatment services, and sober living environments through single platform.
Staff Development: Team of 15 employees including medical director, LVN, FNP, and certified counselors.
Community Impact: Eliminated need for out-of-county referrals, keeping healthcare dollars local while providing culturally-appropriate treatment in patients' home environment.
Economic Retention: First facility enabling insurance negotiations for higher reimbursement rates due to unique rural positioning and dual diagnosis capabilities.
“Our county’s recognizing. They’re like, wow, we have a treatment center. We have a detox program. We have MAT. We have funding to back it... Matt was able to really hone in on ‘Hey, this is what the State wants. This is what your county doesn’t have, and this is what we need.’ I said, Matt, we need to get this done. And he said, ‘Okay, let’s do it.’ So here we are.” ”
Ready to navigate complex licensing requirements and open your treatment facility faster?
Native Solutions proved that even the most challenging regulatory obstacles can be overcome with the right expertise and partnership approach.
Complex licensing doesn't have to derail your mission. Native Solutions' journey demonstrates that with the right regulatory expertise and flexible approach, rural communities can successfully navigate state licensing requirements to deliver critical healthcare services.
Integration amplifies impact. By designing treatment services to work seamlessly with existing sober living and family support programs, Native Solutions created a comprehensive care model that addresses root causes rather than just symptoms.
Technology streamlines compliance. A unified EMR system eliminates operational friction while ensuring documentation meets state requirements and supports insurance credentialing processes.
Ready to launch or expand your treatment facility? Contact Behave Health Consulting to discuss how our regulatory expertise, integrated EMR solutions and flexible approach can help you navigate licensing requirements and open your doors faster.
Transform your vision into a licensed reality—just like Native Solutions did.