National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence South Bay Area (NCADDSB) Review
Founded as a non-profit in 1973, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence South Bay Area (NCADDSB) provides substance abuse treatment and educational programs in four Southern California cities: Torrance, Long Beach, Carson and Westchester. Each location offers a different program, including the Flossie Lewis Center—a residential facility for women—outpatient treatment for adults and adolescents, prevention and DUI services, all regardless of ability to pay.
Accommodations and Food
The Flossie Lewis Center is a 34-bed facility situated in a large house with an adjacent annex in downtown Long Beach. It provides inpatient treatment for women, pregnant women and women with small children. While it may not be regarded as the best area, the house is safe with gated entryways that lock from the inside. Clients are permitted to bring one child under the age of five. Each bedroom holds four women and residents share the use of two full bathrooms. Furnishings are simple but homey; twin beds, shared dressers and closets. The living room has a TV and doubles as a meeting room for groups. There is a kitchen, dining room and an administrative office. A converted garage serves as an additional meeting and group room.
Food is purchased by the staff and prepared by the clients. They are provided with three meals a day made from the basic food groups, however, the facility’s limited budget prevents any special dietary requests from being accommodated. No cell phones or electronic devices are permitted and the facility is entirely non-smoking.
Treatment and Staff
Potential clients attend a one-hour orientation to be put on a wait list and must be fully detoxed before beginning treatment. Once admitted, the program lasts three to 12 months and is CBT and 12-step based. All clients have a primary counselor that they meet with for individual therapy on a weekly basis. Those with co-occurring disorders get an opportunity to address specific issues during these private sessions but this is the extent of dual diagnosis support here.
A typical day at Flossie Lewis begins with a 6 am wake up call, followed by breakfast at 7. Residents clean the kitchen and tidy up their rooms before heading off to morning group at 8:30. Group therapy happens throughout the day with free time from 3 to 5 pm. Topics include addiction studies, avoiding triggers, building self-esteem, goal setting, managing anxiety and if appropriate, parenting skills. Dinner is at 5:30 followed by a 12-step meeting. Monday evenings are reserved for process group.
Visiting hours are on Saturday from 1 to 3 pm. After 30 days, clients are permitted to go on an eight-hour pass with an approved buddy or family member. Phone calls can be made from the office, per staff approval, after two weeks in treatment.
The staff consists of CSACs, a house manager and treatment technicians. The client to staff ratio is seven-to-one.
Outpatient treatment for adults is administered at the Torrance location. Situated in a commercial district, this facility is a single story structure with a welcoming blue awning and plenty of parking. Potential clients must schedule an assessment with one of the counselors at which time a treatment plan is outlined. The duration of treatment varies from client to client, as does the frequency of visits. Those with a greater risk of relapse attend group three times a week, with one individual session. Topics include relapse prevention, coping and communication skills, goals groups and parenting classes. While attending AA or NA meetings is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended.
The adolescent program is also conducted out of the Torrance location and is 10 weeks long. Clients attend a combination of group and individual therapy twice a week, totaling five hours. Topics include peer pressure, self-esteem, family dynamics and how to have fun sober. These kids are subjected to random drug testing and are encouraged to attend 12-step meetings.
All outpatient treatment is facilitated by CSACs and MFTs. Adolescent counselors are CSACs and Master’s-level therapists specializing in child development.
Extras
Transitional living for women is available at Flossie Lewis and at the Carson location. Each facility has five beds and provides up to 12 months of sober living. The Long Beach location is a step-down for women who have graduated from residential treatment and the Carson site is for women who are enrolled in the outpatient program at Harbor UCLA. Residents must be employed after two weeks and are responsible for their own food and supplies. Attendance at 12-step meetings is required. The Torrance location offers alcohol prevention education, domestic violence treatment and smoking cessation.
For people convicted of a DUI, the Westchester and Torrance facilities offer the High Gain Drinking and Driving program—a combination of group and individual therapy, coupled with 12-step meetings. This program is licensed and certified by the State of California and Los Angeles County.
In Summary
The NCADDSB focused residential treatment for women offers a life-changing opportunity for those in various stages of their life, to seek help and refuge in a safe and structured environment regardless of their financial situation. The choice to become a part of this program may be a crucial turning point for many women and their families. The outpatient programs for adults and adolescents can stand on its own or supplement care for entire families who are struggling with addiction. For those who are serious about changing their lives but have financial limitations, the NCADDSB is a great local solution.
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence South Bay Area Location
1334 Post Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence South Bay Area Cost
Sliding scale (30 days). Reach National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence South Bay Area by phone at (310) 328-1460 or by email at Mauricio@ncadsb.com. Find National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence South Bay Area on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube
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