Teen substance use programs for those on MediCal?
My kid is nearly 17 and is severely hooked on weed + messing with harder drugs. In two years of searching for a program that can help her/us I'm constantly referred to Thunder Road. It's closed! We've been in YOSUP and they agree that a residential program is in order, but then how to pay for it? We're a low income family on Alameda Alliance through MediCal. It's taken three years just to find her a therapist - who also says she needs a more intensive program.
Does anyone have suggestions?
Also, we're interested in any al-anon + al-teen programs in the Berkeley/Oakland/Albany area. Thank you!
Oct 22, 2023
Parent Replies
I don't have any suggestions but I wanted to say I sympathize. I'm helping a young woman on Medi-cal to get medical treatment through Alameda Alliance. She has a number of health problems including chronic asthma and she really needs a therapist too. All I have to show for over a year's worth of trying is a lot of unreturned phone calls. We even showed up in person at Highland to try to schedule a clinic appointment. They don't take appointments. I did figure out how to get her in for dental and eye exams at UCSF and UCB. But she still does not have a GP or a therapist, so kudos to you for getting therapy in place for your daughter and using the UCSF drug treatment program. The frustrating thing is there are so many resources listed on the Alameda Alliance website - at Highland Hospital and Lifelong Medical and lots of other local practices, but there is basically one gatekeeper - a phone number to call that either never answers or says they'll call you back. I guess Medi-Cal people are meant to use the ER for regular checkups and not have ongoing problems like asthma and trauma and substance abuse.
I don't know for sure, but I *think* The New Bridge Foundation takes Medi - Cal. I have a loved one who went there, and I thought they were very professional and caring.
https://www.newbridgefoundation.org/
Can you get services through your school district? If his drug problem is interfering with academics, that's a FAPE issue and they're required by law to provide services. There are Non-public residential schools, but I don't know if they take kids with active psychiatric or substance use problems. Worth looking into. You could call DREDF and see if this is something they can help you with. My kid lost his teenage mind in high school, was smoking/vaping every day, failing. We ended up getting residential covered. Some places do take medical, I've heard. Anyhow, good luck and hang in there. dredf.org
Can you speak to her primary care provider? They should be able to advocate for her. But it would be important that she is interested in getting treatment. There is much less that can be done when the patient doesn’t want help.