Treatment Programs
Evidence-based programs tailored to your unique recovery needs
Medical Detox
When substance dependence reaches a critical point, the body needs immediate medical stabilization before any deeper therapeutic work can begin. At DMH Rehab in Santa Cruz, our 3-to-7-day medical detox program provides round-the-clock physician and nursing supervision, ensuring that withdrawal symptoms are managed safely through medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and continuous vital-sign monitoring. Our 56-member clinical team understands that this phase can feel overwhelming, and every protocol is designed to reduce physical distress as quickly as possible.
Once your system begins to stabilize, our detox staff coordinates a seamless transition into the next level of care. Nutritional support, hydration therapy, and comfort-focused interventions keep you grounded while your body recalibrates. With 31 beds across our facility and nine years of crisis-stabilization experience, DMH Rehab has guided more than 3,600 individuals through the turbulence of early withdrawal and into a calmer, clearer state of readiness for recovery.
Residential Treatment
Our 30-to-90-day residential program picks up exactly where detox leaves off, channeling newfound physical stability into structured, learning-focused growth. Each day at DMH Rehab follows a structured-academic schedule beginning at 7:00 AM, featuring psychoeducation lectures on the neuroscience of addiction, guided workbook exercises, and addiction science workshops that teach you how substances rewire the brain and how recovery reverses that process. Individual counseling sessions and group therapy round out a full curriculum designed to replace chaos with understanding.
Living on-site in our Santa Cruz facility means you are immersed in a recovery environment 24 hours a day, free from the triggers and stressors of daily life. Our team of 56 clinicians, therapists, and support staff maintains a low client-to-counselor ratio so that every resident receives personalized attention. Physical fitness blocks, evening reflection groups, and structured downtime build the daily rhythms that sustain long-term sobriety well beyond discharge.
Outpatient Program
For individuals stepping down from residential care or those whose circumstances allow them to live at home, our 8-to-12-week Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) delivers the same clinical rigor in a flexible format. Sessions meet multiple times per week at our Santa Cruz location and draw on evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Each session builds practical coping skills you can apply immediately in real-world settings.
The outpatient track is specifically calibrated for the transition from the controlled calm of residential treatment back into everyday responsibilities like work, school, and family life. Our clinicians monitor progress through regular assessments and adjust the treatment plan as you gain confidence. Group therapy components provide peer support and accountability, reinforcing the stabilization gains you achieved in earlier phases of care at DMH Rehab.
Dual Diagnosis
Addiction rarely exists in isolation. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions frequently fuel substance use, and treating one without the other leaves the root cause untouched. At DMH Rehab, our dual diagnosis program integrates psychiatric care and addiction therapy into a single, coordinated treatment plan. A dedicated psychiatrist works alongside your primary therapist so that medication management and behavioral interventions move forward in sync rather than in separate silos.
This integrated model is central to the crisis-to-calm philosophy at our Santa Cruz center. By addressing the emotional turbulence that drives compulsive use, we help you reach a level of psychological stability that supports lasting sobriety. EMDR for trauma processing, CBT for distorted thought patterns, and DBT for emotional regulation are all woven into your individualized plan. Over nine years, this approach has proven essential for the thousands of clients whose recovery depended on treating the whole person, not just the substance.
Substances We Treat
- Alcohol
- Opioids
- Heroin
- MDMA / Ecstasy
- Hallucinogens
- GHB
- Marijuana
- Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2/Spice)
- Methamphetamine
- Barbiturates
Treatment Modalities
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Individual Counseling
- Group Therapy
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing)
A Day in Treatment
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Find the Right Program
Our clinical team will help determine which program fits your needs.