Licensed and Educated Counselors and Staff

Another factor to consider when looking at drug addiction treatment centers is the staff. Substance abuse counselors in Los Angeles who work at a licensed treatment center are required to hold (or be in the process of obtaining) substance abuse certification by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)

Often when budget cuts are put into effect, treatment providers are forced to cut down on one-on-one time thus enforcing more group sessions. This jeopardizes the connection between the counselor and the client and makes for a longer and less effective course of treatment. The lower client to counselor ratio, the better.