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Long Beach is one of only three cities in California that runs its own municipal health department rather than relying solely on the county, and that structure shapes how detox and substance use disorder treatment are regulated locally. The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services runs its own opioid response and harm reduction programs, while the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) bureau administers the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) that funds withdrawal management, residential, and outpatient care for Medi-Cal members citywide.
This dual structure means Long Beach residents have both a city-level harm reduction program and access to the full LA County DMC-ODS treatment network, coordinated through detox and outpatient providers across the city and the wider county. SAPC’s Substance Abuse Service Helpline offers 24/7 screening and referral for anyone unsure where to start.
The city’s own data shows why this matters. Long Beach’s first Opioid Overdose Report, published in April 2025, found opioid-related deaths climbed 326 percent between 2018 and 2022, driven largely by fentanyl, though preliminary 2024 data shows a 39 percent drop in fentanyl-related deaths compared to 2023. The Health Department has used California Opioid Settlement funds to expand naloxone distribution, including a mail-order option launched in 2026, and to fund community workshops on overdose recognition throughout the city.
