New Medical Detox Center Opens in Laguna Beach, California

A new medical detox center has opened in Laguna Beach, California, adding supervised withdrawal management capacity in a state where demand for medical detox continues to outpace available care.

Why Medical Detox Matters in This Expansion

Evergrove Healthcare announced the opening of Detox California at Laguna Beach, a facility offering medically supervised detox and residential treatment for adults 18 and older with substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions.

The center provides clinically monitored withdrawal management, including medication support and 24/7 medical oversight, before patients can transition into residential treatment if needed.

According to SAMHSA, 48.4 million Americans age 12 or older had a substance use disorder in 2024, yet only 19.3 percent, or about 10.2 million people, received treatment. That treatment gap is the backdrop against which new medical detox capacity like this facility is opening.

Understanding Medical Detox

Medical detox is the process of safely managing withdrawal from drugs or alcohol under professional supervision, often with medication support to reduce symptoms and prevent dangerous complications.

This is different from unsupervised or at-home withdrawal, which can be life-threatening for people withdrawing from alcohol or benzodiazepines due to risks like seizures and delirium tremens.

Drake Coomer, executive director of Detox California, said the facility’s coastal setting was designed with early recovery in mind.

“Longitudinal clinical studies have shown us that environment plays an essential role in how someone moves through early recovery and avoids relapse,” Coomer said. “When a patient feels safe, comfortable, and knows their privacy is protected, they are more open to the process.”

Understanding Medication-Assisted Treatment During Detox

Medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, uses FDA-approved medications alongside counseling to manage withdrawal and reduce cravings during and after detox.

For opioid withdrawal, medications like buprenorphine and methadone can ease symptoms and lower the risk of relapse in the days immediately following detox, when the risk of overdose is highest.

For alcohol withdrawal, medications such as naltrexone and acamprosate are commonly used after the acute detox phase to support long-term recovery.

Facilities that treat co-occurring mental health conditions alongside substance use disorder, as Detox California says it does, are also positioned to start addressing depression, anxiety, or trauma symptoms early, rather than waiting until after detox is complete.

Since withdrawal itself can temporarily worsen mood and anxiety symptoms, having psychiatric support available from the start of treatment can make the transition into residential or outpatient care smoother.

Never Attempt Alcohol or Benzodiazepine Detox Without Medical Supervision

Alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal carry the highest risk of any substance detox, including the possibility of seizures and delirium tremens that can be fatal without medical intervention.

Anyone dependent on alcohol or benzodiazepines should never attempt to detox alone or without medical support, regardless of how mild past withdrawal episodes may have seemed.

Finding Medical Detox

For adults struggling with substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions, medically supervised detox remains the safest first step toward recovery, whether that means medical detox in Southern California or another accredited facility closer to home.

Search detox.com’s directory to find detox centers in your area. You can call 800-996-6135(Sponsored) to speak with a treatment advisor to learn more about your options.