Addiction Medicine Clinics

Our addiction medicine doctors understand the challenges of overcoming a substance use disorder. You receive compassionate care, medications and other services to help you get, and stay, well.

Why Choose UCLA Health for Substance Use Disorder Treatment

The doctors at UCLA Health Addiction Medicine Clinics understand the challenges of overcoming substance use disorders. Our team of addiction medicine doctors offers expert, compassionate care. We’re here through every step of your recovery journey, helping you regain control of your life, get well and stay well.

When you come to UCLA Health for treatment of a substance use disorder, you benefit from:

High-level addiction medicine expertise: You receive expert care from family medicine and internal medicine doctors who are board-certified and fellowship-trained in addiction medicine. Our doctors treat substance use disorders, as well as co-occurring conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
Supportive care team: Your care team may include behavioral health specialists, social workers, nurses and pharmacists. Our team members have deep experience helping people successfully navigate treatment and recovery.
Medications for addiction treatment: We offer medications to help break the cycle of substance use. We work with you to find the most effective medication and provide ongoing monitoring that can lead to a successful, long-term recovery.
Continuity of care: We provide inpatient care at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center and UCLA West Valley Medical Center and continue treatment upon discharge. We also offer outpatient care for patients who prefer that setting, as well as patients who seek help for substance use at our emergency department or other locations.
Coordinated services: We treat all types of substance use disorders. Our addiction medicine doctors work closely with referring physicians and outpatient and inpatient facilities to ensure you get the most effective treatment.
Evidence-based treatments: Researchers at the Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine at UCLA are advancing the understanding and treatment of substance use. We’re world-renowned for excellence in addiction research. As a patient, you benefit from the latest science-backed treatments and may have the option to aid our research efforts.
Convenient access to services: We make it easier for you to get the services you need with clinic locations in Encino, Hollywood, Santa Monica and Westwood. We also offer telehealth appointments.

Who Can Benefit From UCLA Health Addiction Medicine Services?

We help teens and adults with all types of substance use disorders. Your primary care provider or another expert may refer you to our care. We also accept self-referrals.

You may need help with substance use if you:

Need substances to get through each day
Experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop using substances
Notice that substance use negatively affects your physical or mental health, relationships, work or education

Your multidisciplinary care team

Our specialists work together to provide treatments that help you overcome addiction. You may receive care from experts in:

Addiction medicine
Clinical social work
Pharmacy

Substance Use Disorders We Treat

We have the expertise to treat dependencies on all types of substances, including but not limited to:

Alcohol
Benzodiazepines, barbiturates and other sedatives
Cannabis (marijuana)
Cocaine, methamphetamines and other stimulants
Heroin and prescription opioids, such as fentanyl
Ketamine, hallucinogens, inhalants, etc.
Kratom
Tobacco and nicotine

Addiction Services We Offer

Our addiction medicine doctors and care team members work with you to customize a treatment plan that offers the greatest chance of long-term success. We provide whole-person care that addresses your unique diagnosis, challenges and needs.

Substance use disorder diagnosis

The first step when you come to us for help is a one-on-one evaluation with an addiction medicine doctor. They will learn more about your substance usage and barriers to treatment. Your doctor uses guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to determine disease severity and develop the most effective treatment plan.

Medications for substance use disorders

Substance use disorders often require specialized medication treatment along with behavioral health therapies. Medications minimize cravings and withdrawal symptoms, increasing the chances of overcoming the addiction for good.

Our addiction medicine doctors prescribe medications proven to treat substance use. As you go through treatment, we help you taper off medications and monitor your progress to lower the risk of a relapse.

We offer medications for:

Alcohol use disorders: Naltrexone, acamprosate and disulfiram
Opioid use disorder: Buprenorphine and naltrexone
Tobacco use disorder: Bupropion, varenicline and nicotine replacement therapies

For other substance use disorders, we may prescribe medications that help with addictions but that aren’t yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat them. This common treatment approach is known as off-label drug use.

When appropriate, we connect patients who have opioid use disorders to methadone clinics. Although we don’t prescribe methadone, we provide other medications and services to aid recovery and prevent relapse.

Supportive services for substance use disorders

You have access to behavioral health specialists, social workers and nurses who have addiction expertise. These experts can:

Connect you to community resources and support groups
Assist with insurance coverage and payment issues

Programs for substance use disorders

Some patients need more intensive treatment before receiving outpatient care. Our social workers partner with you to find options covered by your insurer. Then, our addiction medicine doctors provide outpatient services after you leave a program.

Depending on the diagnosis, you may benefit from:

Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
Residential treatment center

Our Expert Team

At UCLA Health Addiction Medicine Clinics, you receive high-level care from board-certified, fellowship-trained addiction medicine doctors. Our team offers medications, counseling and supportive services to help you achieve long-term success.