ABOUT FIRST TO SERVE, INC OUTREACH MINISTRIES
First to Serve has over 10 years of experience helping men and women in Los Angeles, CA and the surrounding county struggling with mental health issues including substance abuse issues. The rehab center offers residential housing to single men and women as well as women with children and assists with permanent and transitional housing. The nonprofit has specialized tracks for those struggling with substance abuse, domestic violence, and homelessness.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Clients gain access to one of First to Serve’s programs through self-admittance or a referral. Those in residential living for substance abuse must commit to six months of treatment and individuals in transitional living must participate in at least six months of a life skills program.
Whichever track a client enters, he or she will have access to case management, clinical services, and legal assistance. Individual, family, and group counseling are offered along with 12-Step programing, anger management, life skills, financial literacy support, and relapse prevention. Clients can also access job placement and computer training. Some programs offer AIDS/HIV testing as well as childcare services.
The Winter Shelter Program is a 310-bed unit that runs throughout the entire cold season and provides shelter, showers, meals, supplies, and transportation services to homeless individuals.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The facility’s website offers very little information regarding its staff, however the sole review submitted to Best-rehabs.com awarded the staff’s experience three out of five stars
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
Details about First to Serve’s residencies are limited. Meals are provided and the substance abuse residence has 15 beds. A former client awarded three out of five stars for accommodations and amenities and five out of five stars for meals.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Best-rehabs.com has received feedback from one former client of First to Serve. They gave low one-star ratings for family participation and the connectivity/visitor policy, but gave five out of five stars for overall treatment effectiveness. The same reviewer indicated that treatment was affordable but wrote: “First to Serve is a very strict rehab program.” They went on to say: “First to Serve is one of the best out there. They helped me get my life back.”
Elsewhere online, reviews are mixed, skewing negative. On Google the facility has earned an average rating of two out of five stars from nine reviewers to date. Eduardo gave the facility four out of five stars and wrote: “I’m very grateful for First 2 Serve providing a place in this community were I had the opportunity to see my problems, and even though it was challenging to go through there unique way just made me realize that I must learn to deal with life on life’s terms.”
Joel was less impressed, offering just one star for his experience. His review recommended finding treatment elsewhere and said, “I went there to get my life back on track but the only positive thing I got was help with daily structure and patience.”
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
Although friends or family members have yet to provide feedback to Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing, loved ones posted fairly negative reviews elsewhere online. On Google, First to Serve, Inc. received an average rating of just two out of five stars based on nine user reviews to date. Delton awarded just one star on Google and wrote: “My sister stayed at one of their domestic violence shelters and the person that was running the shelter is very manipulating and tells lies. She told my sister I was rude on the phone and she had to end the conversation but I never even spoke to her… She was only concerned with the money. She repeatedly kept asking for money without addressing the issue at hand.”
Similarly, another loved one also gave just one star and told Google: “My boyfriend stays in this program and tells me he dont like it at all.” The reviewer went on to say, “he never with a smile cause the person that runs the place is very mean and rude.”
FINANCING
Information regarding pricing and insurance options is not available on the First To Serve’s website, but according to CiteHealth, private insurance is accepted.
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