ABOUT SANTA BARBARA COUNTY – CARES CRISIS RESIDENTIAL NORTH
Santa Barbara County in California coordinates public behavioral health services via close to 50 programs. One of these, CARES Crisis Residential North in Santa Maria provides culturally competent, short-term, residential treatment for adults needing mental health and chemical dependency care, including detoxification support. This facility is one of dozens of treatment facilities in Northern California operated by contract with Anka Behavioral Health.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Access to treatment at any of the county’s facilities begins with a phone call to a crisis service, which provides referrals to sources of care such as the Crisis Residential North location. Assistance in Spanish is available at this and many later stages. The Santa Maria facility is staffed 24/7 and programming prioritizes reduction of symptoms and planning for a continuum of treatment elsewhere.
A triage model and milieu therapy approach – which applies strict practices to deter self-harm – incorporates individual and group therapy, life skills training, medication management, and peer support, according to Anka’s website. Once stable, clients are assisted in accessing psychiatric, advocacy, and continued addiction treatment services at another county program.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
Treatment team members include licensed therapists, peer recovery specialists, case workers, and a psychiatrist.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
The Anka Crisis Residential facility in Santa Maria is located in a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood. There is currently no information provided by the facility regarding its living arrangements and related offerings. However, the sole individual polled by Best-rehabs.com to date indicated that accommodations were highly satisfying, as reflected in ratings of four stars out of five for meals, nutrition, exercise and leisure activities, and the facility’s cleanliness and upkeep.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
While Best-rehabs.com has yet to receive any feedback from any former clients of this facility, three out of four Google reviews submitted by alumni reflected favorable opinions. Three praised staff members by name: one reviewer expressed liking to have staff to talk to and another described employees as professional respectful. By contrast, one negative reviewer wrote that only some staff members “have a heart” and the rest treated clients as “just a number.” This alum also reported a long wait for service. None referenced substance abuse treatment explicitly.[1]
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
In a review submitted to Best-rehabs.com by a loved one, several facility aspects received ratings of four stars, including the effectiveness of treatment, opportunities for family participation, access to treatment for co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders, and the staff’s level of training and experience. The reviewer described the staff as “nice,” but rated admissions and discharge procedures just two stars, which supported one Google reviewer’s complaint.
Another review on Google was submitted by a parent who expressed wanting her son to stay in treatment longer, while praising the staff’s helpfulness and facility’s cleanliness.
FINANCING
There is currently no information provided on the county or Anka websites regarding this specific facility’s costs. Santa Barbara’s behavioral health department accepts Medi-Cal and some commercial insurance coverage as needed. The one individual polled by Best-rehabs.com rated the affordability of treatment four stars.[1]