ABOUT VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA LOS ANGELES
Volunteers of America (VOA) is a national faith-based nonprofit that provides social services to low-income individuals throughout the US. The Los Angeles, Calif. chapter (VOALA) was founded in 1896 and presides over numerous facilities in Los Angeles and surrounding cities in Los Angeles County.
The organization offers an array of services for vulnerable populations, including the homeless, veterans, HIV/AIDS individuals, and those recently released from prison. VOALA’s offerings consist of residential and outpatient treatment for adults with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Within the city of Los Angeles, VOALA offers both residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment in downtown.
The residential program is a six-month co-ed program based on best-practice models. The program provides group and individual counseling, case management services, referrals, and mental health therapy. Clients are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the provided discharge planning and aftercare services.
VOALA offers Step II, a 90-day outpatient program for homeless individuals, including veterans, who are struggling with substance abuse. The program uses the same modalities as the residential program with the ultimate goal of getting clients into stable, permanent housing.
The outpatient Living with Hope program provides substance abuse treatment for individuals at risk or living with HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis. This includes all aspects of the other substance abuse programs, as well as on-site testing, medication, and medical treatment.
The organization also offers 270 subsidized housing units for graduates of the substance abuse programs, as well as veterans, people with disabilities, and the working poor.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
According to its website, the Los Angeles branch of Volunteers of America employs more than 1,500 individuals. There is currently no further information provided by the facility regarding its treatment staff, however, the single alum polled by Best-rehabs.com to date gave the center three stars for the level of training found in its counseling staff and the amount of staff support.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
There is currently no information provided by the facility regarding its living arrangements and related offerings, however, the single alum polled by Best-rehabs.com to date gave the center three out of five stars for its accommodations, meals, and cleanliness.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
The single alum polled by Best-rehabs.com to date indicated the program was standard. “The treatment provided was satisfactory for a government benefit,” the anonymous reviewer wrote. They rated the center three stars in most of the evaluated treatment metrics, including its holistic offerings, extracurricular activities, and the overall quality of its individual and group counseling.
At the time of this writing, secondary review sites yielded mixed feedback. It should be noted these reviews may apply to other VOALA facilities around LA. On Facebook, the organization’s unofficial Facebook page includes five reviews with perfect five-star ratings. Currently, CiteHealth includes three three- out of five-star ratings for the Los Angeles residential treatment program. Along with these ratings, three reviewers mentioned harsh staff members who impeded their recovery. “Nathan goes out of his way to ruin your recovery stay,” one anonymous alum wrote. Another anonymous alum described a difficult staff member but felt “it is a great program overall.”
On CiteHealth, four reviewers rated the program an average of 3.5 out of five stars. While two reviewers left comments similar to those on CiteHealth, two additional reviewers gave five-star ratings and complimented the program staff. “I appreciate the big help that Jim, Raul, and the rest of the staff have been to me,” Adonai wrote.
FINANCING
There is currently no information provided on the facility’s website regarding its costs.