Sentinel Alcohol DetoxSupport When Detox Ends
The days after detox are often when cravings and old routines return. Regular contact with a support group is one way people get through them.
Meetings work alongside further treatment, not in place of it.
- Talk to your detox team about outpatient, residential or medication follow-up.
- Try different meeting formats in the first weeks: in person, online or by phone.
- Tell one person you trust which meeting you plan to attend.
- Call 911 or go to an emergency room if withdrawal becomes severe.
Your First Meeting
Open meetings welcome anyone, including family, friends and people who are simply curious. Closed meetings are only for people who share the group's purpose, such as wanting to stop drinking or using.
At a speaker meeting, one or two people tell their own story. At a discussion meeting, members take turns talking about a topic or a reading. Some meetings study the program's book or steps.
Many groups also meet online or by phone, which can help if you live far from a meeting, work unusual hours or want to try a meeting from home first.
- You do not have to speak. You can say you would rather listen, or simply pass.
- You do not have to give your full name.
- Meetings are free to attend. Many pass a basket for voluntary contributions, and you do not have to give.
- Arriving a few minutes early is fine, and so is leaving early.
Support Groups at a Glance
After detox, a support meeting is one of the simpler next steps to take in California. Meeting schedules differ by group and by area, and there is no cost to attend. Here is how the main groups differ.
Whichever group you try first, you can switch, or attend more than one.
- A.A. serves people with a drinking problem through twelve steps and peer sharing; the only requirement is a wish to stop drinking.
- SMART Recovery takes a non-spiritual approach, with discussion-based meetings built around self-management tools; it covers alcohol, drugs and addictive behaviors.
- Al-Anon is for the family side of a drinking problem: relatives and friends meet to share how it affects them, using twelve steps.
- Recovery Dharma meetings combine meditation with sharing and are open to people with any addiction.
- Refuge Recovery meetings center on mindfulness and meditation as tools for recovery.
- Celebrate Recovery offers a faith-based, Christ-centered path and meets in local churches.
- N.A. focuses on addiction to any drug rather than one substance, using the same twelve-step structure as A.A.
- Nar-Anon does for families of people using drugs what Al-Anon does for families affected by drinking.
Where to Look Up Meetings in California
Peer support groups and mutual-aid programs run their own meetings. The links below go to each organization's official pages for California, where you can search for meetings. We do not list, copy or vouch for individual meetings.
Alcoholics Anonymous
A peer fellowship for people who want to stop drinking.
Narcotics Anonymous
A peer fellowship for people who want to stop using drugs.
SMART Recovery
A science-informed, self-empowering program with in-person and online meetings.
Al-Anon Family Groups
A peer fellowship for relatives and friends of people with a drinking problem.
Nar-Anon Family Groups
A peer fellowship for relatives and friends of people with a drug problem.
Recovery Dharma
A peer-led program that draws on Buddhist practices and principles.
Refuge Recovery
A mindfulness-based recovery community that draws on Buddhist practices.
Celebrate Recovery
A Christ-centered recovery program run through local churches.
Sentinel Alcohol Detox is an independent directory. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Narcotics Anonymous World Services, SMART Recovery, Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Nar-Anon Family Groups, Recovery Dharma, Refuge Recovery World Services, Celebrate Recovery, or any other fellowship or support organisation named on this page, and none of them has reviewed or approved this page. Each link goes to the organisation's own official page, which controls its meeting information. Meetings move, close and change, so confirm the time and place with the source before you go. Links in this section are editorial. They are not paid, sponsored or referral placements, and no treatment provider can pay to be added to or reordered within this section. Support meetings are not a substitute for professional treatment.
If you or someone else is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). For treatment referral and information, SAMHSA's National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357, free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.
Attendance Slips and Court Requirements
Some people come to meetings because a judge or probation officer requires it. That is common, and open meetings welcome them like anyone else.
Signing an attendance slip is up to each group and whoever leads the meeting. Twelve-step groups have no link to the court system.
- Find out exactly what your order or program asks for.
- Check whether online meetings count and how they can be verified.
- Keep your own log of dates, times and meeting names.
- Raise any problem with proof of attendance with your officer early.
Your Requirements
This page cannot give legal advice. Follow the instructions of your court or probation officer.
Medication and Support Meetings
Some people take a medication for alcohol use disorder, such as naltrexone or acamprosate, or methadone or buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. You can go to support meetings while you take a medication as prescribed.
SMART Recovery states that it supports legally prescribed addiction medication and welcomes people who use it at its meetings.
Twelve-step groups such as A.A. and N.A. are run by their own members, and each group sets its own customs, so how a meeting talks about medication can differ from one group to the next.
- Before you go, ask the local intergroup, service office or group contact how the meeting views medication.
- Look for meetings described as medication-friendly or MAT-friendly. Some areas and online meeting lists use these labels.
- Try a few different meetings. If one does not feel right, another may.
- You do not have to tell anyone at a meeting about your medication.
Talk to Your Prescriber
Never stop, lower or change a medication because of something said at a meeting. Talk to your prescriber first. This is general information, not medical advice.
Meetings Plus Treatment
Support meetings help many people stay on track, but they are not treatment. They do not provide medical care, medication or a treatment plan.
If you or someone close to you needs detox, medication or a structured program, a treatment provider can assess which level of care fits. Many people go to meetings during and after treatment.
This site lists alcohol treatment programs in California. See the map and city pages below, or call the number on this page to talk through options.
This number connects to our central helpline, not directly to a listed facility.
Search and Map Facilities in California
Press Search to list facilities in California, or type a city or ZIP code.
Listed Alcohol Treatment Programs in California
These cities in California have facilities listed on this site.
Support Meeting FAQs for California
Do meetings help after detox?
Many people find regular meetings useful in the weeks after detox, together with follow-up treatment.
Where can relatives get support?
Family groups such as Al-Anon and Nar-Anon meet in person and online, and open twelve-step meetings also welcome visitors.
How do I know if a meeting is open?
Meeting finders usually label each meeting as open or closed. Open meetings welcome visitors; closed meetings are for people who want to stop drinking or using themselves.
Do online meetings count for a court order?
That depends on your court or probation officer. Check with them, and ask how an online meeting can be verified.
Should I go to treatment or to meetings?
Many people do both. A treatment provider can assess what care you need, and meetings can support you along the way.
What if there is no meeting near me in California?
Online and phone meetings are an option wherever you live in California; the finders on this page include them.