California wildfires force evacuations from Southern California treatment centers

Wildfires have ravaged various parts of California this week, and addiction treatment facilities in the southern part of the state have been hit particularly hard. One industry executive estimates more than a dozen treatment centers have been destroyed.

The house of residential treatment provider Seasons in Malibu that is located along the Pacific Coast Highway burned down, CEO Don Varden told Behavioral Healthcare Executive in an email. Patients and staff were safely evacuated from the facility, Varden said. Seasons operates three other locations: two in Malibu that will reopen after local evacuation orders are lifted and one in Agoura Hills, which is currently open.

As of Wednesday, Paradigm Malibu, which offers a residential program for adolescents, has not seen any of its four properties damaged. However, Paradigm was forced to relocate to temporary facilities in the San Fernando Valley.

“Our youth are thriving, and their families have been wonderfully supportive,” CEO Cole Rucker said in an emailed statement. “Staff members have exceeded every expectation, putting the needs of clients first, even when needing to evacuate their own homes. … We have been moved by the amount of support that we have received from alumni families, friends, neighbors and the treatment community. Today we are feeling only gratitude for ourselves and grief for those who have suffered great loss.”

Foundations Recovery Network was similarly impacted, as the fire forced a relocation of patients and staff from one of its Southern California locations.

“Due to the devastating wildfires near The Canyon at Peace Park, all patients and staff-on-duty were proactively and safely evacuated from the facility and transported to another Foundations Recovery Network location in California,” the company said in a statement. “Patients are receiving continuation of treatment services. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and are in touch with local authorities on next steps.”

Meanwhile, Creative Care addiction treatment center told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday that it had lost four of its seven buildings after safely evacuating its 35 clients, staff and horses used for equine therapy.

Fire crews across the state continue to make progress in fighting the blazes. The Woolsey Fire that has wreaked havoc west of Los Angeles is now 57% contained as of Thursday afternoon, according to a USA Today report. The Camp Fire in northern part of the state, which has destroyed 9,000 homes and businesses, and is responsible for at least 56 deaths, is 40% contained.