What Safe Refuge does

Safe Refuge is a Long Beach, California-based nonprofit (founded November 23, 1988, previously known as the Substance Abuse Foundation of Long Beach) providing a complete continuum of substance use disorder treatment, housing, and counseling services to underserved populations across Southern California. Its core service portfolio spans three buckets: Treatment (Residential Treatment of 30–180+ days, Outpatient Treatment, Intensive Outpatient Treatment, Supportive Housing, and up to one year of Aftercare services including relapse prevention and job placement); Housing (Recovery Bridge Housing, 6–12 month Transitional Housing, and 2+ year Long-term Housing); and Counseling (Specialized Outpatient Groups covering parenting, relapse prevention, anger management, life skills, plus Court-Referred Programs such as PC 1210 and Domestic Violence, and Private Individual/Family Counseling on a sliding scale). The technology footprint is essentially human-delivered clinical services with administrative electronic health records — no proprietary platform or AI/ML capability is disclosed.

The organization operates from a consolidated residential campus in Long Beach comprising 11 houses and 2 apartment buildings on a single city block providing 89 state-licensed beds, plus adjacent outpatient facilities on E. 7th Street and Redondo Avenue. Revenue is assembled from five streams: California Department of Health Care Services (Medi-Cal) fee-for-service contracts, federal/state/county government grants, private foundation grants, corporate and individual donations, and sliding-scale client fees, with care coordinators assisting uninsured clients onto Medi-Cal. Distribution is relationship-driven — Marketing Director Arthur Romo conducts community outreach, attends provider fairs, and liaises with jails/prisons, while formal referral pipelines run through Long Beach Probation, local courts, the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Long Beach VA Medical Center, and CalWORKs.

Customer segments served include individuals with substance use disorders, those with co-occurring mental health conditions, criminal justice populations (parolees/probationers), veterans (including the homeless), women with children, low-income and homeless individuals, people with HIV/AIDS, and CalWORKs-eligible non-custodial parents. Credentials include CARF accreditation (since 2001) for residential and outpatient treatment including criminal-justice populations, State DHCS License #190077 AHN, and County of Los Angeles certification for court-referred programs. Lead by Executive Director Kathryn Romo (since 2005) alongside a Clinical Director, Marketing/Community Outreach Director, and Facilities Director, Safe Refuge reports it has served over 24,000 men and women over 37 years.

Name

Safe Refuge

Legal name

Safe Refuge

Website

https://asaferefuge.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Safe Refuge is a Long Beach, California nonprofit (founded 1988) providing a complete continuum of residential, outpatient, and housing-based substance use treatment to underserved populations across Southern California, including veterans, criminal justice clients, and women with children.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Substance Abuse Treatment Services

NAICS

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (62322), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Substance abuse treatment
• Residential recovery programs
• Outpatient addiction services
• Recovery housing
• Behavioral health counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Long Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Primary funding from government agencies designed to help those in need. Safe Refuge receives funding from government grants that ensure basic operations and enable them to serve individuals who often have no other place to go.
2. Private Foundations: Funding from private foundations supporting addiction recovery and social services.
3. Fee-for-Service Contracts: Medi-Cal fee-for-service payments for outpatient and intensive outpatient services. Clients must participate in Medi-Cal outpatient or intensive outpatient services to access Recovery Bridge Housing.
4. Private Donations: Funding from corporations, local businesses, community residents, service clubs, religious groups, and foundations who recognize the importance of supporting effective treatment programs.
5. Sliding Scale Counseling Fees: Counseling services fees calculated on a sliding scale based on ability to pay.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Safe Refuge is a CARF-accredited nonprofit drug and alcohol treatment organization in Long Beach, California, offering a complete continuum of care that includes residential treatment (30-180+ days), outpatient and intensive outpatient programs, sober living and transitional housing, court-referred programs, and aftercare services. The organization serves underserved populations including low-income individuals, veterans, parolees, people with co-occurring disorders, and women with children, primarily funded through government grants, private foundations, Medi-Cal fee-for-service, and private donations.

Product overview

Safe Refuge is a drug and alcohol treatment organization offering a complete continuum of care with three main service categories: Treatment (Residential Treatment, Outpatient Treatment, Intensive Outpatient Treatment, Supportive Housing, Supportive Services, and Aftercare Services), Housing (Recovery Bridge Housing, Transitional Housing, and Long-term Housing), and Counseling (Specialized Outpatient Groups, Court-Referred Programs, and Private Individual Counseling). The organization serves diverse populations including low-income individuals, homeless individuals, veterans, parolees, people with co-occurring disorders, and women with children, operating from a residential campus in Long Beach, California with 11 houses and 2 apartment buildings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Treatment Therapeutic residential program providing drug and alcohol treatment in a home-like community setting for individuals with substance use disorders. Program length ranges from 30 to 180 days or longer as needed. Licensed by the State Department of Health Care Services and accredited by CARF. Designed for adults who need a structured live-in environment to begin recovery.
• Outpatient Treatment Outpatient treatment services varying in intensity and duration, offered in morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend schedules with individualized treatment plans. Serves individuals who do not require residential placement but need structured treatment.
• Intensive Outpatient Treatment More intensive outpatient program requiring 7 days per week, 1.5 to 3 hours per day for individuals needing structured treatment without residential placement.
• Specialized Outpatient Groups Structured group therapy programs including Parenting Education (52 weeks), Relapse Prevention, Commitment to Change, Framework for Recovery, Self-Esteem, Self-Improvement and Change, Life Skills, and Building Healthy Boundaries. Designed for individuals in treatment or as standalone outpatient services.
• Court-Referred Programs County-certified programs for offenders referred by Long Beach Probation and local courts, including PC 1210 (Proposition 36/Offender Treatment Program), Child Abuse Prevention, Domestic Violence, Deferred Entry of Judgment, and Anger Management programs. Designed to satisfy court-mandated treatment requirements.
• Private Individual Counseling Individual, family, and significant other counseling services available by appointment, including drug/alcohol counseling, domestic violence counseling, and HIV/AIDS counseling. Fees calculated on a sliding scale based on ability to pay. Private counseling services are available by appointment daily.
• Recovery Bridge Housing (RBH) Housing for clients who participate in Medi-Cal outpatient or intensive outpatient services at Safe Refuge. Provides a stable housing bridge while clients engage in treatment.
• Transitional Housing Furnished, alcohol-and-drug-free apartment housing for 6 months to one year for participants who are employed, enrolled in job training, or engaged as community volunteers, with access to outpatient services. Designed as a step between residential treatment and independent living.
• Long-term Housing Furnished alcohol-and-drug-free apartment housing providing at least two years of residence for employed residents, with outpatient services to prevent relapse and maintain sobriety. Designed for clients who have stabilized and need extended stable housing.
• Supportive Housing Affordable supportive housing for people who complete primary treatment, including one-, two-, and three-bedroom furnished apartments for men, women, and families, with wheelchair and ADA-accessible options available.
• Aftercare Services Supportive services for up to one year after completing treatment, including relapse prevention, crisis counseling, on-the-job training, job placement assistance, and housing search assistance. Designed to sustain recovery after primary treatment ends.
• Veterans Programs Substance abuse treatment, transitional housing, and supportive services for homeless and indigent veterans through the U.S. Veterans Administration, including the Veterans Overcoming Homelessness program. Serves veterans with substance abuse, mental health, and medical diagnoses.
• Housing for Women with Children Transitional and long-term housing for pregnant and parenting women with young children, including supportive services such as drug/alcohol education, case management, relapse prevention, vocational services, prenatal/postnatal health, and parenting skills. CalWORKs residential treatment available for eligible non-custodial parents.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served over 24,000 men and women over 37 years of operation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)coreOthersCARF accreditation since 2001 for residential and outpatient treatment and community housing for drug and/or alcohol rehabilitation, including those with criminal justice history. CARF CCAC Accredited logo displayed on website.
• State Department of Health Care ServicescoreOthersLicensed and certified by the State Department of Health Care Services. License and Certification Number: 190077 AHN. Residential certification and outpatient certification maintained.
• County of Los AngelescoreOthersCertified by County of Los Angeles to provide drug and alcohol education and/or counseling services for offenders referred by Long Beach Probation and the local courts.
• VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare SystemcoreOthersVeterans referred through the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program for substance abuse treatment and transitional housing.
• Long Beach Veterans Administration Medical CentercoreOthersVeterans served through the Long Beach Veterans Administration Medical Center for substance abuse treatment, transitional housing and supportive services for homeless and indigent veterans.
• CalWORKscoreOthersCalWORKs Residential Treatment program for eligible CalWORKs non-custodial parents. Safe Refuge provides residential recovery services and/or specialized recovery services for parenting men and women.
• Los Angeles Sober Living CoalitionminorOthersArthur Romo, Marketing Director, is a member of the Los Angeles Sober Living Coalition, building relationships within the recovery community.
• Custom Building ProductsminorOthersCorporate sponsor of Safe Refuge. Logo displayed on sponsors page with tagline 'A Quikrete Company'.
• Pacific GatewayminorOthersCorporate sponsor of Safe Refuge. Logo displayed on sponsors page.
• Port of Long BeachminorOthersCorporate sponsor of Safe Refuge. Logo displayed on sponsors page.
• Clothes the DealminorOthersCorporate sponsor of Safe Refuge. Logo displayed on sponsors page.
• Gavina Gourmet CoffeeminorOthersCorporate sponsor of Safe Refuge. Logo displayed on sponsors page.
• WyoTechminorOthersCorporate sponsor of Safe Refuge. Logo displayed on sponsors page.
• HKA Marketing CommunicationsminorOthersCorporate sponsor of Safe Refuge. Logo displayed on sponsors page.
• TileShopminorOthersCorporate sponsor of Safe Refuge. Logo displayed on sponsors page.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Workit Health: Telehealth-enabled SUD treatment platform serving Medi-Cal and uninsured populations with online and in-person care. Adjacent in payor mix and population focus but uses digital-first delivery model that contrasts Safe Refuge's facility-based approach.

Broad incumbents

• Caron Treatment Centers: National nonprofit SUD treatment provider with residential and outpatient programs, including specialized populations. Comparable in mission and CARF-equivalent standards but larger and multi-state.
• Phoenix House California: National nonprofit SUD treatment provider with California presence, offering residential, outpatient, and recovery housing. Comparable in CARF-accredited continuum-of-care model and criminal justice specialization.
• Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: Nationally recognized nonprofit SUD treatment provider with residential, outpatient, and educational programs. Comparable in CARF accreditation and continuum-of-care philosophy but at vastly larger national scale.

Direct peers

• Prototypes (a program of HealthRIGHT 360): Southern California nonprofit providing substance use treatment and recovery housing specifically for women and women with children - directly overlapping Safe Refuge's women-with-children specialty.
• Tarzana Treatment Centers: Large nonprofit based in the LA area providing residential and outpatient SUD treatment, mental health services, and HIV/AIDS care. Closest comparable in scale, mission, and geography to Safe Refuge.
• Behavioral Health Services (BHS): SoCal-based nonprofit providing substance abuse treatment, mental health, and HIV/AIDS services with residential and outpatient capacity. Overlaps with Safe Refuge in client segments (homeless, criminal-justice involved, low-income).
• CRI-Help: Long-running nonprofit SUD treatment organization in the greater Los Angeles area offering residential and outpatient programs. Directly comparable in target population (court-referred, underserved) and service model.
• Volunteers of America Los Angeles: Large SoCal-serving nonprofit providing SUD treatment, recovery housing, reentry services, and veteran support. Directly comparable in multi-program continuum, criminal-justice population focus, and public-payer funding model.

Regional players

• La Ventana Treatment Programs: Southern California-based SUD and mental health treatment provider offering residential and outpatient programs. Operates in the same SoCal market with overlapping treatment philosophy and underserved client focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/asaferefuge
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100063522522330&ref=hl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/safe-refuge

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Safe Refuge