I have attended the Family workshop at Design For Change recovery program. The benefit of the program to family members of addicts is immeasurable. The professionals that host this workshop have decades of experience with addiction. They understand the science of addiction and explain it in an understandable way to the participants at the workshop. They also talk about feelings and emotions regarding the addict and ourselves. When people first enter the workshop, they are usually overwhelmed, sad and angry about the addiction that their family member is dealing with. It doesn't take long before they start to feel empowered and like they have an idea of how to deal with the addiction. Also, there is an overwhelming feeling of support from the staff and the other families at the workshop. We all become very close and exchange phone numbers and contact information so that we can follow up with support after we leave. We all understand what the other family members are going through because we are dealing with the same things. The workshop is a safe place to talk about how we are feeling about our addicts and what experiences we have had. We talk about the fear, the anger, the sadness, and the feeling of being powerless over the addiction. We leave the workshop with the tools to move forward with our lives and coping skills to deal with the addiction. The workshop is a very powerful place to find information, support, understanding and tools. I wish every recovery program would offer the families a workshop like this. Addiction is a family problem. We all need these tools to help our addicted lives ones to recover, which is our common goal. But we also need to learn how to still live our lives while loving an addicted person. I feel so lucky to have found this program and will continue to attend the workshops as I deal with my addicted loved one. read more

This guy is awful. He wasted a year of my time with very little improvement. He called me old then refused to give more care. Im left partially disfigured.You are not allowed to discriminated based on age. It is illegal. read more

I highly recommend Design for Change Recovery. The staff is very friendly and very proficient in the 12 step approach to long term recovery. If you are looking for a change spirtually, emotionall and physically this is your place. Daniel.R read more

Design for Change is amazing. They really care and the small setting is perfect for healing. I'm writing this review as a parent of a patient and could not recommend them more. They offer services the whole way along from detox, to transitional to sober living. They also have a great family program that is exceptional. Cannot recommend them more if you or a family member need help. Extremely genuine and caring facility and staff. read more

This is not your ordinary center. They specialize in all forms of recovery. Anxiety, addiction, depression etc. They have therapist sessions, activities, counselors who asses depression, assist in 12 steps, and heavily weighed in with cognitive behavior therapy. The grounds are nice both at the in patient and transitional housing. The place is clean, large, homey but here is the larger picture. The workers are great. The owners are amazing. The drivers are super cool and nice, the cook is amazing and the sweetest ever. Everyone is quite professional and you can tell, yes its a job, yet its a business that makes money, but also they pour their hearts into all the clients. Best decision I have ever made. We all have our struggles in life but this place gave me perspective and support I just needed, a game changer in my life. read more

I would not recommend going if you have any type of medical issues. Other than that it is ok.

Design for Change is a diamond. I am so grateful to CEO, Joe Hunter and Counselor, Tiffany Whitebread for their unwavering dedication, caring, compassion and commitment to my son's recovery. Holding my son accountable while treating him with dignity and respect. Joe was heavily involved in the treatment process and was always available which resulted in my son gaining a deep trust and respect for both Joe and Tiffany. Over the course of twelve months enrolled in DFC's Intensive outpatient program (IOP) they guided my son out of his addiction and provided him with the necessary tools to work towards living a healthy, mentally stable and fulfilling life without having to self medicate. My son openly participated in his recovery and I began to see the wonderful progress before my eyes. For the first time in about seven years I saw my son laugh, enjoy life and the ability for me and him to have insightful positive conversations. Design for Change understands that addiction affects the entire family. Uniquely, DFC offers a virtual family support group that meets weekly to help us navigate through our life of having a love one with an addiction. Sharing our experiences provided me with insight which made me feel that I was not alone in this journey. Joe even found time to surprise us by joining our virtual family support group meetings just to check in on us which made the meetings extra especial. I am forever grateful to Design for Change. Tonia read more

If you are looking for a place to start your recovery, DFC is not a bad place to attend (but not recommended as I'll explain) The facilities are nice, you have food prepared for you, but only when you live at the Detox house. They provide medical needs, but if you need something as simple as an over the counter Tylenol or ibuprofen, they don't have it, you'll need an Rx, which seems horrible for a detox center. You never actually see the doctor on staff in person, zoom only. They push medication pretty hard to get you past the hard parts of substance withdrawal as well as the need for daily medication upon exit. Oh and they don't have nurses at the houses, just techs. The main problem I had with this facility staff was the "clickish" way the clients were treated by the staff, especially at the transitional level. The staff member at the transitional level picked her little group of clients to coddle and do whatever she could for, but if you weren't apart of the crew, you were just someone in the way of their time together. I had a great experience with most of the staff, but some staff acted very authoritarian and indignant with the clients. Almost as if they were trying to prove they were in charge of you at a voluntary recovery center. Very bad look on their part. They'll push everyone to stay longer then the expected 28-30 days and even if you do stay longer, they'll push for more time and not be happy about it if they wanted you to stay longer. Guessing that's a money thing from the people they like, but if they didn't like you, they had no problem just saying "ok, bye, good luck" The environment at the transitional residential house had many aspects that are NOT conducive to recovery. Make sure not to give the extra money for rent at transitional also. 2/3's of goes to rent 1/3 is supposed to be given out in a grocery store card, but only every Thursday and you only get $50 to use of your own deposited money, the rest is on you, keep that expense in mind. Many amenities were broken or broke, including a major plumbing issue. Pool is great if you're lucky enough to have it cleaned for a day. If you like working out as part of your recovery, best of luck, basic and very limited equipment. There are so many places better than DFC to consider before having to live in Lancaster and Palmdale for 1-2 months of your life that's for sure. Can't say I'd recommend DFC to anyone now. It started good, but staff became a big part of it turning very poor toward the last few weeks residing there. read more

Going to DFC was one of the greatest decisions of my life and I credit them for my sobriety. To be honest, I went their with the attitude of "let's just through this". That changed quickly with the host of staff that were caring knowledgeable (they have been through what you are going through right now and they really instill a family atmosphere. The charismatic owner, even takes the time to lead some of the classes. But most important the knowledge I learned so much from their classes, in short it's not just to stop drinking but more important ... To stop the thinking that caused the drinking. The facility are top notch and the fellowship the staff instills with the other clients going through what you are going through is a tremendous aid in my recovery. The bottom line is I can't recommend this program strongly enough, it will help you change. And if the staff reads this, thank you from the bottom of my heart you've saved my life. read more

I was totally blown away by the professionalism and the genuine care demonstrated by the entire staff. I recommend Design For Change wholeheartedly. read more

I was here from January 29th 2020 to February 17th 2020 and I am still clean and sober today. This place changed my life for the better, got me back on track, all the counselors gave me and taught me all the proper tools to use in the outside world. I thank all the counselors, employees, and especially the owner who have so much PASSION for recovery and the treatment centers. Thank you all again for all you have done for me. I highly recommend this place it's safe and comfortable. They feed you well also =))) read more

Design For Change Recovery - And still trudging!!! - Rehabilitation Center Near Me - Lancaster, California

If you're struggling with any substance abuse, DFC is the place to go! I am so very thankful for all staff members. I attended the IOP program and it helped me transform my life. You get deep with the work and learn healthier coping skills through group sessions, along with one on one counseling. I am so glad I was able to find this place through my healthcare provider. Again, thank you DFC for helping me with my recovery. read more

Recently I attended the DFC Family workshop in Palmdale. I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction with the other families and the valuable information presented by the highly professional and learned staff. It helped me to understand what the recovering patients experienced while being in a rehab facility. I definitely recommend anyone who is connected with a recovering person in DFC to take advantage of the wonderful support and learning experience available to them. read more

I have been to this facilites and you can tell this business is doing it right. They help people with drug addictions, helping people get back on their feet. read more

Design For Change Recovery - Rehabilitation Center Near Me - Lancaster, California

I have been to a few treatment centers, and Design For Change was a new experience for me, the staff was phenomenal, very helpful and supportive, Joe Hunter the owner/CEO sat with me regularly to see if I needed anything and helped me better understand the work I was doing. I was hopeless before coming here, and today I work a program, my family is part of my life again, I can hold a job, I am going to school, it is such a blessing. Thank you again. -Kendall M read more

Run by alcoholics for alcoholics. This place saved my life. Cannot say enough about how this place saved my life and made me an honest responsible individual. read more

As the treatment center's name suggest, it really did change my life for the better. The staff here truly do care. The amount of professionalism provided by this facility is beyond the standard expectation. I am forever grateful for Joe and the other staff members for their love and support. They have really open my eyes and more importantly my heart for a new way of living. Words cannot express how thankful I am to be able to come out of the grasp of addiction into the path of recovery. read more

This whole organization is pretty amazing. I was unable to control my addiction or my life. Thankfully Design For Change gave me the proper tools and guidance to regain control of my life. I will forever be thankful to ALL staff, I learned something from each employee. My life in recovery is better than it ever was before. Thank you DFC! read more

The staff is amazing, the accommodations spectacular, and the knowledge priceless. This is like no other treatment center. The owner takes pride in helping people get into recovery, not just detox and abstaining, but a whole life change. Thank you Design For Change! read more

I am a recovered addict and Design For Living Recovery Services helped save my life. I had tried other methods to quit and they didn't work. I thought I was hopeless, but they showed me how to recover and then they walked me through it. I stayed for 23 days and when I got out I was no longer obsessing over how I was gonna find drugs. I was focusing on what I was gonna do for my recovery. Today I am a good daughter, a good girlfriend, a good friend and a good employee. If you think or know that you're an addict or an alcoholic and are looking for help I hope you find what I found at Design For Living. read more

I relapsed after 5 years clean. Heroin mainly and meth too. I broke down and it was pretty obvious I needed some serious help. I am 38 and have been taking hard drugs since I was 16. I have always had extremely bad social anxiety and I used drugs to self medicate as without it I was a nervous, extremely depressed empty shell. We eventually chose this place. It claims to be dual diagnosis. If you want/need good therapy (as you definitely do) and don't mind the most qualified person you speak to being an ex addict you has done a Mickey Mouse 10 month counseling course then fine. Personally, I felt like I knew a hell of a lot more about psychology than anybody I met there. The owner is not a doctor so therefore can not employ any kind of doctor to work solely for him. This is a joke. I needed to see a psychiatrist to work out a safe taper from my benzodiazepines I am prescribed. I started on 60mg of diazepam 6 years ago and am now on 30mg. I wanted to see the shrink as they wanted me to taper off 30mg that I have been on for 4 years in 7 days. No chance. Plus no doctors or trained nurses or medical equipment or a shrink to give some mess to to make it easy? If even it was possible. They called me in to office at the detox and said I the psychiatrist is fully booked for 3 months!! I know, I laughed too. Then they asked if I wanted to pay $500 for a consultation with another one and $250 for follow up? Wtf is going on? I was in detox for 7 days tapering off my suboxone and some diazepam. (They also said if I don't taper off the diazies in 8 days I couldn't stay there as it's a pure abstinence clinic) that was sorted when my wife called my psychiatrist and he called them. They basically have NO clue about so much. I tried to rattle of the benzos over two weeks before and had 2 fits so screw them. So I'm allowed to stay. Not once in that 7 days did I have a conversation with a "counselor" about my mental health. Longest talk I had was 10 minutes tops. It was all questionnaire bs. So 7 days into a agreed 14 days in the detox phase before going to residential where you start doing more group work and going to meetings, the driver comes and tells me to pack "we are leaving in 15 mins". ??? "What? Where?" " you're going to residential" "Nah, I'm here for another week, I am tapering and I still feel withdrawals and generally shit." "Well you have to as we have more people coming and need the bed." Now. As you can imagine, this pissed me off big time. Not only was there NO notice or anything but how can they double book a bed. This is life or death shit! Can't just shuttle us all around to make way for more people! Sorry, I mean money. Oh yeah. Money. That's why! Duh. Oh, something else about money. They will pay for your flight from as far as Maine. But only one way. They won't pay for you to get back until you have done at least 30 days. That's four weeks of lovely $$$$$ from the insurance companies. Look up how much they charge per week!! Something that just plain amused me was this big strapping dude coming in and teaching us about nutrition and how important it is, then getting fed garbage. It's so ridiculous you couldn't help but laugh. So 20 minutes later I am in the car going to my new abode. We get there and without even showing me my room this woman takes me in to an already nearly finished group meeting. Remember, I have crippling social anxiety, so this was wearing on me and I was about to lose it on someone. The damn mockery of it all and the absolute crap they have on their website and what they say on the phone to lure you there. When I told the woman later on about my social anxiety she said "oh yeah..I used to have that for about 6 months. It's horrible isn't it." You don't just "have" it and then it goes away. My doctors where all amused by that. The ignorance and the conscious discounting of such a terrible disorder was incredible. Anyway, 2 hours later I get pulled away from what I was doing, again with no warning. "Where am I going?" She says "I don't know, I just know the drivers here." I mean, Cmon!! What the f^^k? Anyway, I left. Knowinthey "knew" I would relapse. They also wouldn't give me my meds which I really needed and had paid for. I mean no disrespect by this but I think it may be better for people with a lower IQ as then you will benefit from the little knowledge the counsellors do have. If you are and addict but desperately need help with your mental health also, then please keep looking. This is NOT a good rehab center. I'm still clean. And very happy. I go to an outpatient facility three times a week and see my "Real/phd" therapist once a week for two hours. I have had a breakthrough with my anxiety and can really control it better now. There is help out there. Please do your research. Our lives literally depend on it. Good luck to everyone struggling with addiction and there loved ones. Struggle the struggle. Xxx read more

I need to make it known Design For Change saved my life. The program that is offered is like none other that I've ever experienced. I was taught so much about myself and about the disease of addiction and alcoholism. I was shown by the amazing staff how to live a sober life one day at a time. They helped me look at myself and realize where the problem really was and from there I was given solution. I've never been to a place where the staff was so genuine and so attentive to all of our needs. I am truly grateful for each and every one of them. Without their unconditional love and compassion I don't know where I would be. The family program also gave me and my family an opportunity to come together and work through some of the issues and hurts that have been caused due to my addiction. It gave them great insight and helped me have a better relationship with my parents and brother and for that I am so grateful. I would send anyone I love to this program, I trust them with my life. I've had so many miracles come true for me that I never thought could happen all because of what Design For Change taught me. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for the beautiful life I have today! -Brittany Romero read more

I'm the mother of an addict. I'm writing this review in the hope of helping others. I would highly recommend "Design for Change Rehab Program". My Son has suffered for many years, in and out of the disease of addiction. Joe Hunter and the whole Design for Change Staff, don't only treat the addiction, but the whole person. The biggest difference between "Design for Change" and other programs, is that they address the underlining issues of why addiction is continuing in someones life. The true psychological reasons. I can't tell you what a difference their program has made in our sons life. I have so much confidence that he is finally going to live a happy and drug free life. I will always be grateful to Joe Hunter and the whole Design for Change Staff. read more

I recommend Design for change rehabilitation Center. The experience I had with Joe Hunter and his staff was life changing. Mr. Hunter has designed a program that helps patients literally transform themselves from the inside out. It is a five star physility easily. Thank you Joe and staff! read more

Design for Change successfully helped my daughter with her addiction to meth. She had been using for five years and we were unable to get through to her. Between inpatient and sober living, she spent over a year at Design for Change. She was not a cooperative patient at first but the staff did not give up and tolerated a lot from her. They celebrated her milestones and held her accountable for her choices, past and present. She is almost two years clean now and thriving with her new life, which includes a job and living on her own. She has reconnected with family and is taking responsibility for her life. The program and staff at Design for Change is responsible for helping her realize how her life would be if she kept using. I highly recommend this program and encourage anyone to call, regardless of finances. The staff will work with you so that you are able to obtain help for your loved one. read more

Zero stars if I could. My experience at this "recovery" place was horrific. Before I arrived there, the owner Joe Hunter claimed the recovery program was based on Alcoholics Anonymous' official textbook of the same name (Big Book is its nickname), and AA's suggested 12-Steps for recovery. He said he'd take very good care of me and my insurance had approved my stay. Being a female, it was important for me to be housed with the women. When I arrived, Joe told me he had NOT checked on my insurance and bullied me into signing a form stating I would pay thousands out of pocket if my insurance denied coverage. I was in no shape to hear that news, as I was in the midst of DTs and other withdrawals, and very unprepared for this first-time experience. Between him and his office supervisor, I felt thrown around between 'good cop' and 'bad cop' until i finally signed the paperwork. I was told, in the dark evening by this time, that they'd drop me off at the bus station alone as an alternative. I had nowhere to go, was very sick, mislead, and by now bullied. I had no trust in this place that was my only alternative other than be on the streets. Once I signed, I was placed with the men, in a non-heated room and thin blanket until my room was ready. I didn't get a room on the female side until I asked and asked. While waiting, my physical condition deteriorated. I was very sick. Joe treated me as a whiner and trouble maker. I finally got one of his (nice) female assistants to drive me to the ER. She waited curb-side, and I had to take ALL my belongings with me to the ER as Joe didn't want my stuff at his recovery center. No one walked me to the ER door. I was extremely weak. Once admitted, doctors discovered I was severely dehydrated and all my electrolytes were dangerously low. After ER discharge, I paid my own fare back to the "recovery" center $50 which was about all I had. Around that time, a returning customer of the recovery center was treated with kid gloves: pampered, driven to/from hospital, and was frequently visited by staff. I had NO ONE. She was allowed to keep all her things and save her room at the center. Remember I thought this center was 12-step based. I asked and asked and asked for a Big Book. I went directly to Joe many times and asked for one. He gave everyone a free Big Book, except me. I finally purchased one when we attended an AA meeting. Joe continued to demonstrate preferential treatment of certain returning customers who he knew from previous visits. They got driven to/from pharmacies, stores, a hospital (when needed), received supplies, etc. I write this review 5 years later, because I've been afraid to tell the truth. I won't be afraid anymore. I now help women at a recovery center near my residence. The difference between the joke of a Design For Living/Change, and the one here, is night and day. When I tell people of my experience at Lancaster they cannot believe it. The first night I met Joe and his mean female assistant, they both said "You'll never make it. . .not with your attitude." The only "attitude" I demonstrated was to challenge Joe's authority about his lying to me that insurance had pre-approved my stay there. He likes to run that place with a slight sadistic flare (withheld toilet paper from patients when I was there, which forced us to use napkins out of desperation; treated me with character traits I wouldn't wish on anyone such as delaying my access to the ER), and used favoritism with people who are vulnerable enough to blindly follow him. I gained nothing from staying there. I stayed "dry" but never did he care to help me grow, or assign someone to check on me. . . .I only stayed because I had nowhere to go. Now, I am 5 years sober, and I love my life of spiritually-based sobriety. I owe NO gratitude to Joe Hunter or anyone associated with him. My sobriety has not been influenced by him. In fact, my sobriety was threatened by a person--Joe--who made sure my stay was extremely difficult, more than it should be for anyone. read more