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Free rehabs in Los Angeles don’t really make headlines for their business models. Beit T’Shuvah is one exception. The nonprofit residential recovery program sits on the border of L.A. and Culver City. It’s one of hundreds in California that offers free and low-cost addiction treatment.
In part, Beit T’Shuvah receives funds from an onsite bakery called Baked T’Shuvah. Here, residents bake challah and babka with profits going back into care.
About a week before Rosh Hashanah, bakery workers spread Nutella, sprinkling chocolate chips and drizzling salted caramel over long slabs of dough. Each order puts cash to treat folks who can’t afford private rehab. Bakery staffers say as much: “Our challah is addictive. Trust us, we understand addiction.”
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Beit T’Shuvah has 140 beds, and executive director Zac Jones relays that being Jewish isn’t required. He himself is a former resident and described the facility as “part Jewish summer camp, part residential treatment center, part school for living.”
Head Community Rabbi Igael Gurin-Malous leads weekly services and ties the Hebrew word t’shuvah, meaning return, to the work of getting sober.
The bakery doubles as vocational training. Residents can join as interns and in six months get professional baking and business skills they can carry into a job. The classes also teach residents to master their environment.
Baking instructor Jackie Elkins started the program in 2017 after noticing the facility bought all its challah from outside vendors. She also has a personal stake. Her son Bradley went through the program and recently celebrated 10 years of sobriety. He’s now Beit T’Shuvah’s director of community care. Her brother and nephew were also residents, and three of her siblings have had addictions.
During the High Holidays, the bakery takes hundreds of orders, and the loaves finance care. Challah come flavored with churro, za’atar, jalapeño cheddar, raisin and salted caramel. The babka comes in chocolate hazelnut and bear claw.
Qualifying for Free or Low-Cost Treatment
Beit T’Shuvah accepts residents of any religious background. Those who don’t get a bed have several other free and low-cost alternatives in L.A.
Medicaid rehab coverage is the biggest one. Medi-Cal program pays for substance use treatment at participating facilities. Eligibility generally depends on income and household size.
Medicare rehab coverage applies to people 65 and older and some younger people with disabilities. Medicare pays for certain inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment.
Many nonprofit programs like Beit T’Shuvah rely on donations and earned income such as bakery sales rather than just patient fees.
Accessing These Resources
- Check if you qualify for Medi-Cal through BenefitsCal or your county social services office.
- Call nonprofit programs directly and inquire about scholarships, sliding-scales and payment plans. Many don’t mention these options online.
- Veterans should contact their local VA medical center or review their TRICARE benefits for substance use care.
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