Cedar House Braces for $30M Expansion as Waitlists and Bed Shortages Endanger Recovery

In San Bernardino and Riverside counties, people seeking addiction treatment often face a devastating roadblock: a waitlist. Those ready to begin recovery may be told it will take 30 to 60 days before a bed opens — a delay that can lead to relapse, overdose, or death.

“There’s that moment of clarity people have when they want treatment,” said Jake Strommen, marketing and outreach coordinator at Cedar House Life Change Center. “Then you get told you have to wait 30–60 days. Tomorrow isn’t promised.”

Cedar House, located at 18612 Santa Ana Ave. in Bloomington, operates 125 beds — men housed in the front section, women in the back. But with thousands seeking help annually, demand far outweighs capacity. In 2023 alone, 3,277 individuals entered treatment at Cedar House, which delivered more than 53,968 hours of care for high-intensity consumers and 8,777 hours for those in lower-level programs.

The center reported a 97% overall satisfaction rate among consumers, with more than 50% of sobering center clients placed into treatment. At its stabilization unit in Riverside, more than 90% of individuals transitioned into long-term recovery programs. Despite these successes, waitlists remain the harsh reality, one that Cedar House hopes to ease with a major expansion.

The nonprofit secured a $30 million Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program grant that will fund a new two-story facility on the back section of its Bloomington campus. Construction is set to begin in 2026 and will add 70 new beds to its existing 125.

Every Cedar House treatment plan is individualized. Residents receive three meals a day, group therapy sessions, one-on-one counseling, and access to licensed vocational nurses and nurse practitioners who oversee medical needs and medications. Withdrawal management is a cornerstone of Cedar House’s work, with staff trained to guide patients through the dangers of detox, especially alcohol withdrawal, which can be fatal if not monitored properly.

Programs extend beyond residential care. Cedar House provides medication-assisted treatment, perinatal services at Maple House, sober living at Sanctuary House, outpatient programs, overdose prevention training, and alumni support. Roughly 30% to 40% of its medical population is unhoused, many using the center as a primary residence after living in cars or being displaced from family.

Central to Cedar House’s approach is the Matrix Model, a 16-week evidence-based outpatient program that blends group counseling, relapse prevention, family education, and 12-Step facilitation. Developed in response to the cocaine epidemic, it remains one of the most effective treatments for stimulant addictions. “Addiction is not just behavior — it’s a chemical imbalance that can be passed down,” Strommen said. “The research has been done, and the stigma needs to be dropped.”

The goal, Strommen explained, is to meet clients where they are. “Each recovery treatment is tailored to them,” he said. “We want them to stay, to finish, but ultimately they have the right to leave. Our hope is that the compassion they find here brings them back.”

For some, that compassion makes all the difference. Nikki’s story reflects both the depths of addiction and the resilience of recovery. She first realized alcohol was destroying her life in 2012 — the year her body collapsed under the weight of years of abuse. She was rushed to the hospital, where her heart stopped and CPR was performed for six minutes and 38 seconds before she was revived.

Though she survived, Nikki’s struggle was far from over. She stayed sober for two years through Alcoholics Anonymous but relapsed, her drinking escalating to as much as six liters of vodka a week. The addiction brought hallucinations, psychosis, legal troubles, and family struggles — all while she cared for her son, who had cerebral palsy and serious medical needs.

Her breaking point came after her son’s health crises and, eventually, his death in November 2022. Devastated, Nikki turned to Cedar House’s outpatient program, where she found accountability, therapy, and most importantly, a community that never judged her relapses. “The people at Cedar House believed in me, even when I couldn’t believe in myself,” Nikki said. “They gave me a safe place to come back to — without judgment — every single time.”

With her counselor’s encouragement, Nikki pursued her dream of becoming a psychiatric technician. She enrolled at Mt. San Antonio College, completed the program, and graduated valedictorian in June 2025. Today, she is sober, preparing for her state board exams, and continuing her growth while helping others in recovery.

Stories like Nikki’s, Strommen said, capture the heart of Cedar House’s mission. “Addiction touches every corner of our community,” he said. “At Cedar House, we’re not just helping individuals recover — we’re helping families heal and transforming entire communities for years to come.”