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Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse

EIN 95-1878858 · Santa Barbara, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Building healthier lives, stronger families, and a safer, more vibrant community through education, prevention, and treatment of substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders throughout Santa Barbara County.

Income
$9.0 million
Spending
$7.2 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
3.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 68%
Employees
145
Volunteers
60
Highest pay
$124,636, former executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 19% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 40 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $2.9 million spent. Youth Prevention and Treatment - Many of the youth services CADA provides were originally designed by Santa Barbara Fighting Back, and CADA works in collaboration with schools, community-based agencies, law enforcement, and with parents, to provide a safety net of prevention, intervention and treatment programs that reach youth at home, at school, and in the community. See Schedule O for further details.
  2. $2.8 million spent. Adult Treatment - Substance abuse crosses the boundaries of gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, and CADA services reflect its sensitivity to the needs of all of the populations that make up the Santa Barbara community. CADA provides a range of adult services from prevention to treatment, including reducing stressors that can lead to substance abuse; providing information to professionals and the general public on substance abuse issues and resources; and providing residential detox and outpatient treatment services to adults who seek treatment on their own or are referred through the criminal justice system or social service agencies. See Schedule O for further details.
  3. $63,713 spent. EAP: SAVE - Save A Valuable Employee (SAVE): SAVE is a statewide Employee AssistanceProgram designed to enhance the wellbeing, productivity, and retention of employees in the workplace. SAVE provides assessments, referrals, and brief counseling for a variety of employee concerns, such as marital and family issues, stress, substance abuse, and other psychological challenges. SAVE helps employees improve relationships with coworkers and develop more effective communication skills. Other services provided by SAVE include debriefing after a critical incident, such as the unexpected death of an employee, and trainings on topics such as sexual harassment, conflict resolution, respectful communication, stress management, and dealing with trauma in the workplace.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1950.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.