Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger joined community leaders, providers, and residents to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of PAX Recovery House in Pasadena. The new center will provide structured recovery housing, clinical services, and peer-based support for individuals navigating substance use and behavioral health challenges.
Supervisor Barger spoke at the event, emphasizing the importance of creating safe, community-based recovery housing. “Today, we’re celebrating hope, second chances, and a community’s commitment to help one another,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “Recovery is not a single event. It’s a daily, courageous choice—a choice people can make far more successfully when they have access to programs like PAX Recovery House. This site will restore relationships and reintroduce people to communities that need their talents and contributions.”
PAX Recovery House offers residential and outpatient recovery services, including clinical therapy, peer support, relapse prevention planning, and connections to housing and employment services. The program is designed to provide individuals with the tools and structure necessary to achieve lasting recovery.
James Burnett, CEO of PAX Recovery House, shared about how his own journey led him to help others. “My life has changed for the better. I strive to offer hope to others because, at one point, if the dictionary had a picture next to the word ‘screw-up,’ it would have been mine. But after five years of sobriety, I told them to take it down—because that chapter is already closed.”
Supervisor Barger acknowledged the critical role of collaboration to provide these services. “No single agency or program can solve these challenges alone,” Barger stated. “That’s why partnerships with community-based organizations like PAX House, combined with County mental health and substance use services, are so essential. Every ribbon we cut chips away at the stigma that too often surrounds recovery and unveils human dignity that deserves to be honored and supported.”
David Young, a PAX House alumnus, spoke during the event and shared his personal journey of recovery. “I had never been through recovery or treatment, so the experience was challenging. My time at PAX House helped me get my life together. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity and want to thank you for helping me get back on track.”
PAX Recovery House is a significant investment to expand community-based solutions that address the overlapping challenges of mental health, substance use, and housing instability.
Referrals to PAX Recovery House can be made through the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) helpline at 1-844-804-7500, or through the Department of Mental Health’s 24/7 Access Line at 1-800-854-7771.