McAlister Institute has been providing drug and alcohol treatment services since 1977. We have been privileged to receive many accolades.

While we are proud of the recognition we receive, we are most proud of the changed lives and gallant efforts put forth by those seeking recovery. The true awards come in the form of healed lives, renewed families, spiritual and emotional growth, and the productivity those in recovery can contribute to society as a whole.

McAlister Institute for Treatment and Education, a non-profit agency, has remained on the leading edge of alcohol and other drug treatment services since 1977.

• McAlister Institute was the first in the county, and the fifth in the nation, to provide gender-specific residential treatment to women and their children.
   

• As one of the largest alcohol and other drug treatment and recovery providers in San Diego County, McAlister Institute provides services to more than 5,000 individuals per year.
   

• With all McAlister Institute programs and services, the goal is to assist individuals in regaining their lives by supporting the recovery process. The approach is based on the assumption that recovery is a life-long process requiring a continuum of community support, and that those who are successfully navigating recovery provide the strongest models for hope and change.
   

• Staff, most whom are in recovery, know first-hand the struggles and triumphs of recovery and form a caring, safe, and supportive recovery community. Staff also reflect the gender, racial, ethnic, and cultural make-up of clients and linguistically-appropriate services are provided, including American Sign Language (ASL).
   

• All McAlister Institute program facilities are fully operational and in compliance with county, state, and federal requirements. All programs provide information, education, prevention services, and referrals on communicable diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, and other sexually-transmitted infections.
   

• All McAlister programs are certified through the State of California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.
   

• McAlister Institute is funded in part by the County of San Diego, Department of Health and Human Services.
  

McAlister Institute time-line and chronological listing of programs:

• 1977 - North Costal Regional Recovery Center. The North County RRC was McAlister’s first program in 1977 with sites in Oceanside and Escondido. This outpatient center is still in operation today, offering outpatient counseling, education, assessment and referrals. The center also houses the PC 1000 deferred entry program.
   
• 1978 - East County Regional Recovery Center. The East County RRC was the second contract successfully bid by McAlister 1n 1978. This outpatient center is also still in operation today, offering outpatient counseling, education, assessment and referrals. The center also houses the PC 1000 deferred entry program.
  
  
• 1980 - Kiva Women and Children’s Learning Center was funded in 1980 when Jeanne McAlister strongly felt women would remain in treatment if they were allowed to have their children with them. Based on this concept McAlister Institute was the first in the county and the fifth in the nation to provide gender-specific residential treatment to women and their children.
   
• 1983 -Senior Nutrition Center opened to provide hot lunches to senior citizens in the East County Region.
   
• 1984 - East County Detox Program was started by identifying a need for short term, residential, social model detoxification. This was a six bed facility for adults to go through the detoxification process from drugs and alcohol.
   
• 1986 - North County Detox Program was based on the success of this program and the county contracted with McAlister to provide similar services in the north county.
   
• 1986 - First Sober Living Houses of San Diego was opened for clients completing more structured treatment. McAlister currently provides over 100 beds of sober living throughout the county.
   
• 1990 - Born Free Program was opened. An innovative long term program for pregnant and post partum women. Partially based on the success demonstrated through this program the county funded a number of perinatal programs.
   
• 1991 - Garrison House was established based on the need for a residential program for men coming out of incarceration within the criminal justice system.
   
• 1992 - New Connections Program was transcended from this program, a residential program for men and women coming our of prison.
   
• 1992 - Options Residential Program was awarded to McAlister Institute. For parenting and pregnant women.
   
• 1992 - Options South Bay an outpatient day treatment center for pregnant and parenting women was started in south county.
   
• 1992 - Pregnant Inmates Program providing substance abuse, parenting and health education at the Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility.
   
• 1997 - Signs of Life was opened, the only program in San Diego specializing in services to the deaf, hard-of-hearing and late deafened substance abuse.
   
• 1997 - Outpatient Teen Recovery Center in Mira Mesa which provides education, outpatient treatment and recreational activities for a adolescents ages 12 to 17 with substance abuse problems was started.
   
• 1999 - Adolescent Group Homes were opened. These residential programs are 21 days in length and provide a safe environment for boys and girls ages 12 to 17 with substance abuse problems to recover.