McAlister Institute- Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children

2049 Skyline Drive Lemon Grove, CA 91945
DetoxInpatientOutpatient
Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children & New Connections CA 91945

About McAlister Institute- Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children

The McAlister Institute’s Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children and New Connections are addiction recovery programs for adults in Lemon Grove, California. They provide dual diagnosis care, medically supervised detox, and inpatient, outpatient, and aftercare services for women, women with children, and justice involved adults.

The McAlister Institute’s Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children and New Connections in Lemon Grove, California, are comprehensive addiction recovery programs for women, women with children, and justice involved adults. They offer inpatient, outpatient, and aftercare services, as well as medically supervised detox and dual diagnosis care. Their 12 step focused, trauma informed programs prioritize individual, group, and family counseling, addiction education, and sober living skills.

The McAlister Institute provides medically supervised detox to support the comfort and safety of clients undergoing substance withdrawal. FDA approved medications may be prescribed by the licensed clinical staff to ease symptoms and prevent potentially life threatening complications.

The McAlister Institute offers multiple levels of inpatient care in their residential programs. The Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children is a long term residential treatment center for women, women with children, and postpartum women. They integrate individual, group, and family counseling with life skills training, including courses in coping, parenting, self care, relapse prevention, to promote sustained sobriety.

The inpatient program at New Directions is a short term residential treatment program for parolees, ex-offenders, and other justice involved persons. They specialize in individual, group, and family counseling as well as community reintegration. Life skills programs, including vocational training, are included.

The McAlister Institute’s outpatient programs are designed to support clients’ continued recovery through robust support, counseling, coaching, and life skills development. This includes evening, night, and weekend sessions to ensure clients’ continuous access to care.

The McAlister Institute supports long term sobriety through substantive aftercare services, including alumni programs, peer coaching, access to community based programming, and social services referrals.

Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children and New Directions are SAMHSA accredited. They accept private insurance and self-pay and offer sliding scale payment plans.

Latest Reviews

Jaylin Blue
2 weeks ago on Google
1
on my last day at kiva, denny (the one in charge) looked me in my eyes and told me she had 0 faith in me and that i d be 6 feet under soon. anyways, i celebrate 2 years clean next week. hopefully they got better staff by now. they also left me at the hospital (that wouldn t admit me bc they brought me to the WRONG hospital) for 5+ hours with no phone (they took my phone before bringing me there) waiting for a ride that never came. one of the nurses at the hospital had to help me because i was withdrawing on a bench outside waiting for my ride back to kiva & helped me find a phone to call Kiva and that s when i learned the driver didn t see me and left HOURS before receiving my call from the hospital. my counselor tony was awesome tho he s the reason they got 1 star. they also made me clean up blood from one of the girls in detox .. do not recommend unless this is your only option. if it is, you ll be fine. don t let my review scare you away.. seeking treatment at kiva saved my life. if i can do it, so can you. we do recover.
cool history with Jacob
3 months ago on Google
1
I was there on my own accord and it was the worst experience that I could have gone through. I was there for mental health as well as alcohol. I had food poisoning and also fainted after Liz and other staff did not attend to my needs. After falling down two fight the stairs, luckily Cheyenne helped me. I had my phone on me and I called my husband and Liz made me hang up on my husband, even though I was at the bottom the stairs and telling her that I was not going to move since I had fallen down two flights of stairs. Liz wanted me to be put in the back of the van, but luckily Cheyenne told me not to move in case my neck or head had an injury. This was not my first time dealing with such a lack of healthcare because of my high blood pressure which was never addressed. Cheyenne and Brianna were the only people with that sure that my needs were met when it came to health issues. I cannot believe how much meth and fentanyl circulated throughout the facility. Clients would sign up for bingo so they could leave the facility and would go out to score drugs and bring them back. I could not believe how much drugs came, and after the bingo games without the clients being searched.
Stephanie Harris-Devito
3 months ago on Google
3
I like alot of the clients because it's great to see people from alot of different backgrounds. detox is a breeze and wonderful staff through and through.When you are giving you to God they are really understanding when you have a withdrawal and save you from the horrible fall from it.On kiva side the director Liz and Michelle are superb people to.What's made my time here great was the structure but more so the clients. It helped making me an accountable person i realized myself more as a woman who deserves to be recognized and did i see all my boundaries because it's some of the workers here will make you see where power meets vurbable what I mean by that some staff will treat you like your trash, to make theirself appear better to their corporate management. Putting fear where it shouldn't be when your only trying to empower yourself especially if your trying to to what is required of you. Its harder time i you have outside stuff to catch up on. Im a god fearing mom and others like me ive seen who tries to do all of the above I think since we all come from different backgrounds that it gives you more barriers to work through when clients should be able to trust the process instead I see staff making it more difficult as some staff does that to their clients like gaslighting .i hate it when we end up having to call Jeanne on their shit adding more anxiety especially when you as the client has made the biggest step of her or his life. Kammi has gaslighted me before and wouldnt be reliable or accountable for my visits with my kids, Shevall as well as abbey, can be extremely rude Abbey will stalk you to see if you have a phone to then make an excuse to take it for 3 days an ex councilor told me she does that because clients tell on her.They act concerned but when push comes to shove they will throw you under the bus if it makes anything in their light look bad. Claudia works hard and improves her attitude and gives more attention where it's due but she can give you a hard time to. I think especially when you are being pulled up on your feelings. They disregard the client and their background cps or from jail, if you weren't forced it appears like a favoritism thing...when everyone should have respect they often express about how they don't get paid enough to be happy to everyone.I do like kiva but its to short of time and it just gives more of a hard time to make life come back to normal ... and need all staff to be on your side. It's good to make us accountable but only what where gaslighting is not involved.There needs to be some more staff appointed people in the field that should want to help you more instead of trying to put you in ur place. You have to often advocate for yourself to get what you need done and most times because we are in a valuable vulnerability... like having kids and cps invovled or if your experiencing homelessness or maybe we need a specific need like what soberliving we go to ,we often have to ask to be accomadated... it shouldn't have to get to that with the right amount of case management and counciling. It's more about us doing our groups and getting our signatures and no client should feel that they are having a tougher time then when they came in. It's sad to see this program only being a 3 month program. 9 to 12 would be best to cover each clients needs. It Like a swarm of clients and alot less staff.
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8.1 / 10

Location

Other Forms of Payment

Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.

Sliding scale payments are based on a client's income and family size. The goal is to make treatment affordable to everyone. By taking these factors into account, addiction recovery care providers help ensure that your treatment does not become a financial burden to you or your family, eliminating one barrier to care.

Medicaid is a state based program that helps lower-income individuals and families pay for healthcare. Medicaid covers addiction treatment so those enrolled can use their coverage to pay for rehab. When a program accepts Medicaid the client often pays very little or nothing out of their own pocket.

Addiction Treatments

Levels of Care

outpatient iconOutpatient
Outpatient Programs (OP) are for those seeking mental rehab or drug rehab, but who also stay at home every night. The main difference between outpatient treatment (OP) and intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) lies in the amount of hours the patient spends at the facility. Most of the time an outpatient program is designed for someone who has completed an inpatient stay and is looking to continue their growth in recovery. Outpatient is not meant to be the starting point, it is commonly referred to as aftercare.
inpatient iconInpatient
Inpatient rehab provides intensive treatment for clients exiting detox, those in early recovery, and those at an elevated risk of relapse. Unlike outpatient drug rehab, clients receiving inpatient care reside at the facility for the duration of the program. The length of stay may range from two weeks to 18 months or more, depending on the client's needs and the program's design. Inpatient treatment typically involves extensive addiction education and recovery-focused life skills training.
aftercare iconAftercare Support
Rehab aftercare programs offer clients in addiction recovery a robust continuum of care after clients have completed active treatment. These services address recovery as a life-long process and are designed to evolve with clients' changing needs. Clients may partner with their case managers and/or addiction recovery team to identify the rehab aftercare services that are right for them. They may receive career counseling, housing assistance, peer coaching, 12 step program induction, among many other services.
12-step icon12-Step
12-step programs are addiction recovery models based on Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). A number of substance abuse programs (including some drug and alcohol rehab centers) use the 12 steps as a basis for treatment. Beginning steps involve admitting powerlessness over the addiction and creating a spiritual basis for recovery. Middle steps including making direct amends to those who've been hurt by the addiction, and the final step is to assist others in addiction recovery in the same way. 12-Step offshoots including Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Cocaine Anonymous (CA), Dual Recovery Anonymous (DRA), Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) and Gamblers Anonymous (GA).
sober-living iconSober Living Homes
Sober living homes in California offers an intermediate sober environment that has less structure than inpatient rehab but more than typical home environments. This makes it a good option for those who have concerns about transitioning back to the "real world" after treatment. Residents can typically live at the halfway house as long as they want, if they are willing to follow house rules. These may include a curfew, chores, and maintaining a job.
heart-hands iconIntervention Services
Intervention Services helps family or friends of addicts stage an intervention, which is a meeting in which loved ones share their concerns and attempt to get an addict into treatment. Professional intervention specialists can help loved ones organize, gather, and communicate with an addict. They can guide intervention participants in describing the damage the addict's behavior is causing and that outside help is necessary to address the addiction. The ideal outcome of an intervention is for the addict to go to rehab and get the help they need. McAlister Institute is well know for its affordable intervention services in San Diego County.
24-hour icon24-Hour Clinical Care
During the first phase of recovery – detox – it is crucial to have 24-hour clinical care in California. This care provides constant monitoring in order to ensure your safely and comfort as you progress through the withdrawal process for drug or alcohol addiction. Licensed professionals prescribe medications to treat withdrawal symptoms and provide frequent monitoring to ensure your safely as addictive toxins leave your system.
medically-assisted-detox iconMedically Assisted Detox
Drug and alcohol addiction often takes a heavy toll on one's body. Over time, a physical dependence can develop, meaning the body physiologically needs the substance to function. Detox is the process of removing drugs and/or alcohol from the body, a process that can be lethal if mismanaged. Medical detox is done by licensed medical professionals who monitor vital signs and keep you safe, healthy, and as comfortable as possible as you go through detox and withdrawal.

Treatments

The goal of treatment for alcoholism is abstinence. Those with poor social support, poor motivation, or psychiatric disorders tend to relapse within a few years of treatment. For these people, success is measured by longer periods of abstinence, reduced use of alcohol, better health, and improved social functioning. Recovery and Maintenance are usually based on 12 step programs and AA meetings.

Drug rehab in California teaches participants constructive ways to stay clean and sober. Treatment revolves around helping individuals stop using the substance they are addicted to and learn healthy habits to avoid relapse.

Many of those suffering from addiction also suffer from mental or emotional illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders. Rehab and other substance abuse facilities treating those with a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder administer psychiatric treatment to address the person's mental health issue in addition to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

Opioid rehabs specialize in supporting those recovering from opioid addiction. They treat those suffering from addiction to illegal opioids like heroin, as well as prescription drugs like oxycodone. These centers typically combine both physical as well as mental and emotional support to help stop addiction. Physical support often includes medical detox and subsequent medical support (including medication), and mental support includes in-depth therapy to address the underlying causes of addiction.

Substance rehabs focus on helping individuals recover from substance abuse, including alcohol and drug addiction (both illegal and prescription drugs). They often include the opportunity to engage in both individual as well as group therapy.

Programs

adult-program thumbnail image
Adult Program
Adult rehab programs include therapies tailored to each client's specific needs, goals, and recovery progress. They are tailored to the specific challenges adult clients may face, including family and work pressures and commitments. From inpatient and residential treatment to various levels of outpatient services, there are many options available. Some facilities also help adults work through co-occurring conditions, like anxiety, that can accompany addiction.
young-adult-program thumbnail image
Young Adult Program
Young adulthood can be an exciting, yet difficult, time of transition. Individuals in their late teens to mid-20s face unique stressors related to school, jobs, families, and social circles, which can lead to a rise in substance use. Rehab centers with dedicated young adult programs will include activities and amenities that cater to this age group, with an emphasis on specialized counseling, peer socialization, and ongoing aftercare.
lgbtq-program thumbnail image
LGBTQ Program
Recovery is most successful when clients feel accepted and validated by their peers and treatment providers. Facilities that offer LGBTQ-inclusive programming are committed to creating a safe space where everyone can grow and recover without fear of judgment or discrimination. They will have dedicated policies in place to create a safe and supportive environment that fosters free expression.

Clinical Services

Cognitive behavioral therapy in California is a method that therapists often use for the effective treatment of substance use disorders. It is based on the principle that substance abuse stems from unhelpful ways of thinking and patterns of behavior, which can be changed by helping the individual learn better ways of coping.

Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.

In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a clinical approach to helping people with substance abuse issues and other conditions shift behavior in positive ways. It is more goal-oriented than traditional psychotherapy, as MI counselors directly attempt to get clients to consider making behavioral change (rather than wait for them to come to conclusions themselves). Its primary purpose is to resolve ambivalence and help clients become able to make healthy choices freely.

Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.

Whether a marriage or other committed relationship, an intimate partnership is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Drug and alcohol addiction affects both members of a couple in deep and meaningful ways, as does rehab and recovery. Couples therapy and other couples-focused treatment programs are significant parts of exploring triggers of addiction, as well as learning how to build healthy patterns to support ongoing sobriety.

Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.

Life skills trainings involve all the skills a person must have in order to function successfully in the world. These include time management, career guidance, money management, and effective communication. Truly successful addiction recovery is based on the ability to not only live substance-free, but to thrive. Life skills teaches the practical necessities of functioning in society, which sets clients up for success in life, and therefore sobriety.

Amenities

  • home-setting iconResidential Setting
  • private-room iconPrivate Rooms

Staff & Accreditations

Staff

Jeanne McAlister

Founder

Accreditations

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1992 by congress, SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on American's communities.

SAMHSA Listed: Yes

State Licenses are permits issued by government agencies that allow rehab organizations to conduct business legally within a certain geographical area. Typically, the kind of program a rehab facility offers, along with its physical location, determines which licenses are required to operate legally.

State License: California

Contact Information

Phone icon (619) 465-7303
Building icon

2049 Skyline Drive
Lemon Grove, CA 91945

Fact checked and written by:
Terri Beth Miller, PhD
Edited by:
Quentin Blount

Reviews of McAlister Institute- Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children

3.4/5 (21 reviews)
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Overall Experience
Date Submitted
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Google Reviews

3.4 (21 reviews)
Jaylin Blue
2 weeks ago
1

on my last day at kiva, denny (the one in charge) looked me in my eyes and told me she had 0 faith in me and that i d be 6 feet under soon. anyways, i celebrate 2 years clean next week. hopefully they got better staff by now. they also left me at the hospital (that wouldn t admit me bc they brought me to the WRONG hospital) for 5+ hours with no phone (they took my phone before bringing me there) waiting for a ride that never came. one of the nurses at the hospital had to help me because i was withdrawing on a bench outside waiting for my ride back to kiva & helped me find a phone to call Kiva and that s when i learned the driver didn t see me and left HOURS before receiving my call from the hospital. my counselor tony was awesome tho he s the reason they got 1 star. they also made me clean up blood from one of the girls in detox .. do not recommend unless this is your only option. if it is, you ll be fine. don t let my review scare you away.. seeking treatment at kiva saved my life. if i can do it, so can you. we do recover.

cool history with Jacob
3 months ago
1

I was there on my own accord and it was the worst experience that I could have gone through. I was there for mental health as well as alcohol. I had food poisoning and also fainted after Liz and other staff did not attend to my needs. After falling down two fight the stairs, luckily Cheyenne helped me. I had my phone on me and I called my husband and Liz made me hang up on my husband, even though I was at the bottom the stairs and telling her that I was not going to move since I had fallen down two flights of stairs. Liz wanted me to be put in the back of the van, but luckily Cheyenne told me not to move in case my neck or head had an injury. This was not my first time dealing with such a lack of healthcare because of my high blood pressure which was never addressed. Cheyenne and Brianna were the only people with that sure that my needs were met when it came to health issues. I cannot believe how much meth and fentanyl circulated throughout the facility. Clients would sign up for bingo so they could leave the facility and would go out to score drugs and bring them back. I could not believe how much drugs came, and after the bingo games without the clients being searched.

Stephanie Harris-Devito
3 months ago
3

I like alot of the clients because it's great to see people from alot of different backgrounds. detox is a breeze and wonderful staff through and through.When you are giving you to God they are really understanding when you have a withdrawal and save you from the horrible fall from it.On kiva side the director Liz and Michelle are superb people to.What's made my time here great was the structure but more so the clients. It helped making me an accountable person i realized myself more as a woman who deserves to be recognized and did i see all my boundaries because it's some of the workers here will make you see where power meets vurbable what I mean by that some staff will treat you like your trash, to make theirself appear better to their corporate management. Putting fear where it shouldn't be when your only trying to empower yourself especially if your trying to to what is required of you. Its harder time i you have outside stuff to catch up on. Im a god fearing mom and others like me ive seen who tries to do all of the above I think since we all come from different backgrounds that it gives you more barriers to work through when clients should be able to trust the process instead I see staff making it more difficult as some staff does that to their clients like gaslighting .i hate it when we end up having to call Jeanne on their shit adding more anxiety especially when you as the client has made the biggest step of her or his life. Kammi has gaslighted me before and wouldnt be reliable or accountable for my visits with my kids, Shevall as well as abbey, can be extremely rude Abbey will stalk you to see if you have a phone to then make an excuse to take it for 3 days an ex councilor told me she does that because clients tell on her.They act concerned but when push comes to shove they will throw you under the bus if it makes anything in their light look bad. Claudia works hard and improves her attitude and gives more attention where it's due but she can give you a hard time to. I think especially when you are being pulled up on your feelings. They disregard the client and their background cps or from jail, if you weren't forced it appears like a favoritism thing...when everyone should have respect they often express about how they don't get paid enough to be happy to everyone.I do like kiva but its to short of time and it just gives more of a hard time to make life come back to normal ... and need all staff to be on your side. It's good to make us accountable but only what where gaslighting is not involved.There needs to be some more staff appointed people in the field that should want to help you more instead of trying to put you in ur place. You have to often advocate for yourself to get what you need done and most times because we are in a valuable vulnerability... like having kids and cps invovled or if your experiencing homelessness or maybe we need a specific need like what soberliving we go to ,we often have to ask to be accomadated... it shouldn't have to get to that with the right amount of case management and counciling. It's more about us doing our groups and getting our signatures and no client should feel that they are having a tougher time then when they came in. It's sad to see this program only being a 3 month program. 9 to 12 would be best to cover each clients needs. It Like a swarm of clients and alot less staff.

Grijalva Liliana
6 months ago
5

This place really helped me so much.. I'm so thankful for them

Anthony Montanero
1 year ago
5

Client care comes first.

Amber Archer (HealthyHippieMamma)
1 year ago
1

Im very disappointed in this place.

Connie Gradilla
1 year ago
5

I m alive because of this program, but I live my life now because of counselors such as Ms.Liz, Ms. Shelly, Ms.Shaval, Ms.Amy and of course Ms. Michelle! Almost 3 yrs Thank you for not giving up on me.

Crystal Echeverria
1 year ago
5

I went into detox on April 29th 2023 weighing 65 pounds.I went into kiva on may 12 th 2023.I just graduated from their yeah it was hard at first being separated from loved ones but it was so worth it the staff they care and it's their job to be real with clients.I just want to say thank you I'm in sober living with sisters from kiva they helped me love myself again. I went to Sea World today with my fiance and been enjoying a clean and sober life.I would have never have been able to do that if it wasn't for them accepting me and having a bed ready so fast.Thank you again I do recommend this place.

Wueraa Aguirre
1 year ago
1

Judy 1771
1 year ago
1

Robert Steven van Keuren
1 year ago
2

McAlister has a bad policy of not allowing people to drop off clothes for clients at the Skyline address, forcing them to waste time driving many miles out of their way to "headquarters" in El Cajon--and then giving them an address with the wrong suite. Very insensitive.

Carmen Pascual
1 year ago
5

I am on a new road in my life largely thanks to KIVA. Deni is tough because she has to be, and because she cares. She leads an outstanding team including Christine, Chris, Lidia, Belinda, Kathy, Christina, Mary, Rebecca and Tony. Most of all Tony. He is the best counselor they have. He truly cares about every woman thwre and his process groups are outstanding!!!

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