McAlister Institute for Trt and Educ

About McAlister Institute for Trt and Educ

McAlister Institute is a nonprofit alcohol and drug treatment provider serving San Diego County, with outpatient programs in Oceanside through their North Coastal Regional Recovery Center and North Coastal Women’s Recovery Center. Founded in 1977, they have grown to run 24 programs that span prevention, outreach, intervention, outpatient treatment, non-medical detox, short- and long-term residential care, aftercare, and sober living. Their philosophy holds that recovery is a lifelong process that depends on a supportive community, and many of their staff are in recovery themselves. They focus on low-cost care regardless of background or income, and most programs accept Medi-Cal and can help people who are eligible enroll.

Their regional outpatient centers serve adults 18 and older, including those with co-occurring mental health conditions, through assessment, individualized treatment planning, individual and group counseling, and case management. Care draws on evidence-based, trauma-informed, and gender-specific curriculum, and it is paired with practical help such as vocational support, re-entry assistance, housing assistance, relapse prevention, and aftercare. The women’s recovery centers add on-site co-op childcare and parenting classes, making it easier for mothers to stay engaged in treatment. For those who need a higher level of care, the wider network includes women’s and adult detox, a roughly 90-day residential program for women with or without their children, a residential program for people with justice involvement, and teen outpatient services built around school schedules.