What McAlister Institute does

McAlister Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit substance abuse treatment and recovery services organization founded in 1977 and headquartered in El Cajon, California. The organization operates 24-25 programs spanning a full continuum of care — prevention and education, outreach, intervention, outpatient treatment, short-term and long-term residential care, detox, aftercare, sober living, and supportive housing — delivered through 10+ physical sites across San Diego County. Its service portfolio includes regional recovery centers (outpatient), the Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children (a family-centered residential model, the first of its kind in California), the New Connections residential program for justice-involved individuals, Teen Recovery Centers embedded in schools, the Adult Detox program, the 24/7 Recovery and Bridge Center diversion program, and the Work for Hope homeless outreach and employment program. The organization serves more than 13,000 men, women, teens, and children annually, including specialized programs for pregnant and parenting women, adolescents, individuals with co-occurring mental health disorders, and those involved with Child Welfare Services. Its clinical model is evidence-based, trauma-informed, and gender-specific, with co-occurring mental health treatment integration across programs.

The organization's underlying platform is its credentialed clinical workforce and licensed facility network rather than a technology product. Staff represent over 1,000 years of combined clean and sober experience, and the organization maintains 12+ active State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) certifications/licenses across its facilities. Telehealth service delivery is offered via a third-party video platform, and a 24/7 Access and Crisis Line supports intake. Revenue is generated through Medi-Cal reimbursement, charitable donations, ancillary operations including a thrift store and bingo hall, and event-based fundraising (Walk for Sobriety, Miracles of Recovery Luncheon). Distribution is direct-to-consumer with substantial referral infrastructure from law enforcement, Child Welfare Services, homeless shelters, mental health clinics, healthcare providers, and government partners including the County of San Diego's Public Safety Group and Behavioral Health Services division.

Name

McAlister Institute

Legal name

McAlister Institute for Treatment & Education, Inc.

Website

https://mcalisterinc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

McAlister Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1977 that provides substance abuse treatment, detox, residential, outpatient, and recovery support services through 24 programs across San Diego County, serving more than 13,000 adults, teens, women, and children annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Addiction Treatment Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN), Residential Substance Use Rehabilitation (Inpatient Rehab) (HLAFACAE)

Keywords

• Substance abuse treatment
• Addiction recovery services
• Outpatient behavioral health
• Residential detox programs
• Mental health counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

El Cajon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts and Medi-Cal Reimbursement: Most programs accept Medi-Cal and are able to assist individuals who are Medi-Cal eligible. The organization operates as a licensed and certified treatment provider through the State Department of Health Care Services.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID 95-3140767), McAlister Institute relies on tax-deductible donations from individuals to provide high-quality, affordable substance abuse treatment and recovery programs.
3. Thrift Store Revenue: Thrift store offering gently used clothing, quality household goods and furniture at reasonable prices. All proceeds benefit McAlister Institute's programs.
4. Bingo Hall Operations: Bingo hall operates three days per week (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) with proceeds reinvested in programs to help ensure access to high-quality, low-cost substance abuse treatment.
5. Event-Based Fundraising: Annual events including Walk for Sobriety and Miracles of Recovery Luncheon generate community support and donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

McAlister Institute provides a continuum of substance abuse treatment and recovery services to more than 13,000 men, women, teens, and children annually throughout San Diego County. The organization operates 24 programs spanning prevention, outreach, intervention, outpatient treatment, short-term and long-term residential care, aftercare, and sober living, including specialized gender-specific, teen, and justice-involved programs. Services are delivered through 8+ regional recovery centers, residential facilities, school-based teen centers, telehealth, and a 24/7 crisis/access line.

Product overview

McAlister Institute operates as a nonprofit substance abuse treatment organization offering 24 programs through a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core treatment portfolio includes Regional Recovery Centers (outpatient services at 8+ locations), residential programs (Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children, New Connections for justice-involved individuals), detox services (Adult Detox and Kiva Women's Detox), Teen Recovery Centers, SAFE supportive housing, and the Recovery and Bridge Center diversion program. Auxiliary services include Work For Hope (homeless employment), Intervention Services, Telehealth video counseling, Thrift Store, and Bingo Hall revenue-generating operations. Together these programs represent a complete continuum of care spanning prevention, outreach, intervention, outpatient treatment, residential care, aftercare, and sober living across San Diego County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regional Recovery Centers Outpatient substance abuse treatment programs for adults offering assessment, individual and group counseling, case management, mental health services, vocational support, and aftercare at multiple locations throughout San Diego County.
• Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children Residential treatment program for women with and without children, offering approximately 90 days of structured care including counseling, parenting classes, childcare, mental health services, and vocational training; the first residential treatment in California and fifth in the nation to allow women and their children to reside together.
• New Connections Residential program tailored for individuals with justice involvement, providing assessment, counseling, treatment planning, vocational training, and re-entry support services.
• Adult Detox Short-term non-medical residential detoxification program in Lemon Grove providing 2-14 days of safe, supportive detox services for men and women.
• Kiva Women's Detox Short-term non-medical residential detox program specifically designed for women, reporting 100% drug-free births for pregnant and parenting women.
• Teen Recovery Centers (TRCs) Substance abuse treatment and education programs for adolescents offering after-school treatment, individual and group counseling, and structured recovery activities at multiple school-based locations.
• SAFE Housing Small residential home for women referred by Child Welfare Services during child reunification, providing a supervised living environment with an on-site live-in manager.
• Recovery and Bridge Center (RBC) Diversion program providing alternatives to incarceration for intoxicated individuals, offering sobering services, counseling, and connections to treatment and housing. Operates 24/7 with nursing support in partnership with the City of San Diego Police Department and County of San Diego.
• Work For Hope Homeless outreach and employment program providing on-the-job training stipends for community beautification projects while connecting participants to housing and employment.
• Intervention Services Professional intervention services delivered by licensed staff, offering individualized intervention plans, family consultation, and access to 25 treatment programs including transportation.
• Telehealth Remote behavioral health services delivered via video platform, enabling clients to access counseling and treatment support remotely.
• Thrift Store Retail operation selling gently used clothing, household goods and furniture, with proceeds supporting substance abuse treatment programs.
• Bingo Hall Gaming operation offering bingo games three days per week (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), with all proceeds reinvested in treatment programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 13,000+ individuals and families served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Chula VistacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Work for Hope (WFH) began in 2018 as a partnership between the City of Chula Vista and McAlister Institute. McAlister staff travel into the community to identify, engage, and case manage homeless individuals, with participants receiving on-the-job training and paid stipends for completing community beautification projects.
• City of San Diego's Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the Recovery and Bridge Center (RBC), a diversion program providing an alternative to incarceration for community members found intoxicated in public.
• County of San Diego's Public Safety GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the Recovery and Bridge Center (RBC) diversion program serving individuals found intoxicated in public.
• County of San Diego's Behavioral Health Services divisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the Recovery and Bridge Center (RBC) providing sobering services and connecting participants to substance use treatment and behavioral health services.
• OptumminorOthersPartner organization listed on McAlister Institute's website partners section; provides healthcare insurance coverage services.
• Community Health GroupminorOthersPartner organization listed on McAlister Institute's website partners section; provides healthcare coverage services.
• United Behavioral HealthminorOthersPartner organization listed on McAlister Institute's website partners section; provides behavioral health insurance coverage.
• UCSD (University of California San Diego)minorOthersPartner organization listed on McAlister Institute's website partners section; UCSD Health provides healthcare services and education.
• San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (SDHHSA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment partner providing health and human services coordination for San Diego County residents; partner in serving the community.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mcalisterinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McAlister Institute