McAlister Institute- Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children - Lemon Grove, California

Jaylin Blue

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. ❤️

Stephanie Harris-Devito

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.

Hannah Rohrbacher

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.

Crystal Echeverria

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.

Carmen Pascual

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!!!

Cameron Hill

Some of the staff is extremely nice and welcoming liz is program manager and always advocates for the clients the director is something completely ill i was personally demoralized by her on several occassions she is definetly not someone who should work with women trying to build themselves up she masters in tearing them down her teaching tactis are wrong she personally told me to practice being wrong 5 times a day and has also told me i wont ruin her steak dinner after reporting her to JFS i was retaliated against and given a letter of termination she does not have a mcallister heart and i have watched several clients walk away from this program because of her. Ms. Christine and chaval are absolutely amazing i will truly miss them and my wonderful case manager. Some staff see you as a person and some as a paycheck you have to pick the needles out of the haystacks im taking a lot of knowledge from the courses i took here and memories i made with sisters here definetly some life long friendships made here ♥♠♦♣

Robert Steven van Keuren

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.

Ciara Pastrana

I just graduated from this program and yes it seems different at first but once u get into the groove of things it's not so bad. I made wonderful friends and sisters I will know for a lifetime. All the staff was very kind yes sometimes they have there bad days but they always try to help u if u are willing to put the work into it. Honestly if you can't handle following rules here then u Definitely will not make it out in the real world...