I have no idea why people are writing bad reviews! I ended up going here once, and then practically begging my parents to send me back the second time when i was starting to become ready to stop. I was a very opposisionally defiant kid, and did not want to hear what anyone else had to say. i'v been to every dr, counselors, therapists, and specialists in southern california and outside of it. Nothing stuck. When i got to cornerstone, as pretty much all the clients were...i was pissed to be there. I quickly detoxed from massive amounts of everything under the sun, and the way the dr has you go through it....its really a walk in the park compared to just attempting to do it on your own. All the staff and employes for the most part were exceptional. If you left and got nothing out of your stay, then you clearly wern't ready to stop. The case managers, and staff provide daily all the tools and life skills you need to successfully build a support group, and learn to utilize those tools and life skills to stay clean and sober. when i came in, i was probably the biggest head case they've ever had go through there program. i'm not just an alcoholic...i used everything in higher quantities then you could possibly fathom. I still heard everything that was said though. 1-2 years after leaving for second time....all the things staff and case managers had told me just click for some reason. im now a strait A student going in to the medical feild, i attend AA/NA on my own and enjoy it, ive learn to be content with the fact that im going to feel really out of place, anxious, awefull....knowing it will pass. Over time all the things that i learned there and was told started to resonate through my head. i came to alot of realizations. Without Cornerstone, I would surely be dead best case senerio, but most likely locked up for life. I still get tempted at times and im often stoped by the imidiat reminders that plays through my head that i often heard from the staff. I'm much more open minded now and can let in and use everything i've heard. This treatment center provides so much up and above what there required to do. In in patient, you learn to get a propper sleep schedule, alll your meals are cooked for you, you daily routine becomes something you will manage...which most clients can't at firts, your in a safe enviornement, with staff around 24/7. thats just for starters. I really couldn't have asked for a better treatment center. Clients coming in are manipulative , esspesially to there parents.....that seemed to be during my stay atleast, why cornerstone would get a bad rap from certain parents. This is a great Rehabilitation center. The staff and Case managers are amazing...you will not find a better opportunity for your child. So if someone like me can turn there life around as a result of my stay there....thats pretty good! So to make it short, i came in a huge drug addict, alcoholic, and steroid freak. there was no stopping me and even when i had wanted to stop i couldnt and certainly didn't was to hear anyone elses point of view. Its beyond me how but the case managers and staff were able to get through to me, and I listened really carefully to a select few case managers and staff, who i cuold actually trust and relate to. This is an amazing place that will provided your child with an amazing opportunity to learn life skills, orginizationaly skills, and how to live life clean and sover one day at a time. Your not going to find a center that can offer these thing at the level they do. Sean read more

I can say a few things about this place. I checked out of the program feb 15 a day before I was scheduled to leave. First the photos are only the ones they want you to see. Meaning you probably won't see any of that. Queen size bed HaHa. There are some really good people there. But a lot shitty ones. Someone needs to explain to them that we still have rights while we are in there. I was ignored the first night and the next day. Then they came and said the doctor wants to see you and walked away. I couldn't walk I had severe vertigo. So I waited awhile then he came in and asked if I was coming. It's literally the next door over. I said no I can't get up. So he met with me in there. That's when I said can you tell those people I need to use the bathroom. Finally they came in and helped me to the bathroom door. It really didn't get better until I meet a really great nurse who finally took care of me. Her and my case manger were great. Bottom line there in it to make money, and I understand that. But that's it, and if something good happens along the way, you're lucky. Bottom line, "I" had to call the police to get out of there. Im not shitting, I really did. I was standing in front of my car and they would not give me my keys or wallet. The next morning at 6:30 am the owner Dr. Stone called me at detox to apologize. Really!!. Anyway keep looking around there's better places for the money, and for yourself. "I"called the police, I really did. Check the logs from the night of February the 14th 2019. If they read this they know exactly who I am. And after reading other comments they mentioned a councler who's name starts with an R. He just kept telling me do your family a favor stay another 30 days. I said no my family wants me home. Then while walking out the door he finally said "do your family a favor give me your credit card" wow what do you say after that. Good Bye!!! P.S. I never missed a meeting never, and complied with everything asked of me. After a month and a half never had a problem until February 14th when after returning from having dinner with my wife and discussing plans for my return home on the 16th. Then returning to my sober living house 30 minuets late. Not because of my house manger he was great. But because of conerstones inablity to listen and try to understand, all shit broke lose. And I called the cops. read more

Cornerstone is pathetic. I don't even know where to begin. Most of the Staff were uncompassionate rude unproffessional and when it came to money they were manipulating and had alot of nerve especially if ur court ordered. I was there 75 Days and 2 of the clients overdosed when I was there. One fell into an axons for a Week and the other died heroin only 19 years old. They make the clients that have a history of opiate abuse take a pill called neltrexone and it knocks the heroin residue off the brain so as soon as u stop taking it the tolerence for opiates is so much lower then if u didn't take it at all so people can overdose more likely. They made me take the pill and I cheeked it for almost 30 days then the caught Me so they chopped the pill up and wanted me to chew it so I would swallow It right in there face instead of chewing it so they sent me to There detox for 12 days for punishment and later on threw the bill charging 800 a day for the detox. So I chewed it everyday at detox and it would cause horrible stomache pain sometimes I'd lay on the bathroom floor sweating and vomiting but Catherine (princess Fiona looking heartless Cunt) tells me shed rather see me with a Sick stomachs then dead. go to group. The CEO there James Newman was a Wackjob addict has bipolar episodes very unhappy Guy the place was so unorganized all over the place. Very little recovery. Not high success ratings many Clients were relapsing which they make more money that way cuz they don't kick Them out they just send them to the detox for as many days as the Insurance covers then back into extended care. There are way better rehabs out there ones is Nancy Clark's in costa mesa amazing staff great recovery fair price. Another. Place is new life spirit recovery in Huntington. I have 107 days of sobriety After 75 days i left cornerstone and went to Nancy Clark's . The staff at nancy clarks are very Genuine and compassionate and they treat u like an adult unlike cornerstone. God bless hope I helped u read more

I wish to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to all the folks at Cornerstone in their helping me to regain my sobriety and along with that, a return to a comfortable, satisfying and constructive life. I have been given the gift of recovery and for that, I am truly grateful. I would also like to direct this review to those who may find themselves or their loved ones in a situation similar to that in which I found myself ( a seemingly hopeless substance addiction) and who wish to find a solution. I speak only for myself, of course, but I am of the firm belief that the fundamental key to recovery is that the individual have the absolute desire to recover. There is no magic wand that anyone can wield , which can overcome a lack of that desire, but with a firm willingness to do so, it is my experience ( and that of many of my friends in recovery) that the supportive care of the entire staff at Cornerstone can provide a path to recovery. I have been through the progressive programs of acute detox, residential detox, inpatient IOP and currently sober living through Cornerstone , I have had nothing but positive experiences during my participation in this program and I hear the same from my fellow alumni. If one is seeking a supportive and caring path to recovery for themselves or their loved one, in comfortable, clean and well appointed surroundings, I cannot give a stronger referral. I would like to express my gratitude to the entire staff in general ( Octavia, Jackie, Brett.... always incredibly helpful) Maria ( whose energy and positivity if bottled would be bigger than google) and of course Mike and Diane, who both went truly above and beyond to help me ( and yes, Diane, you were right :-) . Simon, thanks for always being there, man. These are real people, amongst many others who are there to help. Use them to get better and recover. If you really want it, you can have read more

Cornerstone has the best substance and alcohol recovery program not only in Orange County but anywhere. I checked myself in and although the first few days were excruciating for many reasons, once I got through that I totally bought into the program and I can honestly say they have saved my marriage and my life. I am 53 years old and have been addicted to Suboxone and other pain meds as a result of breaking my hip. With the help of Dr. Caine I was off the drug in 5 days and have finally started to feel like a human being again. I got up this morning at 6 a.m. and rode my bike for 35 minutes and it felt great. Everyone from the case managers, lecturers, house maintenance and cooks (Maria is the greatest) deeply cares and is concerned for EVERY patients well being no matter what their age is or how many times they have relapsed. Don't get me wrong, they are not afraid to call you out on something but that is much better than being deceived or not treated honestly with. Diane and Irma were both great Case Managers for me and Antonio, Aaron, Nelson and Tammy all genuinely cared and I could feel it when they spoke to me. I would recommend Cornerstone to anyone who wants to kick their addiction and come to the realization that we are powerless to drugs and alcohol and that those things will always win the battle if we do not equip ourselves with the right tools and realize that a higher power exists and can come in many different forms. I cannot wait to go back and speak on a panel and tell people my story just like others did when I was there. Total five star rating for Cornerstone read more

Let me start this with my intake date at Cornerstone: Monday March 27 2000. Ultimately the best day of my life (besides quitting cigarettes in 2014) as well as the worst. Fast forward to last year when I discovered and started to follow Cornerstones Twitter account after I spotted them online. I got a reply thanking me for the follow. (in 2000 this social media thing wasn't around yet) Well I had to reply back immediately, "NO! Thank You. I'm coming up on 18 years and I am so grateful thanks to Dr. Stone, The Stone family and ALL the Cornerstone staff and house Managers of 2000. I have nothing but positive memories of my week in the main house detox (I was pretty messed up). I say positive (though physically it sucked withdrawal-wise) because everybody had this brilliant energy of recovery and perseverance. Being positive and being healthy. It was the energy you could feel from everyone and is difficult to put into words. Cornerstone taught me how to stay clean & sober, go to meetings and be of service. Were as the 'other' rehab I went to before Cornerstone just had me pull weeds, mow lawns, wash dishes and yell at each other in encounter groups. I think, for me, teaching me HOW to stay clean & sober was key. Dr Stone and his staff provided the education, experience, strength and hope. Then all I had to do is put that new learned knowledge to work. And 18 years later it continues to work. The staff and The Stone family truly saved my life back in March 2000. Thank You. Patrick F. read more

Cornerstone saved my life. I came into this program with many issues not knowing if I was one of the unfortunates that would be unable to recover. I am proud to say that I am sober and have never been happier and much of that is due to all that Cornerstone has to offer. Not only is the staff friendly and well educated in their field, they take very good care of their clients. I started in detox to be monitored as I got all of the substances out of my system and then was moved to residential where I stayed in a great house, was fed well and was well taken care of. My case manager, Maria, was nothing short of outstanding. Abe is one of a kind and truly cares about the well being of every single person there. Madison was one of my favorite people there and was always well organized, friendly and professional. From there, I was moved to Phase 1, voluntarily, where I continued to program as I was not ready to leave because of how much I was getting out of it. I was lucky enough to move into a house with amazing roommates but, most importantly, the best house manager that Cornerstone has, Titus Davis. This man is one of a kind and someone I can call a mentor, look up to and a friend. I hope everyone gives this place a chance, take it seriously and want sobriety because it's such a better life than living in addiction. Thank you Cornerstone from the bottom of my heart. read more

I was a patient at Cornerstone of Southern California from August 2019-October 2019. These days were the most important days of the rest of my life. While true change comes from within it was the people at Cornerstone, particular Dean Marquez, facilitated the change in my heart. Like most addicts I believed my situations and circumstances of life were unique. After all I am a professional in my career, never encountered the law in my addiction, and was a functional member of society for many years. I had only hit my rock bottom because I was having a bad week. Dean Marquez took a broken man with no hope and gave him the tools to rebuild his life. Through his counsel I was able to rebuild bridges I had burned with my family and loved ones. His knowledge in relationships and wisdom in recovery allowed me to find the road to redemption. I am particularly grateful to him for fostering the restoration of my relationship with my significant other/soon to be fiancé. Week after week, Dean worked with us to find the real meaning of what commitment is in a relationship. It is has been my experience, that if it wasn't for Cornerstone and their staff, in particular Mr. Dean Marquez, this addict would have ended up in jail, in an institution, or even died. read more

My daughter recently admitted to this place. I have found peace within myself going to the family program with all their support. I didn't realize what a "gift" it was just to back off and let this process happen as I was advised to do. I always wanted to FIX everything or control it all. I'm a mom, that is all I know how to do. I did read these reviews but I was sent here by someone who got sober here and had good success. I think the proof is in the pudding. My daughter has been there 44 days and I am extremely happy with the work she has done with her counselor and friends she has met there. She truly is a different person than when she went in. In all honesty, I owe the staff there a debt of gratitude for helping my family come together, get the skeletons out of the closet, talk about the elephant in the room, whatever and HEAL!!! Secrets destroy families, all members, not just the "sick" one as we are ALL part of my daughter's disease I have learned. We all contribute in some way and we all need our own program as well. Thank God we found this place. I wish I could reach out and tell each person reading this how important it is to save a life...they are saving my daughters life, and in turn, repairing my entire family. read more

Cornerstone helped me to become the person I knew I could be. After years of struggling with alcohol, I was blessed to talk to someone at Cornerstone about admission. Although it took me a couple of times to talk to him, he never gave up on me. When I arrived, I had a team of people helping me to understand how the program worked. The staff and Dr. Stone were amazing. I had been misdiagnosed with a Bipolar illness for over 20 years. Dr. Stone was able to see the problem and worked with a psychiatrist to change the "soup" of medications that I was taking before arriving at Cornerstone. Both the staff and patients were diverse, with many different ethnicities and various ages. The camaraderie among patients was so important and necessary for success. I had not planned on staying long; however, after 46 days, I had an entirely different mindset than when I had arrived. Often I think of the counselors and staff I had the privilege of working with, and I am grateful to God for all of them. I would recommend this program to all looking for a place to help them change their lives for the better. A year later, I can say that the tools I was taught and the care I was given at Cornerstone made all the difference in my life. read more

My nineteen year old son went to Cornerstone after 30 days of an unsuccessful outpatient program. He has 90 days sober and is doing great. What I now realize is that success is wholly up to the patient. If they TRY to dig to their deepest level of honesty, laying themselves bare, and actually utilize the tools they are taught, they will be successful. The multiple hours (five to six per day) of intensive group therapy helped my son change his heart and mind successfully. Outpatient was not intensive enough to do that. I was very impressed with the quality and skill level of the case managers. The main office and the houses are clean and the family night meetings are incredibly insightful. I would give it a "4" for occasional miscommunication between the facility and the family, but because my son achieved what he needed to achieve, they get a five. If you are debating about whether your loved one has a "serious enough problem" to warrant in-patient rehab, the answer is likely yes. This program provides a solid foundation for your loved one to actually become a better person. Good luck. read more

I have been looking everywhere to help my sister look for a treatment center. It was the hardest thing to do because my sister has medi-cal. I called Cornerstone thinking that they would able to help me but when I called Cornerstone around 8am and they said that the person in intake does not come in until 9am. I called again around 8:16am and they said the same thing. I called again around 8:31am and HELEN answered after one ring. I was suprised that HELEN answered after one ring. When HELEN answered she sound really happy and excited to answer my questions. I think I was on the phone with HELEN for about 20-25mins. HELEN was able to provide me 10 places that my sister can go to with medi-cal and funded programs and answered all my questions. I enjoyed talking to HELEN and HELEN even invited my family and myself to Cornerstone's family program even though HELEN knew that I was planning to send my sister to a different program. HELEN was really really helpful to the point that I made this yelp account. For those that have a family or friend that needs help reach out to HELEN at Cornerstone. read more

my son was there forthree weeks and afyer three weeks all they did was take hin off one medicine and put him on a stronger med .he was wanting to leave because he felt like they were doing nothing but giving him more pills than what he was on before he came there they wouldnt let him use the phone to call me to come get him and when i would call there they would tell me my son didnty want to talk to me so i went down to the program and when i got there i called them and told them i was outside and here to get my son and the lady told me i could not take him he was in full blown withdrawls i told her i dont care i want him now or i was going to call the police and next thing i knew my son walked out not withrawing at all these poeple are lairs and not honest they are not there to help people they are there for the money .not a good place at all anyway i took my son out of there and he went into a good recovery house and is now doing what cornerstone was supposed to do read more

My son did not go to Cornerstone because he only had medi-cal and we did not have the money to send him to Cornerstone. However, Helen one of the person in intake gave us so many referrals for my son, listened to me, and even gave me the option to attend Cornerstone's family program and also gave me meeting time and locations for al-anon. I just wanted to write a little review to let others know that based off of what I experienced with Helen even though my son did not go to Cornerstone, I can see that Cornerstone is a place that I would recommend to anyone. I am grateful to Helen because without her I would have not been able to get my son into a funded program. I appericate that Helen was so willing to listen to me even though she knew my son would not attend Cornerstone. My son is now 66 days clean and sober Thank you so much Helen for everything you did for my family read more

I attended Cornerstone during the summer of 2011 and it was the experience that opened the book of my life. I was an angry and confused 19 year old, draining not only MY life with addiction, but my loved ones as well; especially my dear mother who witnessed my worst behavior. I went from one institution to the next, and finally arrived at Cornerstone. I can whole-heartedly say, being there was the best experience of my life. I still shed a bittersweet tear remembering all the amazing times I had at Cornerstone- all of the employees CARED about my well-being and even about my mother's, because being a mom of an addict is emotionally and physically exhausting. But now I have the best relationship with my family and I now have my own little family. I would recommend Cornerstone to anyone who is struggling. I will always hold this place close to my heart. read more

I will forever be grateful for Cornerstone of Southern California and how this program has changed the life of my sister. Quite, frankly this program has saved her life. I had the honor to attend the family night program for seven weeks in a row when my sister started the program as a recovering addict. As a result, I met her case manager Dean who led the processing group each Thursday. Dean is truly a phenomenal case manager that is committed to supporting the clients at cornerstone and the family members. He is full of wisdom and guidance and truly has a special gift that has enabled him to have a positive impact on all those he encounters. I miss the family nights since I moved across the country, however I know that my sister is in great hands with Dean as her case manager. Thank you Dean for all you have done for my sister, me and my family. read more

Cornerstone was incredibly accommodating after getting me in. I did have to wait a day longer than I would have like to begin my stay, but once in they were fantastic. MY case was somewhat unique, paying cash, I was there only for a five day detox, even though I had severe symptoms of alcohol dependence. However, I was highly motivated and they worked with me to manage my withdrawal symptoms and then manage my tapering off of the withdrawal medications so that I could discharge after five days. Thinking back, they must have thought I was insane to try and accomplish so much in so little time, but like I said, I was highly motivated and it payed off. It's been 22 months and ten days and I am still in remission from alcohol! read more

Recently a friend of mine sought treatment at Cornerstone for alcohol abuse. My buddy said that the treatment was extremely affordable and they worked with him to create a payment plan. I honestly thought that my friend would no longer be alive today. He had been hospitalized numerous times because of his drinking and he was not able to stop. He has been out of the program now for a few months and is doing well. He is now fully enabled and empowered to live his life free from alcohol. It's totally up to him now where his life goes. The staff at Cornerstone were caring and professional. They are truly experts in their field. I recommend Cornerstone to anyone or family that is seeking treatment for a loved one. read more

Hello, my name is Luz. I left a review for Cornetstone 6 yrs. ago. I was a patient there in May, 2017!im a recovering alcoholic. I don't have anything negative to say about them. Cornerstone, staff, counselors & case manager, Maria Carter, saved my life! I'm proud to say, that on May 26, 2025 I will be 8 yrs. sober!! It's all due to the tools that I was given at Cornerstone. They truly helped me, & of course my will power to stay healthy & sober for myself & my loved ones, has been a BIG part of my sobriety journey Thank you Cornerstone, for showing me, that you can live a sober life, as long as you continue to use the proper tools that are given to you! Satisfied client! read more