Residential
Residential Treatment
Intensive, round-the-clock care in a safe, affirming environment with individual counseling, group support, and structured recovery programming.
Learn About Residential Care
Treatment and support
The LGBTQ+ Community Taking Care of Its Own
Recovery from addiction is at the center of everything we do. From residential treatment through outpatient care to sober living, our integrated continuum of care is designed for the whole person and delivered by people who understand your experience.
Outpatient
Stepping Out
Flexible care from our North Park center for people stepping down from residential treatment or beginning recovery while staying connected to daily life.
Explore Outpatient Programs
Housing
Sober Living
Safe transitional housing where people can build stability, community, and the daily rhythms that help recovery last.
Learn About Sober LivingAffirming care
We Know LGBTQ+. We Welcome All.
You shouldn't have to choose between getting help and being yourself. At Stepping Stone, you never will.
We treat the intersection of addiction and identity: the cumulative weight of discrimination, family rejection, and systems that were not built with you in mind. Our clinicians do not just tolerate your identity. They honor it as part of your strength.
Here, you can be fully yourself from day one. Your pronouns are respected. Your relationships are honored. Your experience is understood.
Affirming Care
Transgender & Nonbinary Affirming
Treatment that honors your gender identity at every step, delivered by providers who understand.
HIV-Informed Care
Care shaped by decades of experience supporting people living with HIV and people navigating recovery at the same time.
Culturally Competent Staff
Many staff members are part of LGBTQ+ and recovery communities, bringing lived experience and practical understanding to the work.
Our impact
Five decades of service to the LGBTQ+ community
50 Years
Saving LGBTQ+ lives in San Diego
166
People completed treatment in 2025
1976
Founded the same year as San Diego Pride
100%
Of clients homeless on arrival, housed at discharge
Stories and resources
Stepping Up: Stories of Community Care
What's happening at Stepping Stone and across the recovery community in San Diego. Stories of hope, expert perspectives, and resources for living your best sober life.
Newsletters 2025 End of Year Letter
As 2025 comes to a close, I’m reminded of what I love most about this community: we take care of our own. And because of you, Stepping Stone…
News & Announcements The Journey of LGBTQ+ Recovery: From Shadows to Strength
Honoring LGBTQ+ History Month in San Diego with Stepping Stone of San Diego Part 1: Recovery in the Shadows In the early days of organized…
News & Announcements Dreamgirls Revue Fundraiser Raises Nearly $12,000 for Stepping Stone
On September 24, Stepping Stone partnered with Dreamgirls Revue—San Diego’s longest-running drag show—for our first-ever fundraiser…
Accepting the 2026 Stonewall Service Award
Friday, July 17, 2026 · 6:00pm
Spirit of Stonewall Rally
Across from the Brass Rail
Join us at the Spirit of Stonewall Rally as Stepping Stone of San Diego accepts the 2026 Stonewall Service Award from San Diego Pride. Friday, July 17 at 6 p.m. on University Avenue in Hillcrest. Free and open to all.
Get involved
More Ways to Stand With Us
Ambassadors of Recovery
Join our monthly giving circle. Your monthly gift funds the community's safety net — you're not just making a donation, you're joining a movement.
Legacy Giving
Build something that lasts. A legacy gift ensures we'll be here for the next 50 years, sustaining this mission for generations.
Careers & Training
Work that saves lives. We're looking for mission-driven people passionate about LGBTQ+ wellness. Professional CEU training available.