In 1972, when the effectiveness of alcohol dependency treatment was still considered controversial, Steppingstone founders began operating the innovative Men's Recovery Program in the City of Fall River.   This Program offers primary services include assessment, individual, group and family counseling, nutritional education, and substance abuse and health education to twenty-three men for a period of up to one year in a residential setting. After a few years of operations, the success of the Men’s Recovery Program was undeniable, and with encouragement from the City of Fall River, Steppingstone opened a second program in 1974, the Graduate Program.  This Program offers men completing treatment at the Men’s Recovery Program with continued support in an independent living environment for an additional year.    The evident success of substance abuse treatment for men encouraged Steppingstone to launch a women’s program in 1985. The Women’s Therapeutic Community, a twenty-eight bed facility located in Fall River, offers primary services including assessment, individual, group and family counseling, nutritional education, and substance abuse and health education in a residential setting for up to one year.  This Program began offering specialized services to pregnant women and their newborns in 1989, including service coordination for methadone therapy, prenatal care, hospital services, obstetrical and gynecological services, and pediatric care, along with education of parenting skills and follow-up intervention.

These three programs operated successfully for the next decade. In 1996, an assessment of community needs in the City of Fall River indicated a gap in permanent housing services for the homeless. Steppingstone developed the Next Step Home Program to fill this gap in the City’s continuum of care and began offering scattered-site affordable housing with supportive services to fifty homeless individuals and/or families with disabilities, including intensive case management, housing advocacy and permanent housing subsidies through the City’s Shelter Plus Care Program.  Another great success, this Program was nominated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and received “Best Practice” award in 2001. In addition, the Program Director received a national award from The Aids Housing Corporation for dedication and commitment to the homeless.

Alumni of these four programs exhibited a need for continued outpatient support, and in 1997, Steppingstone began operations of The Outpatient Program.  Outpatient services for individuals troubled with substance abuse problems include: individual, group and family counseling, along with outreach services for the hard-to-reach street population.  In 1998 Steppingstone opened two additional programs to meet emerging community needs. The Transition House opened its doors to ten homeless men and women experiencing substance abuse problems. The Program provides case management services to assist these homeless persons with a successful transition from homelessness to independent living. With Steppingstone now operating five successful programs in the City of Fall River, and the City of New Bedford indicating a service gap for women’s substance abuse treatment, Steppingstone was inspired to develop a sixth program, The New Bedford Women's Therapeutic Community. This Program, mirroring services of the Fall River Women’s Therapeutic Community, provides twenty women and women with infants with the support and services needed to break the patterns of chemical dependency and homelessness and become self-sufficient.  To provide continued support to these women, Steppingstone began operations of The New Bedford Graduate Program in 2002.  This Program offers support services to nine women completing the first three phases of treatment in The New Bedford Women’s Therapeutic Community for an additional two-year period.

In 2003, in order to meet the essential needs of the homeless, Steppingstone began operations of an emergency shelter program.  The First Step Inn provides safe shelter, nutritional meals and case management services to thirteen women and men daily.  To further meet the needs of the chronically homeless, Steppingstone designated a minimum of eight residential treatment beds in 1994 to serve the chronically homeless and provide them with enhanced services through operations of the Homelessness Project. Continuing its dedication to meeting the needs of the homeless, Steppingstone opened the Stone Residence in 1994. This permanent housing program provides 24 single room occupancy units and supportive services to homeless men and women in the City of Fall River.  Due to a need for support services for people living with HIV/AIDS in the community, Steppingstone began operations of its HIV/AIDS Residential Support Service program, designating a minimum of five permanent housing units and providing service coordination, case management and harm reduction services.

Steppingstone continues to meet the challenges of addiction treatment with realistic and compassionate ideas that have withstood the test of time with a growing pool of men and women who have rejoined their families and communities as healthy and productive individuals.