Cornerstones of Maine | The Next Step

Why Cornerstones?

Choosing the right program is difficult, here is what makes us special:

Experiential: The Cornerstones model is an experiential design that emphasizes skill development and emotional growth through direct experience in the real world. So, our residents learn and grow through jobs, volunteering, and academic engagement that provide practical foundational experiences for the future.

Resident Centered: Because we keep our program small, we are able to meet individualized needs without having to create a "one program for all" model. This allows us to change with our residents. As we like to say,
"as you grow, we grow."

Strong Clinical Foundation: Our program was developed and designed by two licensed psychologists with extensive experience studying the literature and successfully working with young adults. Additionally, the clinical staff at our program are primarily doctoral level clinicians and they work with our residents throughout the day.

Comprehensive: Our program combines therapeutic treatment with independent living skills, educational and vocational progress, interpersonal development, and wellness practices. This means that when residents leave our program they will be ready to independently continue their path towards their life goals with the skills to live a happy and meaningful life.

Getting Started

Our residents come from various backgrounds and settings, which include their homes, wilderness programs, mental health treatment programs, substance abuse treatment programs, and therapeutic and traditional boarding school settings. Often times, the residents and their families are working with educational consultants, psychologists, psychiatrists, and/or program staff. A good candidate for Cornerstones is stable and independent enough to leave their homes or intensive treatment programs, but not quite prepared to live independently. This is when professional support is sought to determine the next step and our program is identified as an option.

Step 1: Contact Us

Anyone can contact us for a referral, including the residents themselves, parents, educational consultants, or mental health providers. Call 1-800-588-6898 and one of our staff will provide a comprehensive description of our program.

Step 2: Enrolling

After a resident and/or family choose to apply to our program, we will then conduct a thorough assessment of a resident's background and history. We begin the careful selection process of determining if an applicant is a good fit for our program. There are initial interviews with the resident, their families, and treatment providers. This is followed by a review of records and completion of questionnaires and other clinical paperwork. Once completed, all information is carefully reviewed to determine the fit of the potential resident with our program. Those who do appear to be a good fit are approved and accepted into our program.

Step 3: Intake

Upon arrival our staff will work with the resident to determine the best means of developing and addressing their educational and/or vocational goals. Additionally, goals for other growth areas will be identified and clarified. This process will act as a program road map moving forward.

Step 4: Welcome to the Program!