Finding mental health or substance use treatment can be difficult.
Finding treatment where you genuinely feel understood can be even harder.
At Rainbow Hill Recovery, our LGBTQ+ Partial Hospitalization Program in Los Angeles provides structured mental health and substance use treatment in an environment intentionally created with the LGBTQ+ community in mind.
Here, your identity is not something you need to explain, defend, minimize, or avoid.
It also is not automatically assumed to be the reason you are struggling.
You get to show up as your whole self.
A Partial Hospitalization Program, commonly called PHP, is an intensive level of outpatient treatment for people who need more structure and clinical support than traditional weekly therapy or a lower level of outpatient care can provide.
At Rainbow Hill Recovery, PHP generally consists of approximately five hours of therapeutic programming per day, five days per week, depending on each client’s individualized clinical needs.
Clients participate in structured treatment during the day while maintaining the ability to return home or to supportive housing outside of program hours.
For LGBTQ+ clients, the clinical intensity of PHP may be similar to other Partial Hospitalization Programs.
The environment can make a significant difference.
Being LGBTQ+ is not a mental health condition.
But the experiences LGBTQ+ people have navigating the world can affect mental health.
Rejection, discrimination, family conflict, isolation, shame, trauma, relationship challenges, and feeling pressure to hide parts of yourself can have a real impact.
At the same time, LGBTQ+ people seek treatment for many of the same reasons anyone else does.
Depression. Anxiety. Trauma. Addiction. Grief. Relationships. Feeling stuck. Losing a sense of direction.
Our job is not to make everything about your identity.
Our job is to understand when identity matters and when it does not.
There is a difference between a treatment center that accepts LGBTQ+ clients and a treatment program that understands the community it serves.
Rainbow Hill Recovery was created with a deep commitment to LGBTQ+ people and the belief that our community deserves access to high quality mental health and substance use treatment where affirming care is not simply an additional service.
It is part of the foundation.
We understand that LGBTQ+ people may enter treatment carrying experiences related to rejection, family dynamics, coming out, discrimination, shame, relationships, faith, sex, gender, community, trauma, or years spent navigating environments that did not always feel safe.
Those experiences can matter.
But they do not define you.
Not every LGBTQ+ person’s mental health struggles are about being LGBTQ+.
Not every conversation needs to become a conversation about identity.
Sometimes depression is depression.
Sometimes anxiety is anxiety.
Sometimes addiction is addiction.
And sometimes identity, trauma, relationships, culture, and mental health intersect in ways that deserve to be understood.
Good treatment should be able to recognize the difference.
Our LGBTQ+ PHP in Los Angeles may be appropriate for adults who need significant therapeutic support while maintaining the ability to live outside of a treatment facility.
Clients may be experiencing challenges related to:
PHP can also provide an important transition for someone stepping down from residential or inpatient treatment who is not yet ready for the independence of a traditional outpatient program.
Being LGBTQ+ is not a mental health condition.
But the experiences LGBTQ+ people have navigating the world can affect mental health.
Rejection, discrimination, family conflict, isolation, shame, trauma, relationship challenges, and feeling pressure to hide parts of yourself can have a real impact.
At the same time, LGBTQ+ people seek treatment for many of the same reasons anyone else does.
Depression. Anxiety. Trauma. Addiction. Grief. Relationships. Feeling stuck. Losing a sense of direction.
Our job is not to make everything about your identity.
Our job is to understand when identity matters and when it does not.
At Rainbow Hill Recovery, we do not believe treatment should begin and end with a diagnosis.
Behind every diagnosis is a person.
A history.
Relationships.
Ways of coping.
Things that happened.
Things that were never talked about.
Things that worked until they did not anymore.
Our clinical team works with each client to understand those pieces and develop an individualized treatment plan around the person sitting in front of us.
Depending on individual needs, treatment may incorporate individual therapy, group therapy, trauma informed care, psychiatric support, recovery services, DBT, EMDR, Brainspotting, and other evidence based or experiential approaches when clinically appropriate.
Substance use does not exist in a vacuum.
For some LGBTQ+ people, substances become a way to connect.
For others, they become a way to disconnect.
Substances can temporarily quiet anxiety, numb trauma, make intimacy feel easier, reduce social discomfort, or provide relief from thoughts and emotions that feel difficult to carry.
Over time, something that once felt helpful can begin creating consequences of its own.
Our role is not to judge how someone learned to survive.
It is to help clients understand those patterns, address what may be underneath them, and develop healthier ways to cope, connect, and move forward.
For clients experiencing both substance use and mental health concerns, our PHP can address co occurring conditions as part of an individualized treatment plan.
Clinical treatment matters.
So does connection.
Many LGBTQ+ people know what it feels like to walk into a room and immediately begin trying to determine whether it is safe to be themselves.
Treatment should not require that calculation.
Rainbow Hill Recovery works to create a community where clients can connect with people who may understand parts of their experience without requiring an explanation first.
That sense of belonging does not replace clinical treatment.
It can create the safety needed to engage more deeply in it.
Both PHP and IOP provide structured outpatient treatment, but PHP offers a greater level of support and more treatment hours.
At Rainbow Hill Recovery, PHP generally includes approximately five hours of programming per day, five days per week.
As clients develop greater stability and no longer require that level of structure, they may transition into an Intensive Outpatient Program and eventually outpatient services.
This creates a continuum of care rather than expecting someone to move directly from intensive treatment back into everyday life without support.
Each step provides a little more independence while maintaining enough structure to continue moving forward.
LGBTQ+ clients deserve clinical spaces where conversations about identity, relationships, sex, intimacy, family, community, trauma, and recovery can happen openly and without shame.
Depending on an individual’s needs, treatment may explore topics such as:
These are not mandatory topics.
They are simply conversations you should be able to have when they matter to you.
Rainbow Hill Recovery was created with a deep commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, but our doors are not limited by identity.
We proudly welcome allies and people from all backgrounds who want to receive treatment in an inclusive, respectful environment.
For clients specifically seeking LGBTQ+ centered care, our programming provides an opportunity to receive treatment within a community where shared experiences, representation, and culturally responsive care can become part of the healing process.
Rainbow Hill Recovery was created with a deep commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, but our doors are not limited by identity.
We proudly welcome allies and people from all backgrounds who want to receive treatment in an inclusive, respectful environment.
For clients specifically seeking LGBTQ+ centered care, our programming provides an opportunity to receive treatment within a community where shared experiences, representation, and culturally responsive care can become part of the healing process.
You deserve both.
You deserve clinicians who take your mental health seriously.
You deserve treatment that supports you while also challenging you to grow.
You deserve a space where you can talk about addiction without hiding your relationships, talk about trauma without translating your identity, and talk about your future without wondering whether you are going to be judged for who you are.
That is what we are working to create at Rainbow Hill Recovery.
Not treatment that reduces you to your identity.
Treatment where you never have to leave part of yourself at the door.
An LGBTQ+ affirming PHP provides the clinical structure of a Partial Hospitalization Program while creating an environment where LGBTQ+ identities, relationships, experiences, and concerns can be discussed openly and respectfully.
At Rainbow Hill Recovery, LGBTQ+ affirming care is part of the culture of our program rather than something clients need to request separately.
No. Rainbow Hill Recovery welcomes LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, and people from all backgrounds who are comfortable participating in an inclusive and affirming treatment community.
No.
Your identity is one part of who you are. Treatment is based on your individual clinical needs and may address depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, relationships, emotional regulation, grief, or other concerns.
LGBTQ+ specific experiences can be explored when they are relevant to you.
Yes. Rainbow Hill Recovery works with individuals experiencing mental health concerns, substance use disorders, and co occurring conditions. Your treatment plan is developed around your individual clinical needs.
Yes. PHP is an outpatient level of care. Clients generally participate in treatment during the day and return home or to supportive housing afterward.
At Rainbow Hill Recovery, PHP generally provides approximately five hours of programming per day, five days per week, depending on individual clinical needs and the treatment plan.
Many insurance plans provide benefits for Partial Hospitalization Programs when treatment is medically necessary. Coverage depends on the individual insurance plan.
Our admissions team can review your benefits and help you understand your available coverage and options before beginning treatment.
You do not need to know exactly what level of care you need before reaching out.
If you are looking for LGBTQ+ affirming mental health or substance use treatment in Los Angeles, our admissions team can talk with you about what you are experiencing and help determine whether PHP may be appropriate.
We can also help you understand insurance coverage, program availability, and what beginning treatment at Rainbow Hill Recovery looks like.
You have spent enough time wondering whether you will be understood.
Come as you are. We will start from there.
Joie Gyondla serves as Rainbow Hill Recovery’s Clinical Support Coordinator, bringing compassion, empathy, and a genuine commitment to supporting every client who walks through our doors. With a background in recovery support, Joie understands the importance of creating a welcoming, organized, and affirming environment where individuals feel seen, valued, and supported throughout their treatment journey.
Working closely with both clients and the clinical team, Joie helps ensure that each person’s experience is as seamless as possible, providing encouragement, guidance, and practical support every step of the way. Her calm presence and dedication to helping others foster a sense of safety and connection that allows clients to focus on what matters most: their recovery.
Joie believes that healing begins with compassion and that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a lasting difference. She is proud to be part of the Rainbow Hill Recovery team, helping create a community where every individual is empowered to build a healthier, more authentic future.
Co-Founder of the LGBTQ+ Association for Addiction and Mental Health Professionals Clinical Outreach Specialist for Rainbow Hill Recovery LGBTQ Sensitivity Training Consultant
Steven Buffin-Stewart is the Case Manager at Rainbow Hill Recovery, with over five years of experience in substance use and mental health treatment. A CADC ll professional in recovery themselves, Steven combines clinical knowledge with lived experience to provide compassionate, coordinated care and foster inclusive, affirming spaces where clients feel supported, empowered, and hopeful in their healing journey.
Steven Buffin-Stewart is the Program and Case Manager at Rainbow Hill Recovery, with over five years of experience in substance use and mental health treatment. A CADC ll professional in recovery themselves, Steven combines clinical knowledge with lived experience to provide compassionate, coordinated care and foster inclusive, affirming spaces where clients feel supported, empowered, and hopeful in their healing journey.
Janae Borrego serves as Rainbow Hill Recovery’s Cross-Cultural Relations Officer and Outpatient Therapist, where she combines her clinical expertise with a deep commitment to fostering an inclusive, culturally responsive environment for every client. Her ability to understand, appreciate, and navigate diverse cultural perspectives has made her an invaluable leader as Rainbow Hill continues to grow and evolve.
In her role, Janae works to strengthen cultural understanding throughout the organization, ensuring that clients, families, and staff feel respected, heard, and represented. She provides ongoing guidance on cultural sensitivity and inclusive practices while helping shape programs that honor the unique identities, backgrounds, and lived experiences of those we serve.
As an Outpatient Therapist, Janae is dedicated to helping clients navigate recovery, mental health, and life’s challenges with compassion, authenticity, and evidence-based care. She believes that meaningful healing begins when individuals feel safe to show up as their authentic selves and receive support that acknowledges the whole person.
Janae is passionate about creating spaces where diversity is celebrated, connection is strengthened, and every individual has the opportunity to heal and thrive. Her leadership continues to advance Rainbow Hill Recovery’s mission of providing affirming, trauma-informed care that meets the evolving needs of the communities we serve.
With over a decade of experience in addiction recovery, Andrew is passionate about helping individuals reclaim their lives and find lasting healing. As Co-founder and Director of Rainbow Hill Recovery, he is dedicated to creating a supportive environment that fosters hope, resilience, and transformation.
Joey Bachrach is the Co-Founder and CEO of Rainbow Hill Recovery, an LGBTQ-affirming mental health and substance use treatment center in Los Angeles. Drawing from both professional leadership and lived recovery experience, Joey is dedicated to creating safe, inclusive spaces where individuals are fully seen, affirmed, and supported on their healing journey.