Residential Treatment Program

We provide intensive short-term residential treatment to children and teens, ages 6 to 18, who are struggling with mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. We are proud to be one of the only residential treatment programs in Southern California accredited by The Joint Commission for our excellence in safety and quality of care.

Children and teens come into our 24/7 care from all over the state of California and surrounding areas due to our quality programs, expertise and trauma-informed focus. We provide a safe and inclusive environment on our main 12-acre campus in beautiful San Diego. Youth receive comprehensive services that are highly individualized to meet their therapeutic goals as determined by our knowledgeable team in partnership with family and caregivers.

Family-Centered Approach

Our goal from the day of admission is to have a youth reunite to a safe, nurturing and empowered family as soon as possible. We ensure children and teens are prepared to continue their treatment success when they transition back into their home, community and school environment. Family and caregiver participation is essential to the treatment process and successful transition planning from admission through aftercare.

Youth We Serve

Children and teens are referred to us to address areas of social development, emotional regulation, behavior management, grief, loss and attachment. We provide services to youth who may be experiencing the following challenges:

Anxiety and depression Bipolar Disorder Psychosis Impulsivity

Trauma and severe stress Self-harm behavior Substance use Behavior problems

School performance or attendance problems History of physical or sexual abuse Neglect Poor self-esteem

Service Overview

Each youth admitted into our program receives a comprehensive evaluation by our on-site clinical team. Teens, 15-years and older, additionally receive a proprietary comprehensive transition needs assessment to support their individualized plan into adulthood. Our residential cottages are assigned by age and therapeutic needs, and by gender identity within our teen cottage.

The following is an overview of our residential treatment services, for a more detailed outline please access our brochure.

Assessment services Counseling services & therapeutic activities On-site WASC accredited K-12 nonpublic school

Transition to adulthood services & life skills Community engagement Enrichment activities

Brochure & Additional Resources

We invite you to read our Residential Treatment Program brochure and therapeutic tracks flyer to learn more about our services, activities and team of experts.

Admissions & Payment Options

For admission with private pay or insurance, please contact us directly at (833) 800-9105. We currently contract with most major insurance companies including Kaiser, Blue Cross, United Healthcare/United Behavioral Health, Sharp, Cigna, MHN and TRICARE, and can arrange for single case agreements with other payers.

We also accept public funding referrals from county social workers, school districts and charter schools, adoption assistance (AAP), and others. To learn more of how to access residential services through schools or adoption assistance, please contact our intake department:

Residential Intake Department
(833) 800-9105 • residential@centerforchildren.org

The Center is a partner with the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency. We are a contracted provider for Child Welfare Services, Aid to Adoptive Parents, and Behavioral Health Services – Child, Youth and Family.