San Diego Center for Children’s Residential Treatment Program is a 24-hour care program for youth (ages 6-18) who are experiencing serious emotional or behavioral health challenges. Mariana Bordas, LMFT, the Admissions and Intake Director of Intensive Clinical Services, described Residential as a general mental health program and added that “Our therapists are trained in specific evidence-based practices, including CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), TFCBT (trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy), and motivational interviewing, and will utilize interventions from these modalities to tailor services to the needs of each client.”
The Residential Program is closely integrated with The Academy, our non-public school serving youth K-12 and accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). All youth in the Residential Program have the unique benefit of also attending school at The Academy. San Diego Center for Children’s program is unique because youth at The Academy receive a full day of academic instruction, as opposed to just a few hours a day. Ms. Bordas stated that our program makes the transition back to public school easier for youth by adding that “once the child discharges from our program, the return to school, the schedule, and the structure are not as difficult. All of our clients have been practicing and engaging in these skills and routines while in our care.”
So how does the referral process work? San Diego Center for Children receives referrals from several different sources: parents and guardians, mental health clinicians, outpatient programs, and hospitals, among others. The process begins when a referral comes in through the admissions department and is screened by the team. This can mean requesting clinical documentation, collaborating with outside agencies and referral sources, and contacting parents to learn more about the family’s needs. Once the Admissions Team and the family decide the Center is the right fit, an official appointment will be scheduled.
Ms. Bordas said that one of the questions she often receives about Residential is how often parents are allowed to visit their kids. She stated that “We really encourage parent participation,” and “want to see parents on campus and present as much as possible.” For more answers to commonly asked questions please visit Residential Treatment – San Diego Center for Children
About Mariana Bordas, LMFT
Mariana Bordas, LMFT is the Admissions and Intake Director for our Intensive Clinical Services: the Residential Treatment Program, Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), and Intensive Family Services (IFS). Ms. Bordas is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and has worked at San Diego Center for Children for a bit over 9 years. She started off her career at the Center as an on-call therapist for Residential, then as an intake coordinator for the Admissions Department. Ms. Bordas brings decades of experience in the field of children’s mental health to her current role overseeing the Admissions Department.
For more information on San Diego Center for Children’s Residential Treatment Program or the Academy, please visit Residential Treatment – San Diego Center for Children or The Academy Special Education | Autism | Emotional Disabilities | Specific Learning Disabilities | Speech and Language Impairment | Traumatic Brain Injury.
If you’re interested in enrolling your child in either of our programs, please call (833) 800-9105 or visit Refer Youth for Mental Health Services | San Diego Center for Children.