Children experiencing mental health problems require special care due to their unique developmental issues, contradictions in values, and belief systems. Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers were created in 2002 to provide cutting edge mental health, substance abuse, and family treatment. The majority of their patients come from southern California while others come from big cities like NYC, Chicago, and internationally. 
Mental health illness can be brought on by varying factors such as genetics or environmental exposure in the womb. Such disorder affects mood, thought, and behavior. Symptoms can usually be managed with proper medication and counseling.
Some common symptoms that may require teen mental health treatment are:
- Exhilarating highs and depressive lows
- Confused thinking or poor concentration
- Excessive fears or worries
- Withdrawal from friends and activities
- Delusions, paranoia, or hallucinations
- Excessive anger or hostility
Visions’ centers offer different programs that provide clinically-based teen mental health treatment for adolescents aged 13 to 18 years and their families.
Visions Adolescent Residential Treatment
In the hills of Malibu lies Visions Residential Treatment Center. A Mediterranean style home sits in a 25 acre gated community. The average length of stay is 45 to 90 days. A day and night staff supervise sleeping quarters separated for male and female patients. Crisis intervention is available on a 24-hour basis.
Founding clinicians have stayed with Visions while new team members are added for continued program growth. All Visions personnel are highly skilled professionals who specialize in adolescent recovery. The medical doctor conducts a history and physical exam for medical clearance. A psychiatric director performs the psychiatric evaluation to determine admission. Each patient is assigned a licensed therapist and counselor to work with throughout the teen mental health treatment program. A registered dietitian provides nutritional assessment for each patient and dietary consultation as needed. An activities director leads a physical fitness program “tailor-made” for each individual. Visions Residential offers on-site schooling while providing teen mental health treatment.
Other specialists called on as required include:
- Supervising Nurse
- Psychologists
- Equine Therapist
- Art Therapists
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Informed Programming
Visions’ focus is not on the child alone but advocates for the family as a whole. Mental health issues affect the entire family. Studies have shown that family participation increases the success of teen mental health treatment. A family therapist leads a Multi-Family Group, Individual Family Sessions, and Family Education. Family passes are an incentive for good behavior and allows for outings every Sunday and Monday.
Visions’ goal for teen mental health treatment is as follows:
- Encourage and motivate the adolescent to achieve and sustain a healthy lifestyle
- Help the adolescent to develop new, more effective problem-solving strategies
- Assess and meet the psychological and psychiatric needs of the adolescent
- Assist the adolescent with recognizing and acknowledging the existence of destructive behaviors and mental health issues in their lives, and the impact they have on their family, friends, and future
Visions Residential is a private pay program and full payment is required from the family. Our team will assist with insurance benefit verification and utilization review.
Visions Adolescent Outpatient Counseling
Visions provides two Los Angeles outpatient centers for teen mental health treatment. Sessions are held in the afternoons, allowing the child to resume daily activities and go home to family afterwards.
Visions’ outpatient program has a variety of specialists that take part in the teen mental health treatment. Each adolescent is assigned a personal counselor to work with throughout treatment.
Other consultants utilized for teen mental health treatment as needed include:
- Licensed Therapists
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrist
- Medical Doctors
- Registered Dietician
- Art Therapist
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
1st Step Program is the introduction to the treatment process. The program helps families reintegrate into everyday life after long term treatment. It includes:
- 8 Weeks of Clinical Support
- 2 to 3 Nights Per Week
- 1 Individual Session
Intensive Outpatient Program is the next step in the care process. The staff helps with family communication and addresses existing psychiatric and/or therapeutic needs. It includes:
- 1 Year of Clinical Support
- Individual Sessions
- Family Sessions
Visions Outpatient works out of network with insurance. We will provide the following services to our outpatient families – benefit verification, pre-authorization, utilization review, and billing and collections. 
Discharge and Aftercare is given to each adolescent upon leaving the residential and outpatient teen mental health treatment. The discharge plan is created by the counselor with help from the patient and treatment team. The plan addresses continuing care which may include family relations, academic needs, and social needs.
The Fourth Dimension is the Vision Alumni Program for patients discharged from the residential and outpatient programs. Aftercare groups are offered on an on-going basis with attendance of up to two groups a week. Individual sessions are available on a fee for service basis. An alumni coordinator makes support calls for crisis intervention and relapse prevention so the child never feels alone.
The alumni group holds annual events such as:
- Winter Ski/Snowboard Trip
- Alumni Family Weekend
- Alumni vs. Staff Softball Game
- Knott’s Scary Farm Night
- Magic Mountain
Visions Adolescent Day School
Visions provides a safe learning environment for those unable to function in a regular school. The program has open enrollment and curriculum accreditation is transferable. Many graduates have continued on to esteemed colleges and universities.
- Individualized Educational Planning
- 3 to 1 Student to Staff Ratio
- Individualized Counseling
- Education from Remedial to Honors Level
Don’t wait any longer for teen mental health treatment. Early intervention leads to a healthy and successful adult.
Please click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 866-889-3665.
Originally posted on August 17, 2014 @ 8:01 am
