Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Helping troubled children and teens.

Childhood is a time of growth and learning. Adolescence brings excitement because of the challenges that come with increasing levels of independence. However, these times can also be bewildering and unhappy. A troubled child may demonstrate poor concentration, display inappropriate behaviors, experience emotional disturbances or have difficulties at school. An adolescent in trouble may display extreme shifts in mood, abuse alcohol or drugs, have failing grades, exhibit poor judgment and demonstrate aggressive or withdrawn behavior.

Sharp’s Child and Adolescent Programs are carefully designed to offer treatment and guidance to young people and their families. The programs, under the direction of a board-certified child psychiatrist, include school, individual and group therapy, medication, recreational therapy, therapeutic activities, family therapy and parent and sibling support. All inpatient and partial hospital services include classroom education with accredited teachers from San Diego City schools.

Sharp Behavioral Health Services, located on the Mesa Vista campus in Kearny Mesa, offers a complete and comprehensive continuum of care for children and adolescents including:

  • Children's Inpatient Programming
    For children ages six to 12, the highly structured therapeutic environment helps children improve and maintain healthy behavior in the home, school and community. Children learn self-esteem and relationship building. And family members are involved in all levels of treatment.

  • Adolescent Inpatient Programming
    For youths aged 12 to 17, grades 7 through 12, there are two therapeutic tracks

    • "Young Winners" Program
      The cognitive-behavioral track helps teens correct distorted thinking to allow better integration of thoughts, emotions and behaviors. The "Young Winners" track offers chemical dependency treatment services to help the chemically dependent or substance using teen develop more positive behaviors.
    • Partial Hospitalization
      Specialized day treatment services for children and adolescents are designed to provide a transition following hospitalization or to provide an alternative to hospitalization. Cognitive therapy and chemical dependency treatment services are available within these programs.

  • “Changes” Chemical Dependency Intensive Outpatient Program
    A specialized chemical dependency program designed to help adolescents develop positive behaviors through recovery-oriented groups, education, activity therapies, 12-step self-help groups, parent education and weekly aftercare.
  • Clinical Research for Teen Mental Health
    Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital conducts clinical research for teen mental health issues, including depression and bipolar disorder.

For More Information
To learn more about Sharp's mental health services or to find a Sharp-affiliated doctor, search for a San Diego psychiatrist or call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm. To find general information about mental health, visit Mental Health Disorders in Adult Health or read the Mental Health News archive.

To contact Sharp Mesa Vista directly, please call 858-694-8434 or 1-800-696-6899.

Last Updated: November 25, 2009