An adolescent partial hospitalization program is a structured day treatment program that provides intensive mental health support while allowing youth to return home in the evenings. Located in Pasadena, CA, and serving families throughout Los Angeles County and beyond, HillsidesCares offers an adolescent PHP for children and teens ages 6–17 who need more support than traditional outpatient therapy.
Families searching for adolescent PHP often need daily therapeutic structure without 24/7 residential supervision. Our program provides five days per week of clinical care at a safe, campus-based setting in Pasadena.
Quick takeaways
- Five days per week, six hours per day of structured treatment
- Individual, group, and family therapy
- DBT skills and trauma-informed care
- Psychiatry services and medication management
- School coordination and reintegration planning
- Insurance accepted, including Medi-Cal and TriCare
- Serving Pasadena and communities across Los Angeles County
What is an adolescent partial hospitalization program?
An adolescent partial hospitalization program provides intensive daytime treatment for youth experiencing significant emotional or behavioral symptoms. It bridges the gap between weekly outpatient therapy and residential care.
Unlike residential treatment, PHP does not provide overnight supervision. Unlike traditional outpatient services, PHP delivers structured clinical programming several hours per day, five days per week.
Families evaluating PHP length often want clarity around how long their child will attend. Length of participation varies based on symptoms, clinical goals, and progress, and is reviewed regularly by the treatment team.
For parents who are choosing a PHP, understanding the level of supervision, therapy frequency, and family involvement can help determine whether this level of care aligns with their child’s needs.
Each adolescent treatment plan is individualized and reviewed throughout care to ensure progress and appropriate transition planning.
Who PHP is for
A partial hospitalization program may be appropriate when a child or adolescent:
- Is experiencing moderate to severe depression or anxiety
- Struggles with emotional regulation that disrupts school or home life
- Has escalating trauma-related symptoms
- Demonstrates self-harm risk but does not require overnight monitoring
- Has recently stepped down from residential care
- Needs more structure than weekly therapy alone
For many families, an adolescent PHP provides daily accountability while maintaining connection to home and family routines.
We treat:
Clinical depression
Anxiety disorders, including social anxiety
PTSD and childhood trauma
ADHD and executive functioning challenges
Emotional dysregulation
Self-harm risk
Bipolar disorder
Dissociative disorders
Dual diagnosis involving co-occurring mental health and substance use concerns (no detox services)
Teens often need daily reinforcement of coping skills, not just weekly therapy sessions.
This adolescent mental health PHP integrates:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills groups
- Family therapy
- Trauma therapy
- Mindfulness meditation therapy
- Motivational interviewing
- Medication management when clinically indicated
As a trauma-informed organization serving youth ages 6–17, we provide structured support that reflects the developmental needs of both younger children and teens.
What to expect in treatment
Treatment begins with a comprehensive assessment conducted by a multidisciplinary team, including a psychiatrist, mental health clinician, behavioral specialist, and licensed vocational nurse.
Assessment and intake
Clinical history, symptom severity, family dynamics, and treatment goals are evaluated to create an individualized care plan.
Weekly structure
Youth participate in:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- DBT skills training
- Family therapy
- Wellness and mindfulness groups
Ongoing review
Progress is evaluated consistently, and discharge planning begins early. When appropriate, youth may transition into an IOP or, if more structure is needed, into a residential treatment program.
Program schedule and a typical day in PHP
Our adolescent day program mental health Pasadena CA schedule runs:
5 days per week, 6 hours per day
A typical day includes:
Morning check-in and therapeutic group
Goal setting and emotional regulation practice.
Skills-based programming
DBT skills, distress tolerance exercises, communication training, and peer-supported processing.
Individual therapy sessions
Focused work on personal treatment goals.
Lunch and supervised break
Structured social interaction with staff oversight.
Afternoon programming
Trauma-informed interventions, mindfulness practices, expressive activities, and wellness groups.
This structure provides meaningful clinical intensity while allowing youth to return home each evening.
School coordination and education support
Mental health recovery remains the priority. While we do not provide on-site academic instruction, our pediatric partial hospitalization program coordinates closely with families and school districts to support reintegration planning.
If a youth has an IEP or 504 plan, our team collaborates with the school district to ensure continuity and appropriate documentation. Transition planning focuses on readiness, symptom stabilization, and gradual return to academic expectations.
PHP vs. IOP vs. residential treatment
Level of care | Structure | Supervision | Living arrangement |
Residential | 24/7 | Continuous supervision | On-campus |
PHP | 5 days/week, 6 hours/day | Daytime supervision | Home at night |
IOP | Fewer hours per week | Limited supervision | Home |
Youth requiring overnight safety monitoring may benefit from a residential treatment program. Those with improving stability may step down into an IOP after completing PHP.
Choosing between levels of care depends on symptom severity, safety needs, and family capacity for support.
Insurance, cost, and admissions
We accept many major insurance providers, including:
- Anthem Blue Cross
- Blue Shield of California
- Carelon Behavioral Health
- Evernorth Behavioral Health
- Kaiser Permanente
- Magellan
- Optum
- TriCare
- Medi-Cal (for day treatment only)
Our admissions team verifies benefits and guides families through the intake process.
Pasadena location and areas we serve
HillsidesCares
940 Avenue 64
Pasadena, CA 91105
Our Pasadena campus serves families throughout Los Angeles County and beyond. If you are searching for an adolescent PHP near Pasadena, CA, or an adolescent partial hospitalization program in Los Angeles County, our location provides structured day treatment in a therapeutic setting.
We serve youth from Pasadena, Altadena, South Pasadena, Arcadia, San Gabriel, Sierra Madre, La Cañada Flintridge, Glendale, Eagle Rock, and surrounding communities.
Why HillsidesCares for teen PHP in Pasadena?
Families choose our adolescent PHP in Pasadena because:
- We serve children and teens ages 6–17
- We provide structured, campus-based care
- We integrate trauma-informed and evidence-based practices
- We prioritize family involvement and regular communication
- We coordinate closely with schools
- We offer a seamless continuum of care if a higher or lower level of support becomes necessary
When a child needs more than weekly therapy but does not require 24-hour supervision, our adolescent partial hospitalization program in Los Angeles County provides daily therapeutic engagement in a safe, welcoming environment.
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