01 · The house
A Real Home With Staff Awake 24/7
A real house built for this work, with staff awake around the clock and rooms that feel like a home instead of a lobby.
Ages 12-17 · CaliforniaTeen residential treatment · Ages 12-17 · Southern California
Family Owned Residential Treatment For Your Teen
When your teen is struggling, choosing residential treatment can be one of the hardest decisions a family makes. We created our home to make that decision a little easier—a warm, intimate environment where your child is known by name, cared for like family, and supported around the clock.
- Family-Owned
- 24/7 Care
- Evidence-based care
- Insurance Accepted
About us
Teen Residential Treatment That Feels Like A Home
When life at home becomes overwhelming and your teen needs a higher level of support, residential treatment can provide the safety, structure, and connection they need to begin healing. Our program was intentionally created to feel different from a traditional treatment setting—a home away from home where teens ages 12–17 are known personally, cared for deeply, and given the space to heal, grow, and rediscover themselves.
As a family-owned treatment center, this work is deeply personal to us. Anthony Fletcher founded the program from his own experiences as an adolescent, with the belief that exceptional clinical care should always be delivered with compassion, authenticity, and heart. Family involvement remains at the center of everything we do, because lasting healing is about more than treating a teen—it's about strengthening relationships, rebuilding connection, and helping the entire family move forward together.
- Family-owned
- Boutique residential care
- Ages
- 12-17
- Home
- Southern California
- Quality
- Joint Commission accredited
Client stories
What Parents Say About Us
4.8
Excellent · 95 Google reviews
- TheMirroredGirl
Parent · Google
“Saying that Hillside Horizon was an amazing experience was an understatement. I’d rate them a million stars if I could.”
- Michelle Williams
Parent · Google
“Words cannot describe my heartfelt appreciation to all Hillside staff, especially Team Richard.”
- Tiffany Bolyard
Parent · Google
“A parent’s nightmare is watching their teen struggle and feeling like there was nowhere to go for help. Hillside Horizon came through.”
What we treat
Conditions We Treat, And What Treatment Looks Like
We treat the conditions that stop responding to an hour of therapy a week: anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, ADHD, bipolar and mood disorders, self-harm, and insomnia. Most teens arrive with more than one of these, sometimes with substance use alongside. We treat them together instead of one label at a time.
Anxiety
Panic attacks, social fear, and a constant scan for danger. We teach skills that hold up at school and at home, not just inside a therapy room.
- Panic & social fear
- Somatic regulation
- CBT skills
What treatment looks like
- Daily CBT to name the thought, test it, and choose a next step that is small enough to try.
- Breath, grounding, and exposure work so the body learns it can come down from a spike.
- Family coaching so home stops accidentally feeding the loop: reassurance, avoidance, late nights.
In sessions
Individual CBT, group skills, and short, repeated exposures. We practice the hard minute until it is no longer a cliff.
With family
Parents learn what to say instead of “you’ll be fine,” and how to stop rearranging the house around the fear.
02 · The kitchen
Family-Style Meals In A Shared Kitchen
Family-style cooking and shared dinners. Structure lives in ordinary hours: breakfast, homework, evening, lights out.
03 · The rooms
Bedrooms Built For Actual Sleep
Simple bedrooms with light, a desk, and a door that closes. Rest is part of treatment, not an afterthought.
04 · Outside
A Terrace And Yard For Time Outside
A terrace and hillside yard for movement, conversation, and a horizon you can actually walk toward.
05 · The work
Private Rooms For Therapy Sessions
Private sitting rooms for individual, group, and family sessions, close to the life of the house, never on display.
What to expect
What 60 To 90 Days Of Treatment Looks Like
Most stays run 60 to 90 days. We discharge on progress rather than a date, and the treatment plan gets rewritten at each stage as skills start holding and the family is ready to take the work home.
01
Weeks 1-2
Stabilize
- Safety and a daily rhythm first. No rigid expectations
- Full assessment: psychiatric, trauma, neuro, family
- Trust with a primary therapist
- Treatment plan + first family session by week two
02
Weeks 3-6
Treat
- Daily individual, group, and experiential therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy, cognitive behavioral work, and somatic sessions
- School resumes with the home district
- Family therapy for teens, twice a week
03
Weeks 7-10
Integrate
- Skills used in real situations, not a worksheet left in the folder
- Therapeutic home visits, when ready
- Siblings join family work when it helps
- Discharge planning starts here
04
Weeks 11-14+
Go Home
- An individualized aftercare plan. Always.
- Step-down to teen outpatient treatment or teen virtual IOP
- Clinical summary for the next team
- Alumni check-ins at 30, 60, and 90 days
Modalities
The Therapies We Use
A clinical week here includes DBT, CBT, family therapy, group, and experiential work, plus medication management when your teen needs it. We choose the few methods that fit rather than listing every one we know.
Clinical work
Structured, skills-focused sessions that help teens identify and reframe the thought patterns driving anxiety, depression, and self-destructive behavior.
A full skills curriculum of mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, completed during the stay.
- EMDR
EMDR For Teens
Every treatment plan accounts for trauma from the start. When trauma is the main issue, EMDR becomes the primary therapy rather than an add-on.
Breathwork, mindful movement, and somatic work so the nervous system can come down. Trauma lives in the body, not in language alone.
Life of the house
We treat the home, not just the teen: communication, attachment, and the patterns that keep repeating.
Art, equine, surf, and group challenges that build trust and expression when talk runs out.
- GRP
Group Therapy & Peers
Daily peer groups so teens learn they are not alone, practice vulnerability, and build real social skill.
- SCH
Academic Support
Accredited on-site instruction aligned to the home school. A semester of healing is not a year lost.
Safety & comfort
What Parents Can Expect
The honest version of what a stay is like for your teen, and what these months are like for you at home.
Typical stay
30-90
days · based on progress, not a set date
Most teens finish in one to three months. Some stay up to six. We do not pick a discharge date before the work is ready.
Week two
You Will Hear From Us
Calls with your teen begin in week two, as clinically appropriate. Weekly written updates. A care coordinator you can reach anytime.
Not optional
You Are Part Of The Treatment
Bi-weekly family therapy, parent coaching, and a workshop before discharge. We do not ask you to hand your teen over and wait.
What healing actually looks like
Progress Is Not A Straight Line
Highs and lows, especially in the first 30 days. Resistance, breakthroughs, and regressions coexist. We stay with you through every phase.
The first month is the hardest
Daily experience
A Typical Day, Hour By Hour
Daily life here is meant to feel ordinary: school in the morning, individual and group therapy after lunch, and a call home in the evening.
Morning
07:00-12:00
- Wellness07:00
- Breakfast08:00
- School09:00
Afternoon
11:00-16:00
- Individual therapy11:00
- Group14:00
- Recreation16:00
Evening
18:00-21:30
- Family call18:00
- Wind down19:00
- Lights out21:30
Our process
How Admission Works, Step By Step
Aaron Earnest and the admissions team will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit. We verify most major insurance before anyone is asked to commit, and if we cannot keep your teen safe here, we say so and help you find a program that can.
01
Initial Call
A real person answers. We listen, answer hard questions, and help you decide if residential care is the right next step.
02
Verify Benefits
If you are using insurance, we collect your plan details and confirm what it covers, so you know the cost before you decide.
03
Assessment
Our clinical team reviews history, safety, and fit. We are honest when we are not the right program.
04
Admittance
Once approved, we set a date, send a welcome packet, and walk you through packing, travel, and the first 48 hours.
Coverage
We Work With Most Major Insurance
Verification happens before you commit. Call and we will look at your benefits with you.
- Aetna
- GEHA
- Carelon
- Anthem
- Cigna
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
Meet the team
The People Treating Your Teen
Anthony Fletcher, Stacia Ponce-Rodriguez, and Aaron Earnest are here daily, not names on a website. We stay small enough that you talk to the people actually treating your teen.
Anthony Fletcher
CEO & Founder
Stacia Ponce-Rodriguez
Clinical Director
Jessica Flores
Director of Outreach
Aaron Earnest
Admissions Manager
FAQ
Questions Parents Ask Before Calling
Practical things parents ask before the first drive. If yours is not here, call. A person will pick up.
What is teen residential treatment?
It is a live-in level of care with 24/7 staff, daily therapy sessions, and a structured daily life. At Hillside Horizon that happens in gender-specific houses in Canyon Lake for ages 12-17, with on-site school, not a locked ward.
When is residential treatment needed?
When weekly therapy or outpatient care has not produced a lasting change, or when safety at home is the question. Crisis intervention and intensive care belong in a house with trained staff, not in a bedroom at 2 a.m.
How long does residential treatment last?
Most stays land between 60 and 90 days, though some finish closer to 30 and a few need longer. We discharge on progress and do not pick a date before the work is ready.
What are payment options?
Families use in-network benefits, out-of-network reimbursement, or self-pay. We verify most major insurance before anyone is asked to commit, and coverage varies by plan.
What should we pack?
Comfortable clothing, personal hygiene products, prescribed medications in their original packaging, and essential documents like ID and insurance information. A small amount of spending money and a journal are welcome, and a detailed packing list is provided upon admission.
What can we not bring?
For the safety of everyone in the house, leave behind drugs, alcohol, weapons, and anything that would disrupt treatment. Electronics, including laptops and certain personal devices, may be restricted, and a complete list of prohibited items is sent before admission.
Can I come with my teen to intake?
Yes, parents or legal guardians are encouraged to be present at intake to share history and support the first hours. After that, we talk through the best way for you to stay involved, because family work is part of the plan.
Can I tour the facility?
Yes, we schedule tours so families can feel the house and the approach. Contact admissions to set a time. For privacy, some areas may be limited during a visit.
How often can I call my teen during their stay?
Connection with home matters. The exact schedule follows the teen's plan, and we set consistent call times so you stay close to their progress without flooding the day.
Do you offer family therapy on Zoom?
Yes. Family sessions happen in person or over secure video, so distance and work schedules do not keep you out of them. Family involvement is required here, not an add-on.
Are there family weekends or on-site visits?
Yes. Beyond weekly therapy we schedule family visits and participation days, so you can practice being a family again with clinical staff in the room.
Contact
Hillside Horizon for Teens
Call us if your teen needs more care than an outpatient schedule can give. Our program in Canyon Lake combines daily therapy, accredited on-site school, and weekly family sessions.
Don’t wait. Call (855) 746-8378 or send the form. A confidential conversation is enough to begin.
Contact us