01 · The house
A House With Staff On Site 24/7
Staff are in the house 24 hours a day. The rooms are set up like a home, not a hospital ward.
Ages 12-17 · CaliforniaTeen residential treatment · Ages 12-17 · Southern California
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
- CBT and DBT
- Insurance Accepted
About us
Residential Treatment That Feels Like Home
When your teen needs more support, our residential program offers care in a home setting. Teens ages 12–17 receive personal attention and structure from a team that knows them.
Anthony Fletcher founded our family-owned program, drawing on his own experiences as an adolescent. We involve your family throughout treatment to help rebuild connection and strengthen your relationships.
- 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
What Care 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 your teen can use at school and at home.
- 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 can come down from a panic spike.
- Family coaching so reassurance, avoidance, and late nights stop running the house.
In sessions
Individual CBT, group skills, and short, repeated exposures. Your teen practices walking a hallway or making a phone call until panic is more manageable.
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
Our in-house chef cooks lunch and dinner every day, so meals are handled and your teen can show up for school and therapy.
03 · The rooms
Bedrooms Built For Actual Sleep
Simple bedrooms with a window, a desk, and a door they can shut. Sleep is part of treatment here.
04 · Outside
A Terrace And Yard For Time Outside
A terrace and hillside yard for movement and conversation between sessions.
05 · The work
Private Rooms For Therapy Sessions
Private sitting rooms for individual, group, and family sessions. Other teens are not in the room.
What to expect
What 60 To 90 Days Looks Like
Most stays run 60 to 90 days. Some finish closer to 30, and a few need longer. We discharge on progress, and the plan gets rewritten as skills start holding and your family is ready to take the work home.
01
Weeks 1-2
Stabilize
- Safety and a daily rhythm first, without piling on demands
- 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 practiced in real situations, including home visits when they are ready
- Therapeutic home visits, when ready
- Siblings join family work when it helps
- Discharge planning starts here
04
Weeks 11-14+
Go Home
- A written aftercare plan goes home with you
- 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 body-based sessions sit beside talk therapy, because panic and trauma show up in the body as well as in words.
Life of the house
Family therapy works on communication and the patterns that keep repeating at home, with you in the room.
Art, equine, surf, and group challenges that give your teen another way to practice trust when talking is hard.
- GRP
Group Therapy & Peers
Daily peer groups so teens see they are not the only one, and they practice talking with other people their age.
- SCH
Academic Support
Accredited on-site classes aligned to the home school, so a semester here does not have to cost a year.
Safety & comfort
What Parents Can Expect
What a stay is like for your teen, and what these months are like for you at home, including calls, updates, and family therapy.
Typical stay
30-90
days · most stays 60 to 90, by progress
Most stays run 60 to 90 days. Some finish closer to 30, and a few need longer. 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, when the clinical team says it is time. You also get weekly written updates, and a care coordinator you can reach.
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 the first month is like
The First 30 Days Include Setbacks
Resistance and hard days are common at the start. We stay with you through those weeks, and we keep you posted.
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
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, Alejandro Alva, M.D., and Stacia Ponce-Rodriguez 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
Alejandro Alva, M.D.
Medical Director
Stacia Ponce-Rodriguez
Clinical Director
Aaron Earnest
Admissions Manager
FAQ
Questions Before You Call
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 run 60 to 90 days. 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 see the house and how the day runs. 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.
Call (855) 746-8378 or send the form. Admissions will take history, talk through fit, and verify insurance on a confidential call.
Contact us