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Child and Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs)

As a parent, seeing your child or adolescent struggle with mental health issues like ADHD, anxiety, and depression can be one of the toughest things to witness. If you're worried about your child or adolescent, our Embark Jump-Start Kids program is here to help. We designed our child and adolescent intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) to provide kids with personalized mental health care and support in a safe and nurturing environment.

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At our IOP, children and adolescents ages 10-12 find a supportive environment to address their mental health needs. We offer frequent treatment sessions on weekdays, providing individual therapy, group therapy, and family sessions.

  • Average length of treatment: 16 weeks.
  • Age range served: children and adolescents ages 10-12.
  • Treated: mental health challenges.
  • Time of day: typically in the evening.
  • Weekly commitment: twelve hours per week, four days a week.

Our child and adolescent IOPs can meet your family's needs in multiple ways. Here are some benefits of going to an intensive outpatient program at Embark:

  • Offers a flexible schedule for children and adolescents.
  • Allows young people to maintain their daily schedules and continue to attend school.
  • Allows kids to live at home while receiving participating in an IOP.

We provide specialized treatment for a wide range of childhood and adolescent behavioral health conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, anxiety, and various mental health challenges.

Conditions our child and adolescent intensive outpatient programs can treat:

Bouncing dot graphics for Embark Jump Start Kids and IOP for children and adolescents.
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Child and Adolescent IOP

With IOP programs available in convenient locations, we ensure easy access for families and their children or adolescents. Our IOP for kids in Newport Beach, California is now open and accepting clients!

Meet Our Clinical Advisor!

Aleshea.Jones

Aleshea Renee Jones, LPCC, LMFT

Clinical Director

Aleshea Jones, LMFT and LPCC joined Embark Behavioral Health in 2023 as Lead Therapist at Newport Beach Clinic.

Virtual IOPs

Looking for online therapy, or treatment for adolescents, teens, and young adults ages 12-28? Take a look at our accessible virtual IOP, which provides healing, and flexible online treatment in multiple states across the country.

Therapeutic Day Treatment Programs

If you're looking for outpatient treatment options that provide a higher level of care, and are available to more adolescents, teens, and young adults, or you're looking for locations in another state, check out our therapeutic day treatment programs.

Our Therapists and Psychiatrists

Our team comprises experienced and compassionate therapists, psychiatrists, and mental health specialists who are experts in child behavioral health and evidence-based therapies. Each professional is dedicated to providing personalized care and collaborates with our multidisciplinary team to create comprehensive treatment plans.

Ruben Rodriguez
Kathy.Thirtle

Kathaleena "Kathy" Aleta Thirtle, LMFT, ATR-BC

Lead Therapist, Registered & Board-Certified Art Therapist
Sophia Hutton
Amanda Marchak
Liz Headshot
Child in play therapy session in IOP for adolescents and kids.

Adolescent, Child, and Parent IOP Services

Our child and adolescent IOPs provide a range of services to support the mental health of kids. We offer therapy, psychiatry, and medication management as needed. Our evidence-based treatment options heal mental health conditions, such as ADHD, anxiety, and depression, and can help your child, adolescent, and family create a life filled with joy.

Therapy

Therapy is a fundamental aspect of our child and adolescent intensive outpatient program. Individual, group, and family therapy sessions are provided to address mental health concerns using evidence-based approaches. These sessions aid in developing coping skills and promoting emotional well-being in youth, fostering a supportive and nurturing environment.

Psychiatry and Medication Management

Our child and adolescent IOPs include comprehensive psychiatry services for kids who may benefit from medication. Our expert psychiatrists assess children's and adolescent mental health and prescribe appropriate medications, working closely with our therapists to ensure coordinated care and the safety of your child.

Treatment Settings

Our child and adolescent IOPs offer various treatment settings tailored to meet the unique needs of youths. We provide therapy in both individual and group settings and offer family and multifamily therapy sessions.

Individual Child and Adolescent Therapy

In individual therapy sessions, our experienced therapists use evidence-based approaches like attachment-based family therapy, to address specific concerns and goals. Children and adolescents receive personalized attention, support, and guidance to develop coping skills and improve emotional well-being.

Group Child and Adolescent Therapy

In child and adolescent group therapy, we provide therapy sessions that offer kids a supportive and interactive environment. Through peer support and learning from experiences, youth can benefit from enhanced socialization and communication skills. Our therapists facilitate engaging activities and discussions in group therapy, allowing children to build connections and develop new coping strategies.

Family and Multifamily Therapy

We understand the importance of involving the entire family in the treatment process. Our family and multifamily therapy sessions aim to improve communication and strengthen relationships within the family. Through these sessions, families learn effective strategies to support their child or adolescent’s mental health, creating a safe space to address concerns and find solutions.

Therapist in child and adolescent intensive outpatient program (IOP) works with kid and mother to heal mental health challenges.

Healing Therapies for Children

Our child-intensive outpatient program offers healing therapies tailored to meet the unique needs of each child or adolescent.

Attachment-Based Family Therapy

Attachment-based family therapy promotes healthy bonding between children, adolescents, and caregivers through therapeutic activities that enhance trust, empathy, and emotional connection. Individualized treatment plans address specific attachment issues, while multidisciplinary teams collaborate to provide comprehensive support for kids.

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP)

Dyadic developmental psychotherapy (DDP) is a specialized approach that focuses on healing attachment wounds and promoting secure relationships between children, adolescents, and their caregivers. Through this therapy, kids learn to trust and form healthy attachments while caregivers receive guidance and support in providing a nurturing and responsive environment.

Synergetic Play Therapy

In our child and adolescent IOPs, we incorporate the use of synergetic play therapy to engage kids in a safe and nurturing environment. Play therapy allows youth to express themselves, explore their emotions, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Our trained therapists guide children through various activities that promote self-expression, creativity, and problem-solving skills through this approach.

Experiential Therapy

Experiential therapy is a hands-on approach in our IOP to help children and adolescents explore and process their emotions. Through activities such as art, music, and movement, kids are encouraged to tap into their creativity and express themselves in a nonverbally. 

FAQ About Our Kids IOP

An Embark Jump Start Kids IOP requires a minimum commitment of nine hours per week (three days a week).

Inpatient and outpatient treatment programs can help children and adolescents heal from challenges like anxiety, depression, and ADHD. In an inpatient treatment program, your youth will live at a treatment facility and receive therapy while there. In an intensive outpatient program, they’ll live at home and visit an outpatient center for care. Our child IOPs provide a "step down" level of treatment for children and adolescents discharged from inpatient or acute partial hospitalization settings, or a "step up" level of treatment when traditional outpatient services are not effectively meeting the needs of the young person.

Intensive outpatient treatment allows your child or adolescent to participate in a comprehensive healing experience while also maintaining their school and work schedules and living at home, surrounded by family and close to friends. At Embark Behavioral Health, our IOP for kids offers family, group, and individual therapy.

Interested in Learning More About IOPs for Children and Adolescents?

The best way to determine which type of therapy or treatment is right for your child or adolescent is to speak with our mental health team.

If you think one of Embark's intensive outpatient programs may be right for your child, contact us today to start healing.

Girls in adolescent and child IOP work with therapist on mental health challenges.