FAQs

If you’re considering the treatment options at Ascend, you must have a ton of questions about what you and your child can expect. We’ll do our best to answer all your mental health FAQs here.

What ages and populations does Ascend serve?

Ascend Healthcare serves adolescents ages 12–17 who are struggling with mental health disorders, trauma, neurodiversity, substance use, or other emotional and behavioral challenges.

What levels of care do you offer?

We offer a continuum of care that allows clients and families to transition smoothly between levels of support as progress is made:

Residential Treatment (RTC): 24/7 therapeutic care in small, home-like settings
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP): Full-day, structured programming (Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.)
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): After-school program (3 days per week, 4 p.m.–7 p.m.)
Virtual IOP: A fully online IOP for California-based teens, designed for accessibility and continuity
Outpatient Therapy: Ongoing individual, family, and group therapy for teens and families through our Culver City and Agoura Hills centers

This full spectrum of care ensures clinical consistency and supports families through every phase of healing.

What is eco-psychology, and how does it fit into treatment?

Eco-psychology, or nature-based therapy, integrates the restorative power of the natural world into mental health care. At Ascend, this includes horticulture, hiking, farm and animal-assisted therapy, outdoor mindfulness, and experiential eco-learning. These activities encourage regulation, mindfulness, and connection—helping teens rediscover balance and resilience.

What is Ascend’s overall philosophy and therapeutic culture?

At Ascend, we believe meaningful change happens through connection, structure, and individualized care. Our treatment model combines diagnostic-specific programming, nature-based (eco) therapies, and a continuum of care that supports families from residential treatment through outpatient and virtual services.

We use innovative clinical systems to ensure each client receives evidence-based, measurable, and integrative care that aligns with their unique diagnosis and goals. Every element of treatment—from therapy to school to experiential programming—is intentionally designed to build insight, accountability, and lasting emotional regulation.

You can learn more about our mission, values, and approach on our About Us page

What if my child needs a specialized track (e.g. LGBTQ+, autism, eating disorder, trauma, OCD)?

Every child deserves care that honors their individuality. At Ascend, specialized diagnostic and identity-affirming tracks allow us to group clients with peers who share similar struggles and experiences—fostering belonging, understanding, and safety.

Each track is supported by staff and clinicians trained in the core issues relevant to that population, such as social communication, sensory regulation, identity formation, body image, or compulsive behaviors.
These tracks ensure that treatment is clinically precise, culturally competent, and emotionally attuned, helping adolescents feel truly seen and understood.

How do you integrate academic and school support?

Academic functioning is a vital indicator of emotional wellness. Ascend offers daily, structured school programming five days per week within both our Residential and PHP levels of care.
Our academic program focuses on:

Keeping students current with coursework while they work toward stability
Offering individualized academic support, tutoring, and credit recovery
Collaborating with home schools to maintain or reinstate educational progress
Helping students rebuild executive functioning, focus, and confidence

Our education specialists work closely with therapists and families to ensure that the return to school is as seamless as possible.

What is the admissions process like?

Our admissions process is designed to feel thorough, compassionate, and transparent.
When you contact Ascend, an Admissions Specialist will learn about your child’s background and current needs. From there, our clinical team conducts a comprehensive diagnostic review, evaluating previous records, psychological assessments, and treatment history to determine the most appropriate program and level of care.

We’ll discuss treatment recommendations with you, verify insurance coverage, and collaborate to create a plan that feels right for your family.

You can also verify your insurance here.

How long does treatment last?

Length of stay depends on the level of care and individual progress:

RTC: 45–90 days
PHP: 4–8 weeks

IOP / Virtual IOP: 8–12 weeks
Treatment continues as long as it remains clinically indicated and beneficial.

Is family involvement required?

Yes. Family involvement is a cornerstone of our model. We offer:

Weekly individual family therapy
Parent process and skills groups
Multi-family sessions and intensives
Ongoing parent coaching

We believe that healing happens not in isolation, but within the family system—and we equip parents with practical tools for ongoing success.

Do you accept insurance?

We are in-network with many major insurance providers, including Kaiser Permanente, Anthem Blue Cross and most out of state BCBS policies, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Blue Shield of California, MHN/Health Net, ComPsych, and First Health.

We also work with many out-of-network PPO plans. Our team handles verification, utilization review, and authorization to simplify the process for families.

Do you treat co-occurring disorders?

Absolutely. Many adolescents present with both mental health and substance use issues, or overlapping conditions like trauma and OCD. Our multidisciplinary team—composed of therapists, psychiatrists, nurses, teachers, and experiential specialists—collaborates to address all contributing factors simultaneously.

What happens at discharge?

Before discharge, we develop a comprehensive aftercare plan in collaboration with the client, family, and outpatient providers. This includes referrals to community therapists, psychiatrists, or step-down programs, as well as continued family sessions, alumni events, and virtual IOP options for sustained support.

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