Child Guidance Center

At Child Guidance Center, we empower children and their families to achieve health and wellness through dedicated mental health care.

Founded in 1967 by a group of concerned parents and mental health professionals, Child Guidance Center (CGC) was created to provide children and families in crisis with early-intervention professional mental and behavioral health treatment services. Today CGC is rated as one of the top 40 nonprofits in Orange County with a team of 120+ licensed mental health clinicians; including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and marriage and family therapists, serving the mental health needs of nearly 5,000 children, families and Veterans at our clinic locations across Orange County. A majority of our young clients have experienced significant trauma and are struggling with severe depression, anxiety, and/or self-harm behaviors and thoughts. We are also a leading training facility, partnering with dozens of high-education partners to build the next generation of mental health professionals.

Over the past five years, CGC has increased access to in-person and telehealth services for children (ages 0-21 yrs.) and families in response to the growing mental health crisis impacting our youth. We expanded our mental health clinic locations with our fifth location that opened in Anaheim in the Spring of 2023 and moving our largest clinic in Santa Ana to a larger location that is more convenient to our families. CCG is also a leading provider of mental health treatment, and services for veteran and military-connected families, working closely with the courts as an intervention opportunity. We have expanded our mental health training services, offering a catalog of on-line trainings for mental health professionals and families. Thanks to our generous supporters, CGC is able to offer no-cost treatment and support for all eligible families. A majority of our clinical staff are bi-lingual and bi-cultural (representing a variety of languages, cultures, and backgrounds.) 90% of our families are satisfied or more than satisfied with our services, with 80% of clients showing improvement in symptoms.

We know that early-intervention mental health treatment is essential to the health and prosperity of our community. With clients as young as 5 years old and a steep escalation in the number of severe depression and suicidal ideation among youth as young as ten years of age, we must expand access to the mental health services our youth need.

• Unrestricted Funding/General Operating Support: We run our nonprofit with the highest efficiency and financial transparency. Unfortunately, many of our funding sources have not kept pace with rising costs of care. These costs are essential for our mission to prosper, and to grow our capacity to hire, train, and retain the very best professional mental health clinicians, increase outreach to the community, and improve all aspects of critical agency operations.
• Funding for Programs: The demand for our services continues to exceed our capacity to serve. CGC clinicians are noting a shocking increase in social anxiety, depression, grief and loss, anger or destructive behaviors, eating disorders, and other self-harm behaviors. Funding for programs would allow us to recruit and retain clinicians and meet the growing mental health needs of our children, families and Veterans.
• Volunteer Auxiliary Council: Compassionate volunteers are essential to our mission. CGC's Guild supports CGC's community outreach and fundraising events by sharing what we do with their circles of influence. This is a wonderful opportunity for those who are passionate about children's mental health and would like to serve as an advocate for our mission.
• Board of Directors Expansion Development: We are always seeking to expand our board of directors to mirror our expansion in programs and the communities we serve.
• Pro Bono services in the areas of communications, marketing, legal and digital media are always welcomed!

Orange County, California

"At Child Guidance Center, we are dedicated to understanding and responding to the mental health concerns in Orange County youth and committed to building emotionally healthy lives for children, teens, and their families. Our vision is for all children to have the opportunity to reach their potential with the nurturing support of their family, and grow into responsible, caring, and contributing adults. Our goal is to make a measurable, positive difference in the lives of as many at-risk, economically disadvantaged, under-served children and families as possible. Through family-friendly, easily accessible mental health and behavioral health services, we offer innovative and evidence-based treatment programs that improve the health and wellbeing of children and families."  Lori Pack, LCSW - CEO

"As a Veteran, and a mom, it is my honor to serve such a thriving non-profit organization with such an important mission. Mental illness impacts us all: personally, across our families, and/ or with friends or co-workers. No one is immune from challenges to their emotional health. We all face difficult moments in our lives... professional and compassionate services can provide hope and healing.

Child Guidance Center is transforming and saving lives by providing the very best mental and behavioral health services available anywhere in the country!" Addie Zinone - Board Parliamentarian