Child Guidance Center

Mental & Behavioral Health Treatment Services for Youth (Ages 0-21) and Families

CGC provides comprehensive mental health treatment services for children, youth, and families. Services are provided at our four outpatient clinic locations, telehealth, schools, and in-home when needed. We address self-harm behaviors, family struggles, sibling rivalry, transitions, trauma, loss, grief, and more. Services include weekly individual, family & group therapy, psychological assessment, medication management, parenting workshops, community outreach and education, and training for mental health professionals and community leaders. Our clinicians are trained in trauma-informed care, and evidence-based therapies which include: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ("talk" therapy), Play Therapy, Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT); Trauma- Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT); Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and other effective modalities. Services are offered in-clinic and via telehealth. Referrals to our services come from a variety of sources including pediatricians, schools, the foster and adoption systems, juvenile justice, emergency rooms, and self-referrals. At this time (June 2022) a majority of referrals are coming from emergency rooms. Our youth are struggling with significant mental health challenges, made more acute due to the lasting personal, social, and economic losses brought on by the COVID pandemic. In addition, CGC is funded through the State of California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), CGC is funded to provide comprehensive mental health services for child (0-18yrs) victims of crime - including abuse, community crime, hate crimes, and child victims of human trafficking. CGC's AT Program Team is highly trained to manage and support the mental health needs of this extremely vulnerable population. Services include evidence-based therapies including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Health Therapy (TFCBT). The team communicates and coordinates care with other involved entities including the police, the court system, and other child protection agencies.

Strong Families, Strong Children Program for Veteran & Military Connected Families

Founded in 2015, CGC's Strong Families, Strong Children (SFSC) program for veteran and military-connected families was created to address the lack of mental health and other basic need services for veteran and military-connected families in Orange County. The mission of SFSC is to improve the health and well-being of veterans, military families, and children throughout Orange County by engaging the community, building resiliency and creating safer more stable home environments. SFSC has helped ease family stress and challenges due to deployment, transitions from active duty to civilian life, as well as chronic struggles as a result of service to our country. SFSC offers clients access to a multitude of critical services through a unique multi-partner collaborative program model. Child Guidance serves as the lead and fiscal agency of the program, providing extensive case-managed care and professional mental health services for the entire family. Enrolled families also have access to permanent housing solutions through Families Forward, domestic violence prevention and protection through Human Options, and pro-bono legal assistance from Veterans Legal Institute. Additional basic need supports are also provided. All services are offered at no cost to eligible families. Another unique aspect of the SFSC program is the use of highly trained Peer Navigators who themselves are combat veterans, or have lived military-life experiences. The Peer Navigator serves as an advocate for the family, transitioning veteran, and/or military spouse and children. In addition, SFSC has trained other service providers, including Family Resource Centers across Orange County, to better identify, engage, and support the basic wellbeing needs of veteran and military families in the community. Strong Families, Strong Children has received numerous accolades for its innovative and effective model from the Orange County Health Care Agency, Orange County Community Foundation, as well as local veteran service and membership clubs.