About this Facility
Surrounded by mountains, oak groves, and horse ranches, Phoenix House Academy of San Diego, founded in 1987, provides residential substance abuse and mental health treatment for teens ages 12 to 17. Residents attend a fully-accredited high school while receiving individual, group, and family therapy. Teens at the Academy also benefit from cultural and recreational activities, as well as referrals to community partners who offer career development and health care. Family members participate throughout the course of the program, working towards creating a home environment that will support teens in their recovery.
The Phoenix House Academy residential treatment model for adolescents, which offers a strength-based, family-centered treatment continuum for teens with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health problems, has been designated as an evidence-based practice by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP, 2008) as well as a model program by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP, 2006).
Payment options include the following health insurance plans: Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, APS Healthcare, Cigna, Health Net, Kaiser-Permanente, LifeSynch/Humana, MHN, Value Options, United Behavioral Health and Partners: U.S. Behavioral Health Plan, Travelers Insurance, MetraHealth Insurance, Metropolitan Life Insurance, Pacificare, United Health & Life Insurance. All major credit cards are accepted. Government assistance is offered to those who qualify (with a sliding scale for co-payments. Phoenix House Academy of San Diego is funded in part by the County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Department, Alcohol and Drug Services.
Core Services
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Assessment and Evaluation Services
In various locations, Phoenix House provides independent assessments and evaluations of substance use disorders as requested by individuals, families, schools and the Criminal Justice System. See more details
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Adolescent Residential Services
The Phoenix House Academies for Youth offer intensive substance abuse and mental health services with high school academic programs in CARF-accredited facilities. See more details
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Mental Health Services
Substance abuse and addiction often go hand-in-hand with mental health issues, and Phoenix House offers treatment programs designed specifically to meet this need. See more details
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Screening and Brief Interventions
As Phoenix House has always been fully committed to prevention and early intervention, it’s natural that we offer Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral Treatment as developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). See more details
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Prevention and Education Services
Phoenix House’s prevention and education services highlight the dangers of drug use, reinforce self-esteem, and educate youth and adults to make positive choices. See more details
See All Services
- Military Community Services
- Assessment and Evaluation Services
- Adolescent Residential Services
- Mental Health Services
- Screening and Brief Interventions
- Prevention and Education Services
- Adolescent Outpatient Services
- Sober Living and Recovery Support
- Mother and Child Residential Services
- Adult Outpatient Services
- Adult Residential Services
- Adult Detoxification and Stabilization
Additional Services
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High School
San Diego County Office of Education maintains a fully accredited high school on site and offers academic tutoring for those who are unable to attend school on a daily basis. In an effort to create educational continuity, all students are instructed through self-paced educational materials.
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Family Services
We offer counseling, parenting education, and enrichment activities for families of youth in treatment.
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Medical and Nursing Services
Health, medical and dental services are provided by staff nurses, consulting physicians, psychologists and dentists, and through partnerships with community clinics and medical centers.
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Recreation and Fitness Program
We help teens assess their fitness level and set personal fitness goals. Three times a week, they participate in outdoor activities including hiking, swimming, sports, and recreational outings.
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Equestrian Program
Through collaboration with a local stable, our residents have access to horseback riding and care, including horse grooming and riding lessons, with a therapeutic purpose and design.
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Speakers Bureau
Young residents enrolled in treatment participate in community outreach activities, appearing as speakers at sessions, classes, and panels held in local schools, community centers and other locations, to teach their peers about the dangers and consequences of substance abuse.
Our Team
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Elizabeth Stanley-Salazar
“It is an honor to lead a diverse, innovative team of professionals who support youth and families in the pursuit of health and recovery.”
Vice President & Director of Clinical Services, Phoenix Houses of CaliforniaContact me -

Elizabeth Urquhart
"I am amazed every day at the changes teens and their families are able to make as they progress in our treatment programs - this is why I love coming to work at Phoenix House."
Director, Phoenix House San DiegoContact me
