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Your Trusted Partner for Teen Mental Health Treatment in Fresno
Ascend Behavioral Health was founded with a mission to alleviate the suffering of children and teens in California's Central Valley through high-quality, affordable mental health care. As a locally owned and operated company, we are deeply committed to our community and driven by a team of experienced professionals with decades of combined expertise in adolescent mental health. Our programs are rooted in evidence-based practices, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and trauma-informed care, tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual. We specialize in treating anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, eating disorders, and substance abuse, offering a full continuum of care from residential treatment to outpatient services.Our clinicians, including board-certified child psychologists and psychiatric specialists, prioritize personalized treatment plans that address both symptoms and root causes. With locations in Fresno, Visalia, and Bakersfield, we serve teens across Central California, providing structured academic support, family therapy, and crisis stabilization. Our Joint Commission accreditation and state certification reflect our unwavering commitment to safety, quality, and ethical standards. We believe in empowering teens to build resilience, develop emotional regulation skills, and achieve long-term wellness through compassionate, age-appropriate care.
Services
Residential Treatment
Partial Hospitalization Program
Intensive Outpatient Program
Outpatient Psychiatry
Substance Abuse Rehab
Family Therapy
Group Therapy
Medication Management
Academic Support
Crisis Stabilization
Highlights and features
- We offer evidence-based treatment programs developed by board-certified child psychologists
- Our team provides personalized care plans tailored to each teen's unique needs
- We maintain Joint Commission accreditation for quality and safety standards
- Our continuum of care includes residential, PHP, IOP, and outpatient services
- We integrate family therapy and academic support into all treatment programs
Associations and certifications
- Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
- California State Department of Health Care Services
Services
Residential Treatment
Our residential program provides 24/7 mental health support for teens requiring intensive care. This immersive treatment includes individual therapy, group sessions, medication management, and structured daily routines to stabilize severe conditions like depression, anxiety, and trauma. Located in Fresno, Visalia, and Bakersfield, our facilities offer safe environments for adolescents to focus on recovery while receiving academic support and family therapy.
Partial Hospitalization Program
PHP offers structured daytime mental health treatment without overnight stays. Teens attend five-day-a-week programming featuring individual therapy, group sessions, academic assistance, and psychiatric care. This intensive level of care suits adolescents transitioning from residential treatment or needing more support than outpatient services, allowing them to return home evenings while maintaining therapeutic progress and family connections.
Intensive Outpatient Program
IOP provides structured mental health treatment three to four days weekly while teens maintain school and home routines. Our age-specific programs for 9-12 and 13-17 year olds include group therapy, individual sessions, family counseling, and experiential therapies. This level of care supports adolescents stepping down from higher intensity programs while building coping skills and emotional resilience through peer support and evidence-based interventions.
Substance Abuse Rehab
Our teen substance abuse program addresses both addiction and underlying mental health conditions through cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and family therapy. Treatment includes relapse prevention education, peer support groups, and holistic therapies like art and mindfulness. We specialize in helping adolescents overcome challenges with alcohol, marijuana, and other substances while developing healthy coping mechanisms and rebuilding family relationships.
Outpatient Psychiatry
Our psychiatric services provide comprehensive medication evaluation and management for teens with mental health conditions. Board-certified providers conduct initial assessments, develop personalized treatment plans, and offer ongoing medication monitoring. This service integrates with therapy programs to ensure holistic care for conditions like anxiety, depression, ADHD, and bipolar disorder, supporting teens' mental wellness while maintaining their daily routines.
People
Matthew Tatum
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Tatum holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Rosemead School of Psychology. He previously expanded First Steps Recovery into a comprehensive treatment center before joining Ascend. With expertise in behavioral health system development, he leads our mission to provide accessible mental health care across Central California.
Jason Christopherson
Vice President of Pediatric Clinical Services
Dr. Christopherson is the only Board Certified Child/Adolescent Clinical Psychologist in Central California. With over a decade of experience, he specializes in neuropsychological assessments and evidence-based treatments for children and teens, overseeing clinical operations across our treatment programs.
Stephanie Patrick
Director of Psychiatric Services
Stephanie Patrick-Calvillo is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with extensive experience treating patients across the lifespan. She leads our psychiatric team in developing comprehensive medication management strategies and personalized care plans for adolescents with complex mental health needs.
Alicia Alva
Chief Operating Officer
Alicia holds a Masters in Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy. With executive leadership experience in day treatment and crisis response programs, she oversees operational excellence across our facilities, ensuring high-quality service delivery and strategic growth of mental health programs.
Amanda Frantz
Director of Outpatient Programs
Amanda Frantz brings a Masters in Social Work and specialized experience in adolescent substance abuse treatment. She oversees our outpatient services, focusing on accessible care models that integrate family support systems and community resources for sustained recovery.
Questions
What mental health conditions do you treat for teens in California?
We treat anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD, eating disorders, insomnia, schizophrenia, and substance abuse in teens aged 9-17 across Central California.
When should I consider mental health treatment for my teen?
Seek help if your teen shows withdrawal, emotional distress, academic decline, sleep pattern changes, self-harm thoughts, or struggles with daily routines despite home support.
What levels of care do you offer for teen mental health?
We provide residential treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), and outpatient programs tailored to each teen's needs and severity of symptoms.
Do you serve areas outside Fresno?
Yes, we treat teens from Clovis, Madera, Selma, Tulare, Lemoore, and surrounding Central California communities through our Fresno, Visalia, and Bakersfield locations.
How does teen therapy benefit adolescents?
Our age-specific therapy addresses identity issues, peer relationships, and school stress using evidence-based approaches like CBT and DBT tailored for adolescent development.
How can families support teens during treatment?
We include family therapy, education sessions, and regular progress updates to help parents understand their teen's challenges and develop supportive strategies for home environments.
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