Cultivating successes and healing hearts
New Alternatives’ educated, trauma-informed, and dedicated staff collaborate with youth and families to increase coping skills and promote independence, resilience, and wellness
New Alternatives is changing lives, one family at a time, by providing a culturally-focused array of social, residential, and mental health services in San Diego and Orange Counties. Our programs and services focus on serving children, youth, young people, and families who have experienced trauma and/or mental illness. We employ passionate, dedicated, educated, and trained RNs, clinicians, and mental health workers to meet the needs of our clients. Our team members are trained in evidence-based and informed practices, harm reduction, culturally-inclusive strategies, and trauma-informed practices that promote positive outcomes.
Transitional Youth Housing Program (TYH)
Supporting: Former San Diego dependent or ward of the Juvenile Court: ages 18-25.
Provides affordable housing and comprehensive supportive services for up to 36 cumulative months to help successful transitions to independent living.
SanDiego@newalternatives.org
Transitional Housing Placement Program for Non-Minor Dependents (THP-NMD)
Supporting: Individuals in Extended Foster Care: ages 18-21, and meet one of the following criteria: Completing secondary education or a program leading to an equivalent credential; Enrolled in an institution that provides post-secondary or vocational education; Participating in a program or activity designed to promote or remove barriers to employment; Employed for at least 80 hours per month; Incapable of doing any of the previously mentioned activities due to a documented medical condition.
Assists youth in becoming better prepared for a successful transition into adulthood. THPP-NMD provides a safety net of support while allowing them to experience independence in a secure and supervised living environment.
SanDiego@newalternatives.org
Housing Programs
Understanding the significance of stable and secure residence, New Alternatives’ Housing Programs support former foster youth in building tangible skills that increase independence, wellness, and maintain relational permanency in San Diego and Orange Counties. Educational and Employment services further support self-sufficiency and success.
Transitional Housing Program Plus (THP+)
Supporting: Former dependent or ward of the Juvenile Court: ages 18-25.
Assists and empowers youth as they transition into adulthood. THP provides safe and affordable housing with comprehensive, individualized, and trauma-informed supportive services. THP supports goal-oriented youth as they attend school, pursue career goals, secure sustainable employment, build on self-sufficiency, and learn to live independently.
SanDiego@newalternatives.org
Tustin Family Campus (TFC)
Supporting: Non-Minor Dependent youth: ages 18-21.
A dorm-style living that provides 24-hour case management services. TFC connects the youth to community resources supporting them in developing independent living skills.
OrangeCounty@newalternatives.org
Remote Site Apartments
Supporting: Non-Minor Dependents: ages 18-21 yrs.
These apartments are centrally located near local colleges and major business areas to increase education and employment opportunities.
OrangeCounty@newalternatives.org
Mental Health Services
New Alternatives is committed and dedicated to providing trauma-informed services that are client-driven, strength-based, and produce successful outcomes for families and youth. Our programs use evidence-based and informed practices, harm reduction, culturally-inclusive strategies, and trauma-informed practices that promote positive outcomes.
Short Term Residential Treatment Programs (STRTP)
Provide integrated programs of specialized and intensive care and supervision, services and supports, specialty mental health services, and 24-hour care and supervision to children and youth.
- Kenora: Provides intensive treatment services to foster, probation youth, and non-minor dependents requiring out-of-home care due to complex trauma, challenging behavioral issues, and mental health needs.
- Supporting: Medi-Cal beneficiaries: ages 12 to 18.
- South Bay: Provides intensive treatment services to foster, probation youth, and non-minor dependents requiring out-of-home care due to complex trauma, challenging behavioral issues, and mental health needs.
- Supporting: Ages 11 to 18.
- Residential@newalternatives.org
- Sibling Assessment Facility (SAF): Provides intensive treatment services to foster youth requiring out-of-home care due to complex trauma, challenging behavioral issues, and mental health needs.
- Supporting: Ages 6 to 13.
- OrangeCounty@newalternatives.org
- Crisis Resolution Facility (CRF): Provides intensive treatment services to foster, probation youth, and non-minor dependents requiring out-of-home care due to complex trauma, challenging behavioral issues, and mental health needs.
- Supporting: Ages 13 to 18.
- OrangeCounty@newalternatives.org
School-Based Services (NCOSBS)
Supporting: Medi-Cal beneficiaries, low income, or no insurance: ages 5 to 21.
Empowers youth and families, increases safety, and prevents mental health crises by providing intensive outpatient programs including rehabilitation services, psychiatric consultation, and medication evaluation.
ncosbs@newalternatives.org
Emergency Screening Unit (ESU)
Supporting: Medi-Cal beneficiaries or no health insurance: ages 0-18.
Provides 24-hour emergency psychiatric services for severely emotionally and behaviorally challenged children and adolescents.
1-888-724-7240
Crisis Action Connection (CAC)
Supporting: Medi-Cal beneficiaries or non-funded (no medical clients): ages 5 to 21 referred from ESU, In-patient psychiatric hospitals and ER departments, P.E.R.T, Hospital Emergency Department, or MCRT with COR approval.
Provides in-home crisis intervention and support to children, youth, and adolescents up to 21 years old with the goal of linking families to personalized resources. CAC is dedicated to helping and empowering families and youth to restore family wellness.
619-591-5740
Comprehensive Assessment and Stabilization Services (CASS)
Supporting: Foster youth Medi-Cal beneficiaries in County-level foster homes: ages 0-21.
Offers short-term individualized treatment services to youth with the goal of supporting them in maintaining their current foster home placement and eliminating placement changes due to behavioral or mental health challenges.
(619) 955-8905
cass-referral@newalternatives.org
Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS)
Supporting: Full-scope Medi-Cal beneficiaries: up to age 21 receiving ongoing mental health services, and meet one or more of the following criteria: Experiencing difficult behaviors which may jeopardize their placement; Currently living in a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program (STRTP); At risk of psychiatric hospitalization, or have been psychiatrically hospitalized within the last 24 months; Transitioning to a lower-level placement; and Previously received TBS services.
Provides intensive, individualized, one-to-one behavioral coaching to children/youth, in their home settings, who are experiencing a current emotional or behavioral challenge or experiencing a stressful life transition.
TBS can help children/youth and parents/caregivers learn skills to increase successful behaviors and learn new ways of reducing challenging behaviors. TBS is not a stand-alone service; it supports an ongoing primary mental health service such as mental health therapy or case management.
tbsinfo@newalternatives.org
Incredible Families
Supporting: Full Scope Medi-Cal beneficiaries: children ages 2-14 who have an open case with CFWB for reunification or family maintenance (including voluntary cases).
Provides referral-based, family-focused, trauma-informed behavioral services for parents and youth on the reunification track with Child Family Well-Being (CFWB) due to a separation resulting from Child Protective Services (CPS).
Our multidisciplinary team uses a strength-based, client-centered, family-focused approach and provides therapeutic support with the goal of supporting reunification for the youth and family. We provide clinic-based, community-based, and home-based services. We serve the entire County and have offices in Chula Vista, Kearny Mesa, and Vista.
ifreferral@newalternatives.org
Polinsky Children's Center-Mental Health Clinic
Supporting: Full scope Medi-Cal beneficiaries, low income or no insurance, ages 5-17.
Offers short-term individual and group mental health, rehabilitation, and psychiatric services in support of youths in transition of placements. The services provided are primarily meant to be a stop-gap so that current services do not lapse and new services can begin and transition with the youth to their new placement.
polinsky@newalternatives.org
Respite Programs
Provides temporary respite to caregivers of children 0-18 and to NMDs who qualify for the service for one day up to two weeks by pairing them with a County-certified resource parent who welcomes them into their home. This temporary relief allows everyone time to regroup and reset to promote success.
- Supporting: Ages 0-18 or Non-Minor Dependent, Orange County resident in need of brief out-of-home care.
- OrangeCounty@newalternatives.org
Wraparound Programs
Maintains the child and youth in a home-based family care setting and prevents placement at a higher level of care by building a team of invested people gathering to support the family through strengths-based, individualized, integrated, and comprehensive intensive services.
- Supporting: Referral from Orange County Social worker, Probation Officer, or County Therapist when stepping down from a higher level of care.
- OrangeCounty@newalternatives.org
Resource Family Approval (RFA)
Supporting: Compassionate and loving adults 21 years and older: Who can pass an FBI fingerprint background check (no records/findings with the California Department of Justice, FBI, and the Child Abuse Index Clearance), with financial and emotional stability, reliable transportation (good driving record; insured and registered transportation), and a safe and stable home environment.
Open your Heart, Open your home, Become a resource parent.
New Alternatives will provide you with the resources, training, and support to become a certified resource parent. Once certified our staff will work with you to match a child/ren with your family. You will receive a monthly stipend for the time a youth is in your home.
parenting@newalternatives.org
Family Support Services
New Alternatives is dedicated to the philosophy that all children have the right to develop as healthy, successful, and contributing individuals. The family programs we offer are designed to develop supportive therapeutic homes and empathetic experiences that create the opportunity for healing.
Visitation Centers
- Family Visitation Center and Visit Coaching: Provides transportation for children to and from several locations within the County and supervised visitation services. Frequent positive visitations help parents maintain their relationship while placed in Foster Care. The purpose of Visit Coaching is to help parents articulate their children's needs to be met in visits, prepare parents for their children's reactions, help parents plan to give their children their full attention during visitations, appreciate the parents' strengths in responding to each child needs, and help parents cope with their feelings. Through these actions, visits may be productive and result in reunification.
- Supporting: Court-ordered: Medi-Cal beneficiaries or no health insurance: ages 0-17 with County Social Worker referral.
- FVC.receptionist@newalternatives.org
- Monitored and Supervised Visitation with Transportation: Provides transportation for children to and from visitation within Orange and contiguous counties for court-ordered monitored and supervised visitation. Services are available to parents with an open Orange County children and family services referral. Referrals must be made by a Senior Social worker. Frequent positive visitations help parents and children maintain their relationship while placed in out-of-home care. Staff maintain a safe and secure environment and provide positive opportunities for families to interact.
- Supporting: Youth ages 0-17 with Orange County Social Worker referral.
- OrangeCounty@newalternatives.org
Empowered Fathers
Supporting: San Diego County fathers, guardians, and male caregivers with children up to the age of 18.
Our Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Prevention Parenting Program supports the engagement, participation, and development of healthy parenting skills.
Our mission is to empower fathers to foster resilience and prevent ACEs. We strive to educate, support, and inspire fathers, guardians, and mentors in our community to create a nurturing and safe environment for children under 18.
empoweredfathers@newalternatives.org
Testimonials
"The whole team was great! We received a lot of support, and they were always there for our family"
"My son learned ways to work through his anger and sadness and now goes to school consistently"
"We met with the therapist for family therapy, and they were able to identify small changes that made such a difference"
"Gaining a lot of tools. I felt like this process helped relieve a lot of stress in my household!"
"We loved the support. When we needed something, they were there."
"They took us all to a fun outing. It was such a memorable time."
"My daughter's youth partner was the best! My daughter always comes back very happy!"
"The ESU has such caring nurses, I am glad my daughter was taken there when she was out of control."
San Diego based programs are funded by:
The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency
Funds the THP+, TYH, THP-NMD, Kenora STRTP, South Bay STRTP, NCOSBS, ESU, CAC, CASS, TBS, Incredible Families, Family Visitation Center & Visit Coaching, and the Empowered Fathers programs through County, State, and Federal Government funds. Neither the County, nor its officers, employees, or agencies endorse any service provided by NAI.
