San Diego Center For Children

What San Diego Center For Children does

San Diego Center For Children (SDCC), founded in 1887, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and San Diego County's oldest children's nonprofit, delivering mental health, behavioral health, and educational services to children, teens, and families. The organization operates 9 program sites across San Diego County anchored by a 12-acre main campus in Linda Vista, with additional locations in Mission Valley, Alvarado, La Mesa, and Escondido. Its service portfolio spans outpatient therapy, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs, wraparound in-home services, residential treatment (notably the only provider of residential care for youth 12 and under in the region), foster youth services including FFAST and Therapeutic Foster Care, a WASC-accredited non-public K-12 school (The Academy), in-school mental health, and programs tailored for military families.

The underlying service model is a hybrid in-person and virtual clinical delivery platform built on evidence-based therapeutic interventions, psychological assessments, and care coordination rather than a software product. SDCC holds accreditations from The Joint Commission (healthcare quality), WASC (education), and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and its Integrated Healthcare Services Unit conducts Medi-Cal eligibility screening and coordinates physical and behavioral healthcare. Revenue is generated through four primary streams: healthcare reimbursement from Medi-Cal and commercial insurance (including pre-release services under California's CalAIM Justice Involved Initiative starting October 2025), philanthropic contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations (including the 1887 Founders Society for $1,000+ annual gifts), event fundraising led by the annual Kids Classic Golf Tournament, and program fees for therapeutic foster care, wraparound services, and intensive outpatient programs delivered on a sliding scale. The organization serves over 1,000 children and families daily across its five primary customer segments: children with mental health needs, foster youth, military families, special education students, and families of youth in crisis, with go-to-market primarily driven by community referrals, healthcare partner networks, school partnerships, and foster care system collaborations.

Name

San Diego Center For Children

Legal name

San Diego Center for Children

Website

https://centerforchildren.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

San Diego Center For Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1887 operating 9 program sites across San Diego County, providing mental health, behavioral health, foster care, and accredited K-12 educational services to over 1,000 children and families daily.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Mental Health Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Pediatric Specialty Care Centers (e.g., cardiology, oncology, neurology) (HLAFAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pediatric Rehabilitation & Developmental Therapy Centers (PT/OT/SLP) (HLAFAJAL)

Keywords

• Children's mental health services
• Youth behavioral health
• Residential treatment programs
• Wraparound family services
• Special education schools

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Healthcare Reimbursement: Revenue from Medi-Cal and insurance reimbursements for mental health services provided to youth, including pre-release services under California's CalAIM Justice Involved Initiative.
2. Philanthropic Contributions: Donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations supporting the organization's mission. Includes vehicle donations, legacy giving, and the 1887 Founders Society for annual unrestricted gifts of $1,000 or more.
3. Event Fundraising: Revenue from signature events including the annual Kids Classic Golf Tournament, with various sponsorship tiers ranging from Hole Sponsors to Presenting Sponsors.
4. Program Fees: Fees for therapeutic foster care, wraparound services, and intensive outpatient programs, with financial assistance options available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

San Diego Center for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers therapeutic, educational, and behavioral health services to children, teens, and families across San Diego County. Its service portfolio spans outpatient therapy, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs, in-home wraparound services, residential treatment, K-12 special education through The Academy, and specialized programs for foster youth and military families, all delivered across 9 program sites.

Product overview

San Diego Center for Children operates as a nonprofit mental health and educational services organization offering a comprehensive, multi-tiered service portfolio. The organization provides outpatient mental health services through its Family Wellness Center and Intensive Outpatient/Partial Hospitalization Programs; intensive wraparound services including WrapWorks and Enhanced Care Management; accredited K-12 educational services through The Academy; residential treatment (the only provider for youth 12 and under in the region); specialized foster youth services including FFAST and Therapeutic Foster Care; and mental health services tailored for military families. Services are delivered across 9 program sites throughout San Diego County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Outpatient Mental Health Services Full range of mental health services including psychological assessment, individual, group, and family therapy offered at multiple locations for children and teens.
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) Structured intensive day treatment programs providing therapeutic services for youth with significant mental health needs who require more support than standard outpatient care.
• Wraparound Services (WrapWorks) Intensive in-home outpatient services providing coordinated therapeutic care and case management for youth and families with significant mental health needs, with locations in Central, Southeast (La Mesa), and North County (Escondido) San Diego.
• The Academy (K-12 Non-Public School) WASC-accredited non-public school providing special education, therapeutic services, and in-school mental health services to K-12 students with special needs across San Diego County.
• Residential Treatment Intensive therapeutic support and stabilization for children and teens with significant mental, emotional, and behavioral challenges; the only provider of residential care for youth 12 and under in the San Diego region.
• Foster Youth Services (FFAST and Therapeutic Foster Care) Intensive outpatient therapy, counseling, and therapeutic foster care for children with serious mental health challenges within the foster care system, delivered through FFAST (Foster Family Agency Stabilization and Treatment) and Therapeutic Foster Care programs.
• Mental Health Services for Military Families Mental health treatment options for children and families connected to military service, addressing deployment, reintegration, and service-related stressors.
• Family Wellness Center Outpatient therapeutic services including Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and psychological evaluations for children and families.
• Successful Transitions Life skills program helping young adults with special needs transition to independence, including initiatives like Fast & Furious Food Delivery.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• San Diego County Probation DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2025County Probation brought together more than 70 community and healthcare partners on February 26 at the Youth Transition Campus to strengthen coordination for youth reentering the community under California's CalAIM Justice Involved Initiative. Beginning October 2025, the department will be reimbursed for pre-release services at the Youth Transition Campus and East Mesa Detention Facility.
• County of San Diego Health and Human Services AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Well San Diego partnership supporting county-wide health initiatives and mental health services for youth and families in San Diego County.
• Rancho Bernardo InnminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for the annual Kids Classic Golf Tournament at their golf course.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hillsides: Los Angeles-area nonprofit operating residential treatment, mental health, foster care, and wraparound programs for children and families — directly comparable in service mix, mission, and California nonprofit funding model.
• Children's Bureau of Southern California: Southern California nonprofit delivering foster care, adoption, mental health, and family preservation services — comparable as a regional child welfare and behavioral health nonprofit with similar Medi-Cal exposure.
• Aspiranet: California statewide nonprofit delivering foster care, adoption, mental health, and wraparound services for children and families — comparable in CalAIM reliance, Medi-Cal-driven model, and comprehensive child-and-family services scope.
• Maryvale: Southern California nonprofit offering residential, mental health, and early childhood services for children affected by trauma and family disruption — directly comparable as a SoCal child welfare and mental health nonprofit.
• Crittenton Services for Children and Families: Southern California nonprofit providing residential treatment, mental health, foster care, and wraparound services — a near-mirror peer in service portfolio and California nonprofit structure.
• Hathaway-Sycamores Child & Family Services: Southern California 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing residential treatment, outpatient mental health, school-based services, and wraparound care for children and families — a close structural analog to SDCC across the same service continuum.
• Penny Lane Centers: California-wide nonprofit providing mental health, foster care, residential, and wraparound services for children and families — comparable in CalAIM positioning, multi-site California footprint, and Medi-Cal revenue model.
• Victor Treatment Centers: California-based provider of residential and community-based mental health services for youth — directly comparable in residential treatment operations, Medi-Cal reliance, and California specialty mental health positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Rady Children's Hospital and Health Center: San Diego-based pediatric health system with an expanding behavioral health program — geographic peer and partial overlap in pediatric mental health, but operates primarily as an acute-care hospital system rather than a nonprofit child-welfare continuum.
• Boys Town: National nonprofit operating residential, family-based, and community services for at-risk youth across multiple states — broader incumbent with similar service mix but materially larger scale and geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBQVWB5rdKTY9N3_NRbruoA
• Facebookfacebook.com/SDCenterforChildren
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/san-diego-center-for-children
• Instagraminstagram.com/center4children
• TikToktiktok.com/@san.diego.center?_t=ZT-8wC5ybh1eOp&_r=1

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about San Diego Center For Children