desert/mountain children's center

What desert/mountain children's center does

Desert Mountain Children's Center (DMCC) is a public mental health center providing behavioral health, therapy, and counseling services to infants, children, and youth from birth through age 21 in the High Desert region of San Bernardino County, California. The organization operates as part of the California Association of Health and Education Linked Professions Joint Powers Authority (CAHELP JPA) under the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, with three physical offices in Apple Valley, Big Bear Lake, and Yucca Valley serving 15 communities across the region. Its program suite spans early intervention (SART for ages 0-6, EIIS for birth-8), school-based prevention and counseling (SAP for ages 6-21, SATS for ages 7-21), intensive ERMHS residential support, a CAMFT-approved Training Institute, a graduate Behavioral Health Internship program, and a bilingual Outreach Team, delivered across school sites, clinics, homes, community settings, and telehealth.

The business model is government-payer-anchored. DMCC accepts Medi-Cal (including IEHP, Molina, and Kaiser Medi-Cal), TRICARE, and educationally related mental health services funded through IEPs; private insurance is generally not accepted, with the Big Bear office offering a sliding-scale option for uninsured families. Referrals are sourced from schools, pediatricians, families, county agencies, and community partners, and the organization holds formal interagency agreements with California Children's Services, Inland Regional Center, the San Bernardino County Preschool Services Department, the Department of Rehabilitation, and the Department of Behavioral Health. Governance flows through the CAHELP JPA Council, the Desert Mountain SELPA, and the Desert Mountain Charter SELPA, covering 21+ traditional districts and numerous charter schools. Underlying technology is modest: a telehealth platform, Adobe Acrobat Sign for referral and records workflows, and a multi-language web portal — with no disclosed AI/ML, proprietary platform, or developer-facing API.

Name

desert/mountain children's center

Legal name

Desert Mountain Children's Center

Website

https://dmchildrenscenter.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mental Health & Infant/Early Childhood Consultation (0–5) (EDACAFAO)

Keywords

• Children's mental health services
• School-based behavioral health
• Early intervention therapy
• Special education mental health
• Youth counseling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Apple Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Medi-Cal Reimbursement: DMCC accepts Medi-Cal (including IEHP, Molina, Kaiser Medi-Cal) as primary insurance coverage for mental health services provided to eligible children and youth.
2. TRICARE Coverage: Military insurance program accepted for covered mental health services.
3. IEP/ERMHS Services: Educationally Related Mental Health Services funded through Individualized Education Programs for students with qualifying disabilities.
4. Sliding Scale Payments: Big Bear office offers sliding scale payment option for families without qualifying insurance coverage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Desert Mountain Children's Center (DMCC) is a public mental health center that delivers behavioral health, therapy, and counseling services to infants, children, and youth from birth through age 21 across the High Desert region of San Bernardino County, California. Its core offerings include early intervention programs (SART, EIIS), school-based prevention and treatment (SAP, SATS), intensive educationally related mental health services (ERMHS), a CAMFT-approved training institute, and family and community outreach, delivered through schools, clinics, homes, community settings, and telehealth.

Product overview

Desert Mountain Children's Center (DMCC) is a mental health center offering a comprehensive suite of programs for infants, children, and youth from birth through age 21. The organization operates as a unified mental health service platform with multiple interconnected programs: SART provides early intervention for ages 0-6; EIIS offers early identification services for ages 0-8; SAP delivers preventative support for students ages 6-21; SATS provides therapeutic counseling for ages 7-21; ERMHS offers intensive residential placement services; the Training Institute provides continuing education for mental health professionals; the Fostering Futures Podcast shares educational content; and the Outreach Team delivers family engagement services. Services are delivered across multiple settings including DMCC clinic sites, school-based locations, in-home support, and telehealth. The organization serves the High Desert region of San Bernardino County with offices in Apple Valley, Big Bear, and Yucca Valley.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Screening Assessment Referral & Treatment (SART) Early intervention program for children aged 0-6 that provides comprehensive assessments, individual and family therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, infant massage, medication management, and psychological testing to support children facing developmental, behavioral, and emotional challenges.
• Early Identification & Intervention Services (EIIS) Early support services for children from birth through age 8 focusing on early identification of challenges and customized therapies including Play Therapy and Sensory Processing to help children build skills and overcome behavioral, trauma-related, or developmental issues.
• Student Assistance Program (SAP) Preventative and early intervention program for students aged 6-21 providing social skills groups, coping skills, suicide awareness, bullying prevention, substance abuse education, conflict resolution, and individual counseling to support students facing mental health concerns or life stressors.
• School-Aged Treatment Services (SATS) Mental health counseling program for children and teens ages 7-21 experiencing behavioral or mental health challenges affecting daily functioning or school performance, providing group therapy, educationally related mental health services, and crisis intervention.
• Educationally Related Residential Placement & Monitoring (ERMHS) Intensive support program for students requiring residential mental health treatment combined with academic instruction, providing structured therapeutic environments and family support sessions for students with the most intensive needs as determined by their IEP team.
• Training Institute CAMFT-approved continuing education provider offering online and in-person training for mental health professionals including marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, professional clinical counselors, and educational psychologists.
• Family & Community Engagement/Outreach Outreach program providing parent workshops, resource connections, and community engagement services including Family Fun Days, Parenting Strategies, Behavior Management, Navigating Special Education, and Social Emotional Learning, delivered in bilingual English/Spanish formats across school districts in the High Desert region.

Quantifiable outcome

• 31,094 individuals served and 120,449 services provided in fiscal year 2024-2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• California Children's Services (CCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInteragency agreement supporting coordinated delivery of services for children with eligible medical conditions, ensuring access to specialized health care, therapies, and equipment needed to support educational participation and well-being.
• Inland Regional Center (IRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInteragency agreement providing early intervention services for eligible children ages 0-3, ensuring families receive individualized supports during critical developmental stages.
• Preschool Services Department (PSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInteragency agreement with San Bernardino County Preschool Services Department coordinating delivery of special education supports and services to qualifying preschool-aged children to build a strong foundation for future learning.
• Department of Rehabilitation (DOR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing career readiness training, employment preparation, and transition support to postsecondary education, employment, and independent living for students preparing for life after high school.
• Department of Behavioral Health (DBH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health helping eligible students access behavioral and mental health services through school-based and community programs supporting social-emotional development and well-being.
• Desert Mountain SELPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal membership in Special Education Local Plan Area comprising 21+ school districts providing special education services coordination and shared programs, resources, and services across the High Desert region.
• Desert Mountain Charter SELPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharter school membership in SELPA providing special education services coordination for charter schools including Allegiance STEAM Academy, Aveson, Ballington Academy, Desert Trails Preparatory Academy, and others.
• San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDMCC is part of the SBCSS team through CAHELP JPA, an organization dedicated to transforming lives through education and mental health services. SBCSS provides administrative infrastructure and support.

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pacific Clinics: Pacific Clinics is one of California's largest behavioral health nonprofits, providing outpatient mental health, school-based services, and residential programs to children and families. Comparable in Medi-Cal-funded outpatient mental health delivery, though broader in geography and program scope than DMCC.
• Seneca Family of Agencies: Seneca provides wraparound mental health, school-based services, and intensive behavioral interventions for children and youth across California. Comparable in age range (0-21), Medi-Cal funding model, and integration with county education and behavioral health agencies, though larger and statewide.
• Aspiranet: Aspiranet is a California nonprofit providing mental health, foster care, residential, and education-linked services to children and families statewide. Comparable in child/youth focus, Medi-Cal reliance, and interagency contracts with county behavioral health and education agencies.
• Mental Health Systems (MHS): MHS delivers county-contracted outpatient mental health, school-linked services, and crisis stabilization across Southern California, including programs for children and youth funded by Medi-Cal and county behavioral health departments. Comparable reimbursement model and county-government customer base.

Direct peers

• Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families: Casa Pacifica operates residential mental health treatment, school-linked mental health services, and crisis intervention for children and adolescents in California. Directly comparable in ERMHS-style residential placement, IEP-linked services, and county behavioral health contracts.
• ChildNet Youth and Family Services: ChildNet provides mental health, behavioral, and social services to children, youth, and families across Southern California counties, with county and Medi-Cal contracts. Comparable in target population, age range, and county-funded outpatient mental health delivery model.
• Stars Behavioral Health Group: Stars operates county-contracted children's behavioral health programs across California, including school-based mental health services and IEP-linked supports funded through Medi-Cal. Directly comparable service model, target population (children/youth), and county-government customer base.
• CAHELP (parent organization / sister programs): CAHELP is the Joint Powers Authority that operates DMCC and sister SELPA mental health programs across other regions of San Bernardino County; directly comparable in mission, funding model (Medi-Cal, IEP/ERMHS), SELPA partnership structure, and service continuum (SART through SATS), making it the closest operational peer.

Regional players

• Hillsides: Hillsides is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing mental health, residential, and school-linked services for children and youth. Comparable in Medi-Cal-funded outpatient mental health and IEP/education-linked services, though primarily serving LA County rather than the High Desert.
• Heritage Clinic & Community Mental Health Center: Heritage Clinic provides outpatient mental health, school-based, and community services to underserved Southern California communities with Medi-Cal funding. Comparable in outpatient mental health model, county contracts, and culturally responsive service focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cahelp
• Instagraminstagram.com/cahelp_jpa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 desert/mountain children's center