Fred Finch San Diego Dual Diagnosis (SDDD) Services offers a comprehensive array of intensive services for youth ages 12 to 22 who have both developmental disabilities and significant behavioral health challenges.  The Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) provides out-of-home care, along with mental health, behavioral, and psychiatric support for youth who require additional intervention to live safely in a community setting. The array of services also includes a specialized state-certified Non-Public School (NPS) that integrates intensive, individualized mental health services with special education, academic, and functional classroom supports.
 
These services were designed and supported through collaboration between Fred Finch, the Regional Center of San Diego, San Diego County Behavioral Health and Child and Family Well-Being departments, and local school districts. This collaborative approach ensures that the program addresses the unique needs of youth with developmental disabilities and serious emotional disturbances. Our trauma-informed treatment model is based on the Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency (ARC) model, which further enhances our ability to support each youth's individual needs.
 
The program provides a safe, stable, and structured environment through intensive staffing, a therapeutic milieu culture, mental health interventions, and behavior modification techniques.
 
Youth entering the program undergo a comprehensive assessment at intake and receive ongoing evaluations throughout their stay. The program incorporates individual, group, family, and milieu therapy into daily life. Additional services include case management, medication support and monitoring, expressive arts, special education, crisis intervention, behavior management, and skill-building.
 
The primary goal of the services is to maximize each youth’s level of functioning, enabling them to live safely and be engaged in the community. We strive to increase their ability to transition to community settings with a decreased need for intensive services and structure.