Residential Behavioral Health for Military Dependents
We honor military families by helping their children heal.
Why Choose Us for Residential Behavioral Health for Military Dependents?
San Marcos Treatment Center offers residential behavioral health services specifically designed for the needs of military dependents ages 6 to 17. Residential treatment gives your child the time, structure and daily support they need to work through difficult-to-treat mental health challenges.
Being a military dependent often means frequent moves, long separations or big changes after a parent comes home from deployment or injury. This kind of stress can take a toll on a child’s emotions and behavior. At San Marcos, we help your child make sense of these experiences and learn healthier ways to cope. Get more information about Patriot Support Programs.
Highlights of our program include:
- Proudly TRICARE® In-Network: We have been providing behavioral health services for military dependents since 1968. This long-standing partnership reflects our deep experience in meeting the needs of military dependents. Trusted staff and a focused approach draw people from across the country and overseas.
- Appropriate care: Younger children benefit from play, movement and sensory-based activities that help them express emotion. Adolescents take part in group activities, recreation and campus jobs that build responsibility and social skills. For those with developmental delays, staff adapt expectations and activities so each child can participate in ways that feel achievable.
- Help for treatment-resistant cases: San Marcos treats children and teens who haven’t found success in other settings, providing steady, compassionate support. Our thoughtful approach can help your child make meaningful progress.
- Positive outcomes: Children and teens achieve measurable improvement during and after treatment with us. Patient survey results show strong satisfaction with the care they receive. View outcomes data.
Specialized Mental Health Care for Military Dependents
At San Marcos, your child finds a place built on care, structure and steady growth. Here’s what to expect:
Proud TRICARE® Partner
For more than 50 years, we have been partnered with CHAMPUS and TRICARE® as a certified RTC provider, serving the mental health needs of military dependents and families.
Emphasis on positive reinforcement
Staff help your child celebrate small treatment victories and build on their progress. When challenges come up, they gently guide your child toward calmer responses and appropriate choices. Our approach emphasizes continuous engagement in programming over consequences, so there’s more joy in your child’s daily life.
Family involvement
San Marcos helps families stay connected with their child throughout treatment. Parents and guardians participate in weekly therapy and family education via videoconference. We encourage regular in-person visits that can be on- or off-campus, depending on your child’s needs. These moments give you a clear view of your child’s growth and the support they may need when they return home.
Therapeutic activities
Your child participates in recreation therapy every day. These experiences help them settle their energy, express themselves and rebuild connections through art, movement and time outdoors. Each activity reinforces what they’re learning in therapy. Get more information about therapeutic activities.
Vocational training
Teens take part in campus jobs and skill-based projects that give them real-world experience. They might work in our general store, build a résumé, learn budgeting or prepare for job interviews. We also offer Career and Technology Education classes. Learning how to manage everyday responsibilities like these equips them to successfully navigate life after treatment.
Get Help Now
Call 800-251-0059 to schedule a confidential intake assessment. To make a referral, please call 800-848-9090 or use our online referral form.
