New programs at Vista Del Mar often emerge from recognizing that our existing therapeutic practices, as strong as they are, are simply not comprehensive enough to meet the needs of youth who continue to struggle despite receiving care. The new Substance Use Disorder Services (SUDS) Program, now in its first year of operation, is a clear realization of that truth. For many of the students and residents (Vista youth) on our campus, substance use had become a barrier that our traditional modalities alone could not fully overcome.
For many young people, untreated substance use was quietly undermining the progress they made in therapy, magnifying behavioral struggles, and compromising their long-term well-being.
Today, Vista RISE, our integrated SUD treatment program, is operational and already making a meaningful difference in the lives of the youth we serve on our campus, through our outpatient treatment services, and in the Santa Monica school district.
The launch of Vista RISE marked a significant evolution in Vista Del Mar’s commitment to behavioral health. Historically, California has lacked a strong infrastructure to support young people with co-occurring mental health and substance use challenges, leaving families without coordinated, adolescent-specific services and forcing many to navigate separate, fractured systems of care. With the support of the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP), Vista began transforming this landscape, renovating a facility into a 16-bed inpatient treatment center and building a system capable of meeting youth where they are—clinically, emotionally, and developmentally.
The Core of Vista RISE- Campus Services
The primary work of Vista RISE takes place on our campus, where the program delivers deeply individualized SUD services to youth in our residential programs, therapeutic day school, and campus-based mental health supports.
On-campus services include individual therapy, comprehensive assessments, case management, medical oversight, psychiatric support, family sessions, and evidence-based psychoeducation. Unlike many adolescent SUD programs that rely almost exclusively on group models, Vista RISE is designed around individualized care, meeting youth with a plan tailored to their needs, their history, and their readiness for change.
For Vista residents and students and for those needing intensive structure, our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) operates six days a week, offering multidisciplinary support that weaves together therapeutic, medical, psychological, and educational interventions. Sustained engagement in a treatment program is often the difference between a youth’s recovery, as so often the lack of accessibility in community settings fails to provide the level of care essential to stabilization and long-term safety.
One important distinction from other programs is that Vista RISE extends beyond short-term or isolated care. After a youth completes primary treatment, aftercare groups provide ongoing connection and stability, bridging the transition back to school, community life, and continued behavioral health services. As Eric Roberts, Program Director of Vista RISE, emphasizes, aftercare is “a cornerstone that helps youth maintain progress, build new habits, and stay grounded as they grow.”
Addressing the cost of care was another critical barrier we sought to remove. Families from across Los Angeles come to us seeking support because the quality of care we offer is comparable to high-cost private programs yet accessible to all youth, regardless of socioeconomic status. Financial accessibility for those we serve is a benchmark of all Vista programs and remains an inextricably woven part of who we are.
Extending Care into the Community: Outpatient Services
Beyond our campus, Vista RISE provides outpatient SUD services to the broader Los Angeles community. These youth arrive through many doors- school referrals, parent outreach, hospital discharges, or self-referral. Regardless of how they come to us, they receive the same individualized, whole-person treatment model that defines our on-campus care.
This continuity ensures that any young person in Los Angeles who needs help can access high-quality SUD treatment supported by full mental health integration, medical services, and family-centered care. This outpatient arm embodies what we envisioned when Vista RISE was designed: a community-based model meeting youth with dignity, speed, and depth of care.
Meeting Students Where They Learn
The third pillar of Vista RISE lives in our school- based services operating in two Santa Monica middle schools and Santa Monica High School. Substance use among youth has become increasingly normalized, particularly around vaping, cannabis, alcohol, and prescription medications. Tracking these and other emerging trends is critical to understanding how to best meet and serve the futures of the youth we support.
These services extend early intervention, harm reduction education, and direct SUD treatment into the everyday environments where youth spend most of their time. For many students, school-based support removes the barriers that often prevent them from seeking help, overcoming transportation, scheduling, fear of judgment, or stigma.
As school-based clinician, Jason Sobel describes:
“Providing a health and wellness-focused, strengths-based, autonomy-driven, human-centered, non-judgmental approach to SUD counseling feels current, effective, and aligned with best practice. Giving these kids a space to talk about substance use at school increases accessibility by removing barriers like transportation, scheduling, and most importantly: stigma.”
As Jason highlights, for some students, this program provides the very first outlet they’ve had to speak openly about substance use. For others, it is a lifeline before a crisis escalates. And for many, it lets them know that hey, here is someone who represents safety, compassion, and hope.
In its first year, Vista RISE has connected with every student referred to meet the moment of this growing need within our community.
Looking Forward
As we move into the next chapter of Vista RISE, I am deeply grateful to our dedicated staff, the families and schools that trust us, and the donors and partners who make this work possible.
Although there will always be new challenges related to substance abuse, what gives me hope is how Vista RISE is equipped to meet these issues through evolving, comprehensive, individualized, compassionate care that prioritizes the dignity of every child affected.
Because when we address substance use alongside mental health, we create pathways to stability, belonging, and hope.
