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Teen Mental Health Treatment in Arizona

Counselors online nowJoint Commission accredited · AZDHS licensedCave Creek, AZ

Eating disorder treatment for teen girls near Desert Hills, AZ.

Many parents want two things that sound opposite: to stay close, and to get their daughter out of the house where every meal has turned into a fight. The girls-only home Nexus Teen Academy runs in Cave Creek gives you both. It sits 20 to 30 minutes east of Desert Hills on Carefree Highway and treats anorexia, ARFID, binge eating disorder and bulimia for girls from 12 to 17.

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Leave your phone number. A licensed admissions counselor normally rings within minutes, and together you can talk through her eating, what insurance may cover, and what her first week would look like.

Licensed in Arizona. Accredited nationally. Independently verified.
The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval for Nexus Teen Academy
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LegitScript certified seal for Nexus Teen Academy
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Every credential is independently verifiable. Joint Commission · AZDHS registry · LegitScript.

Home-like living area at a Nexus Teen Academy residence in Arizona
Backyard and mountain views at a Nexus Teen Academy Arizona center
The Joint Commission National Quality Approval Gold SealJoint Commission accreditedAZDHS-licensed · LegitScript certified
Girls only, on Cave Creek desert landClose enough to Desert Hills for weekly visits, far enough to reset.

About Nexus Teen Academy

Nexus Teen Academy: eating disorder treatment for Desert Hills families.

Nexus Teen Academy is licensed residential care for eating disorders, set in a Cave Creek house where girls ages 12 to 17 work with one clinical team. Around it is open desert, and from Desert Hills you can be there for a weeknight session and still make it home by dinner. Restricting, purging or bingeing tends to start as her answer to something else, such as worry, a need to be flawless, grief, or puberty arriving fast. She gets help with both.

We do not run a hospital unit. Should she faint, show a very slow pulse or return abnormal labs, doctors in a hospital stabilize her first, and we pick her start date from their clearance. Its standing: licensed by AZDHS, accredited by The Joint Commission, certified by LegitScript.

In short

Nexus Teen Academy provides residential treatment for teen eating disorders for families from Desert Hills, Arizona, for ages 12 to 17. Girls live in a licensed home in Cave Creek with daily therapy, accredited school on site, and weekly family therapy. Most stay 30 to 60 days, and the team works with AHCCCS and most private insurance.

Cave Creek

Girls, 12 to 17 · Phoenix metro

Cave Creek

Girls, 12 to 17 · Phoenix metro

2

Accredited Arizona centers

12 to 17

Ages we treat, gender-separate

24/7

Awake clinical staff, every hour

1:1

A primary therapist, by name

Where residential care fits: IOP, PHP or residential

The subacute level between weekly therapy and a hospital bed.

Step downOutpatient & IOP

Therapy once or a few times a week. Your teen stays home and at school.

Nexus Teen AcademyResidential treatment

Live-in clinical care with 24/7 awake staff, daily therapy, and accredited school, in a real home.

You are here
Step upInpatient hospitalization

Short-term acute stabilization for immediate medical or safety crisis.

IOP vs PHP vs residential care, compared
QuestionIntensive outpatient (IOP)Partial hospitalization (PHP)Residential (RTC)
Best forA step down from PHP, or a starting point for teens who need more than weekly therapyA step down from residential care, or a starting point for teens who need structure without 24/7 careTeens who need 24/7 care in a safe, immersive setting
Where your teen sleepsAt homeAt home each eveningA licensed, home-like residence with 24/7 awake staff
Weekly scheduleAbout 4 hours a day (10:30 to 2:30 or 1:00 to 5:00), 3 to 4 days a weekSeveral days a week, multiple hours a dayDaily therapy, with care around the clock
Typical length30 to 90+ days30 to 90 days30 to 60 days
SchoolStays in school; IOP is therapy-focused, with no academic supportDaily schoolwork time in a classroom, with educators on staffAccredited, credit-bearing classes on site
FamilyWeekly individual therapy and family counseling every other weekFamily therapy sessions includedWeekly family therapy, in person or by secure video

IOP and PHP run at NexStep Teen Academy, the Nexus outpatient program in Scottsdale for teens ages 12 to 17.

Not sure which level your teen needs? A licensed counselor will walk through it with you on the phone, free, and tell you honestly if a lower level of care is the better fit.

Speak with our admissions team

The program

Components of eating disorder treatment at Nexus Teen Academy.

Think of it as one package, not a list of options. Each girl gets every part described below, all of it steered by a single plan, and her team rechecks that plan weekly, measuring it against her physical and emotional progress rather than a countdown.

Full assessment at intake

Before any plan, we read her eating habits, weight history, labs, psychiatric history and school file as one story.

Hospital first if needed

Unsafe vitals or labs mean a hospital stay comes first; Cave Creek admits her the day her doctors sign off.

Therapy every weekday

Weekdays bring one-on-one time with her named licensed clinician: fear foods, rigid rules and what sits under them.

Eating with staff, every meal

Breakfast, lunch, dinner and set snacks with staff beside her, portions stepping up as her body heals, and support once the plate is cleared.

Parents in the work

Weekly family sessions, often in person from Desert Hills, and a Saturday parent group that teaches you to support meals.

On-site psychiatric prescriber

If anxiety, low mood or OCD symptoms need medication, the prescriber on site manages it and asks your consent before any change.

School that counts

Weekday lessons from a certified teacher earn real credit, and it carries back to her school in the Deer Valley district.

A plan for coming home

Step-down care, an outpatient team near Desert Hills, a written plan for food and red flags, and school eased back in.

Care alongside it

Co-occurring conditions in teen eating disorders.

The numbers from the NIMH adolescent survey (NCS-A) are worth knowing: 3.8% of girls have lived through an eating disorder, and in teenagers who had bulimia or binge eating disorder, a second psychiatric condition was the rule rather than the exception. Anxiety and mood disorders top that list.

So nobody in Cave Creek treats the eating in isolation. The clinicians who eat lunch beside her also work on the panic, the sadness or the old injury driving it, which gives her gains at the table a better chance of lasting once she is back in Desert Hills.

Seeing a girl's eating disorder clearly

The setting

Our girls-only residential home in Cave Creek.

It looks like any desert home in Cave Creek, a half-hour drive up from central Phoenix, and that is deliberate. The day repeats on purpose: breakfast, then classes, therapy, lunch, timed snacks, and dinner at the same table. Nights are covered by staff who do not sleep on shift, and the house holds its behavioral-health license from AZDHS.

Home-like living room inside a Nexus Teen Academy residence in Arizona
Teen bedroom with natural sunlight at a Nexus Teen Academy residence
Kitchen and dining room where Nexus Teen Academy residents share meals
Backyard with mountain views at a Nexus Teen Academy home in Arizona
Game room with a ping-pong table at a Nexus Teen Academy residence

Take a self-guided 3D walkthrough of the home

Life inside

Daily schedule at the Cave Creek residence.

The hardest hours early on come around the table, and staffing follows that. Whatever the eating disorder tries, a bargain, a rule, a refusal, it hears the same unhurried reply from every adult, and in family sessions you practice giving that reply yourself.

MorningAfternoonEvening
  1. A teen bedroom filled with natural morning light at a Nexus Teen Academy Arizona residence -
    Morning

    Hygiene, meds & breakfast

    Hygiene and meds from 6:30 to 7:30, then breakfast from 7:30 to 8:00.

  2. The on-site accredited classroom at a Nexus Teen Academy Arizona center -
    Morning

    Gratitude journal & education

    A gratitude journal from 8:00 to 8:20, then education from 8:30 to 10:45 and a snack at 10:45.

  3. Teens in a group therapy session with a clinician at Nexus Teen Academy -
    Morning

    Group therapy & lunch

    Group therapy from 11:00 to 12:00, then lunch and mindfulness from 12:00 to 1:00.

  4. The recreation room with a ping-pong table at a Nexus Teen Academy Arizona residence -
    Afternoon

    Group therapy

    Group therapy from 2:00 to 3:00, a snack at 3:00, then group therapy again from 3:15 to 4:00.

  5. The shared kitchen and dining room where residents eat together -
    Afternoon

    Movement, dinner & evening activity

    Movement with nursing from 4:15 to 5:00, dinner at 5:00, then evening activity and meds from 6:00 to 7:00.

  6. The backyard and mountain view at a Nexus Teen Academy Arizona residence in the evening -
    Evening

    Free time & lights out

    Free time from 7:00 to 8:30, evening hygiene from 8:30 to 9:00, gratitude journal at 9:00 and lights out at 9:30.

Weekends run differently

Family phone calls 4:00 - 6:00 pm, every day

Saturday and Sunday follow a lighter routine than the weekday schedule above.

Click here for a free consultationTap to call (480) 485-3424 and our admissions team will walk you through a full weekend. Someone answers any time.

Awake clinical staff are on-site every hour, including overnight, at both Arizona centers.

How healing happens

Therapies used in eating disorder treatment.

Adolescent guidance from the American Psychiatric Association, published in 2023, recommends family treatment that keeps the eating disorder in focus; CBT-E also has backing in teens. Living here adds what a weekly appointment can't: a trained adult at her elbow for every meal.

One treatment planOne clinical teamReviewed weeklyTracked against her goals

Core therapies

  • A teen in a one-on-one therapy session with a Nexus Teen Academy clinician1

    Family-based treatment

    Parents steer meals for a while, then hand the wheel back gradually. Weekly sessions let Desert Hills parents practice this at the table.

    Helps withparents lead mealsgradual handback
  • Teens supporting each other in a group therapy session2

    CBT-E

    Works on rigid food rules, mirror and body checks, and a sense of worth that rises and falls with the scale.

    Helps withrigid rulesshape and weight
  • A weekly family therapy session with parents and a clinician3

    Emotion-regulation and distress-tolerance skills

    Daily drills in naming feelings and getting through distress, so the next urge to restrict or purge runs into a skill instead.

    Helps witheveryday skillsriding out urges

Supporting care, running alongside

  • Exposure and body-image work

    When her body is steady, she and her therapist bring back feared foods and avoided situations in small, planned steps, with body-image work alongside.

    fear foodssmall steps
  • Family therapy and parent group

    Weekly family therapy in the room for most Desert Hills parents, secure video when needed, and the Saturday parent group.

    in person weeklySaturday group
  • Equine, art and experiential

    Friday means horses. Art and music round out the week, helping her feel her body as strong and calm rather than judged.

    Friday horsesart and music
None of these run separately, they sit in one plan, owned by one clinical team.

Your teen's clinical team

Meet our licensed clinical team.

You will know everyone on her team by name: her licensed primary therapist, the prescriber who handles psychiatric care, and the residential staff she sees daily. Our Arizona license and accreditations are listed below, open for you to verify.

Hannah Carr-Unquera, Executive Director at Nexus Teen AcademyLPC, BC-TMH

Hannah Carr-Unquera

Executive Director

Leads the clinical program, licensed in Arizona and board certified in telemental health.

Dr. Tyler White, Director of Adolescent Clinical Services at Nexus Teen AcademyLCSW, DSW

Dr. Tyler White

Director of Adolescent Clinical Services

Sets the treatment plan each resident’s team works to, and supervises the clinicians who deliver it.

Alexandria Penner, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at Nexus Teen AcademyDNP, PMHNP-BC

Alexandria Penner

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Runs psychiatric evaluation and medication management on-site, so prescribing stays inside the house.

Ashley Daniels, Director of Family Services & Education at Nexus Teen AcademyHouse team

Ashley Daniels

Director of Family Services & Education

Runs family services and education, after directing theatre and teen programs and building liberal-arts residential summer camps for Mount Holyoke College and Bryn Mawr College.

Jennifer Inderberg, Education Supervisor at Nexus Teen AcademyHouse team

Jennifer Inderberg

Education Supervisor

Twenty-five years in education, supervising the accredited school that runs inside each house and the credit transfers back to your district.

Melissa Stockmar, Director of Food Operations at Nexus Teen AcademyHouse team

Melissa Stockmar

Director of Food Operations

Leads the kitchen team behind the chef-prepared meals, and runs the cooking group where residents learn to feed themselves.

Arizona-licensed clinical team.Every Nexus Teen Academy clinician is licensed in Arizona. Verify any license on the AZ Board of Behavioral Health Examiners directory.

What families say

Reviews from parents across Arizona.

Google
Carol Trombino profile picture
Carol Trombino
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Nexus Academy was a wonderful place for my daughter. The staff were amazing and so supportive. They worked with our entire family. Highly recommend Nexus.
Google
Hemella Sweatt profile picture
Hemella Sweatt
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Sending your child or teen to a residential treatment facility is a difficult and heart-wrenching decision. The team at Nexus Teen Academy was exceptional. Our daughter's therapist was a great fit for her and played a significant role in helping us grow as a family. Family therapy is a crucial part of your child's recovery, and Nexus does an excellent job of involving the family in the healing process. We are grateful for their support in guiding our daughter toward a path of recovery.
Google
S H profile picture
S H
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
The program at Nexus was a lifesaver for my 15-year-old daughter. After a tough year in and out of different levels of care, my husband and I had truly hit a breaking point and knew a residential facility was needed, but we were adamant about finding a place that was safe, respectful, and loving for our daughter. The entire team at Nexus was caring and engaged from day one, despite my daughter NOT making that easy for the first couple of weeks. There were definitely days in the beginning where we wondered if this was even working, but the team encouraged my husband and me to stay the course, and thank goodness we did. After completing Nexus residential and PHP programs, our daughter has done a complete 180. Her mental health struggles aren't 'magically gone' - but she has learned not to let them control her and our family dynamic is leagues better than where we started. Maybe the craziest part of this whole experience was when she recently acknowledged that she was really struggling before and thanked me for sending her to the program - I almost fainted. All this to say, I can't recommend the team at Nexus enough to any family with a teen who is going through a hard time.
Google
Amanda Hayes profile picture
Amanda Hayes
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Our 12 year old attended Nexus in summer of 2025. I opted for this location due to the reviews from other parents regarding similarly aged children. It's a whole different ballgame when a parent is trying to figure out what is best for their tween, knowing they will have exposure to older teenagers and older problems. That sad, Nexus is such a cohesive program. Our experience has been nothing short of wonderful, given the impossible circumstanes. All staff seems to be personally invested in each child's recovery and wellbeing. Our child left Nexus in a much more healed state than when they went in. I was so nervous about taking this huge step after poor hospital experiences and previous PHP's not being as helpful as we hoped. The staff is on top of relational dynamics in the house, and there is some separation between the younger residents and older ones, while still promoting overall cohesiveness. I feel they did a tremendous job supporting our 12 year old developmentally, bringing out a sense of childhood again. They also masterfully navigated our complicated family dynamic, going above and beyond to ensure our child's needs were met, the program requirements were met, in alignment with our family's needs. In a way, our child's time away at Nexus brought them back to us in a way we hadn't seen in a long time. I am so grateful. The PHP program, as well, is top notch and operates from heart. I would recommend both Nexus RTC and their PHP program to any parent in a similar situation. I have offered to connect with any parent in a similar place, so feel free to inquire about connecting with the staff. I know how terrifying this all is, and while we're not totally out of the woods, our child is currently attending school full time again with 2 evening therapy sessions each week. I attribute this assimilation into developmentally typical structure entirely to the care and support we all received from Nexus staff, from intake to therapy to medical and everyone else involved. Thank you, nexus, for helping our child- and our family- in our healing. I am forever grateful.
Google
Alisha profile picture
Alisha
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When we realized we needed a place for our teen to go longer term it was one of the hardest, scariest things I have been through as a mother. Nexus really made it easier and not quite so scary. They have a really caring staff, the kids love the staff. They truly care about your child, it’s not just another kid in and out of their house. I felt like our family was important and they were focused on what my child needed to help her through this difficult time. There was a lot of ups and downs with this process and we had some really hard times and conversations but the staff was always there to help guide us. I would truly say if you are struggling and your teen needs residential Nexus is an amazing place for treatment. The house is beautiful and it is truly comfortable for the kids. I would definitely recommend Nexus.
Google
Vanessa Anaya profile picture
Vanessa Anaya
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
I would like to share that we had a great experience at Nexus Teen Academy. All of the staff is great with communication and assisted us through the process. I am very grateful for all of the resources, help and treatment for my teen throughout their stay. The have an amazing team and would recommend to anyone who needs the help.
Google
Sean Hayes profile picture
Sean Hayes
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
I highly recommend Nexus Teen Academy. The structure, support, and care they provided made a significant impact on my child, and it was also maintainable post-residency. During the residency, I attended a parent group led by the therapists who worked with the kids; where we learned critical skills and distinctions which helped with life afterward. It was also great to be in contact with other parents during this time, and the parenting group was great for this.
Google
Zane Bedford profile picture
Zane Bedford
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Four years ago at the age of 13 my daughter completely stopped participating in school and started to display symptoms of major depression anxiety and an unknown mood disorder.Her attendance at school was greatly impacted in such a way that attending once or twice a week became standard until the age of 16.Alcohol addiction and juvenile legal troubles followed and became common issues up until the moment my daughter entered into Nexus Teen Academy.To be completely honest as a completely broken single parent,after trying many attempts at therapy/medications I had lost hope and had given up on expecting anything could fix the crisis we had been living in for the last for years. Nexus Academy changed my perspective, my daughter completed 33 days and for the first time in years I saw the spark and light come back to her eyes and soul.She left Nexus displaying insight and a desire to get back on track with her education. With all professions , one will find flaws and opportunities for improvement .I believe Nexus understands this and showed an openess to suggestions and constructive criticism.
Google
lily henderson profile picture
lily henderson
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Nexus was a life changing experience. I went in at 17 and experienced my 18th in there, to which the staff and residents all made sure I felt special. My goals were formed around gaining a better sense of self identity, self respect, and healing myself from the inside out. All of which happened in ways I never expected. I was shown how healthy communication, empathy in your home life, and phone-free relationships, all shape you as a person. Each and every one of the staff and administrators at Nexus are solely devoted to the children’s lives and well being. If there was ever an issue, i felt confident to go to them about it and it was swiftly handled. It was one of the most difficult goodbyes I have ever experienced in my life, as I grew family-life bonds with every person there. Thank you all!!!!! I appreciate every way you showed up for me and how you supported me in my stay. I will carry this experience with me forever.
Google
Jasmine Carter profile picture
Jasmine Carter
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
My daughter was referred here after her various visits to psychiatric hospitals.I was so scared to be apart from my child but Nexus made me feel better about my decision because of their loving and welcoming environment. I love everything about this place, they really love the kids and support parents along the way. I appreciate everyone that loved and supported my child while she was at her lowest. I recommend this place to anyone that may feel like they have tried all they can and they do not know what to do next because Nexus will help you with the next steps in your journey.

4.7/ 5

★★★★★34 verified Google reviews · Nexus Teen Academy
Read them all on Google
“Nexus Academy was a wonderful place for my daughter. The staff were amazing and so supportive. They worked with our entire family. Highly recommend Nexus.”
CCarol TrombinoVerified Google review
“Sending your child or teen to a residential treatment facility is a difficult and heart-wrenching decision. The team at Nexus Teen Academy was exceptional. Our daughter’s therapist was a great fit for her and played a significant role in helping us grow as a family.”
Read the full review →
HHemella SweattVerified Google review
“The program at Nexus was a lifesaver for my 15-year-old daughter. After a tough year in and out of different levels of care, my husband and I had truly hit a breaking point and knew a residential facility was needed.”
Read the full review →
SS. H.Verified Google review
31 more reviews on GoogleUnedited, public, and open for any family to add their own.Read every review →

These come straight from our public Google Business Profile, anyone can read all 34 and add their own.

Getting started

Admission for Desert Hills families, step by step.

Teen in a one-on-one therapy session with a Nexus Teen Academy clinician
Our promise while you decide

1

One calm call

A licensed counselor takes that first call. You will be asked what a normal day of eating looks like now, how her weight has changed, whether she binges, purges or gets dizzy, what she has been diagnosed or treated for, and if she is safe. You hang up with a clear view of whether residential care fits her or another level makes more sense.

2

Coverage check

With your permission our team calls the insurance company and reports back in real numbers: how your policy handles a residential behavioral-health stay, whether we are in its network, and roughly what you would pay yourself. Because your plan files eating disorder treatment under mental health, we explain how that benefit applies.

3

Clinical assessment

Next, a licensed clinician reviews the full history: eating, weight trend, psychiatric background, earlier care, and safety concerns. Her pediatrician's latest vitals and bloodwork settle whether hospital stabilization has to happen before she can come to Cave Creek.

4

Plan the arrival

One coordinator gathers medical clearance, prescriptions and transcripts, and sends a safety-screened list of what to pack. The drive from Desert Hills is the easy part.

5

A gentle, planned arrival

Day one: introductions to her therapist and staff, a first meal at the house, and a family session already on your calendar before you drive back west.

Coverage & cost

Does insurance cover teen eating disorder treatment?

Residential eating disorder care usually sits inside the behavioral-health benefit of major private plans, and most major commercial insurers are accepted at Nexus Teen Academy. For Desert Hills families we pull the real benefits on her policy, in network or not, without charge and in confidence, and most checks finish the day you call. Any amount you would owe is explained in plain words first.

  1. 1You send your plan detailsTwo required fields. Member ID optional. Takes about a minute.
  2. 2We verify with your insurer directlyIn-network or out-of-network, free and confidential, usually the same day.
  3. 3You get the number in plain EnglishYour exact out-of-pocket cost, explained before you commit to anything.
Aetna insurance logo
Cigna insurance logo
GEHA insurance logo
Beacon Health Options insurance logo

Out-of-network or unsure about your plan? Call anyway, cost should never be the reason a teen doesn't get help.

Verify your insurance in 2 minutes

See what your insurance would cover for her residential eating disorder care: free, private, no commitment.

HIPAA-protectedNo obligationNever sold or shared

After discharge

Discharge and aftercare planning near Desert Hills.

Discharge is planned with you, weeks out. Where it fits, she steps down to PHP or IOP; outpatient care near Desert Hills passes to a local therapist, dietitian and pediatrician; a written plan lays out meals and which early warning signs matter; and she re-enters Deer Valley classes in stages.

Four teen girls making heart shapes with their hands in a sunny field

Answers

Questions Desert Hills parents ask about eating disorder care

Straight answers for Desert Hills families on the drive, meals, medical safety, cost and privacy.

Your question isn’t here?

A licensed admissions counselor can answer it on the phone right now, no script, no pressure, and no obligation to enroll.

Talk to a counselorAnswered 24/7 at (480) 485-3424

Centers & getting there

Yes. If you typed eating disorder treatment near me from Desert Hills, the nearest girls-only residential option we run sits east of you in Cave Creek, roughly 20 to 30 minutes on Carefree Highway, for ages 12 to 17. Call (480) 485-3424; someone answers around the clock.

Because the drive is short, most Desert Hills parents come in person for weekly family therapy and for visiting time on weekends. Her team sets the visit schedule around her treatment, and secure video covers any week you cannot make the trip.

It does. Periods, a changing body, comparison on social media and, for some, sexual trauma are daily topics in eating disorder work. In a house of girls only, she can raise them at dinner or in group without editing herself.

No. Distance is not what helps; structure is. She lives at the residence full time, away from the kitchen and routines where the disorder took hold, while you stay near enough to be part of the work each week.

Care & cost

The full range: ARFID, OSFED, binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, and anorexia nervosa including the atypical form. Her plan is built around why the behavior works for her, not the diagnostic label alone.

Unsafe numbers send her to a hospital first. That includes a heart rate that has dropped very low, fainting, blood pressure that drops, electrolyte trouble, or weight coming off quickly. Admissions keeps in touch and schedules her arrival once doctors clear her.

Yes. In weekly family-based sessions you learn how to sit with her through a meal and answer pushback calmly, so you are ready to take the lead at home before she returns to Desert Hills.

Usually, if medical necessity is met, because eating disorder treatment is billed under mental-health benefits. Most major private plans are accepted. Our benefits check costs nothing, stays confidential and typically comes back the day you ask.

The starting plan is 30 days or more, and the real length tracks her progress: regular eating, a medically stable body, skills she uses unprompted. Before she leaves, step-down care and outpatient providers near Desert Hills are booked.

Licensing & privacy

Check us yourself: our Arizona Department of Health Services license covers behavioral-health residential care in Cave Creek, The Joint Commission has accredited the home, and LegitScript has certified it.

Nobody you have not approved in writing. Typical approvals are her pediatrician, a school contact and your insurer. HIPAA covers her records, and talking with admissions is confidential and obligates you to nothing.

Only what you decide to tell them. She keeps earning credit in weekday classes led by a certified teacher at the house, and we contact the home district about her return only after you sign consent.

Admission & daily life

Often within a few days. Admissions calls are returned within 24 hours, usually within minutes. A counselor checks your insurance benefits and licensed clinicians complete an assessment, and if everything moves smoothly your teen can move in shortly after. A coordinator walks you through travel, paperwork, and the first day.

Yes. Nexus Teen Academy offers tours of the home by appointment, so you can see where your teen would live and ask the team your questions in person before you decide anything. Call admissions to schedule a tour at a time that suits your family.

Yes. Family therapy happens once a week and is typically followed by about an hour of visitation, and parents are expected to take part. After orientation, teens can call home during designated hours most days, and families can also join a weekly virtual Family Empowerment group with other parents.

No. Personal phones and other devices stay at home for the length of the stay. Teens use tablets for video calls with approved contacts and computers for schoolwork, so contact with family continues through approved channels while the focus stays on treatment.

School continues during treatment. Teens attend accredited, credit-bearing classes on site, and education supervisors help with coursework and stay in touch with families. Bring a copy of any 504 plan or IEP at admission, and before discharge the team plans a staged return to your teen's home school.

Pack about two weeks of clothes without laces or drawstrings, alcohol-free toiletries, and any prescribed medication in its original packaging with a current medication list. Bring a guardian ID, a copy of any 504 plan or IEP, and school books. Personal phones and school-issued tablets stay at home.

By the numbers

Why early eating disorder treatment matters

The CDC's 2023 youth survey found most American high school girls feeling persistently sad or hopeless. That is fertile ground for disordered eating, so every number below carries its source.

Aerial view of a Nexus Teen Academy residential center in Arizona

3.8%

is the share of American girls 13 through 18 with an eating disorder at any point so far; for all adolescents it is 2.7% (NIMH, NCS-A).

3.0%

is where lifetime prevalence stands for 17- and 18-year-olds, up from 2.4% among teens of 13 and 14, a steady climb across high school (NIMH, NCS-A).

49%

was the full-remission rate at one year for teens with anorexia whose parents led treatment at home, set against 23% for individual therapy (Lock et al., 2010).

1 in 4

of the adolescents in Arizona needing mental-health care say it was very difficult or impossible for them to obtain (AZDHS, 2026).

Prevalence keeps rising as girls move through their teens, so a shift in how she eats deserves a real evaluation now rather than a wait-and-watch.

Statewide, 1 in 4 teens struggle to reach mental-health care at all. For Desert Hills, having licensed residential care 20 to 30 minutes away means you can act on a worry now instead of waiting months for an outpatient slot.

Sources: National Institute of Mental Health, Eating Disorders statistics (National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement); Lock et al., Archives of General Psychiatry, 2010; CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary and Trends Report, 2013-2023; Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona Adolescent Mental Health Report, 2026.

Teen group home care for Desert Hills girls

It feels like a house. It works like treatment.

Some Desert Hills parents begin by researching group homes. Ours has that feel, a house in Cave Creek where only girls live, with full clinical care behind it and state licensure from AZDHS, so she eats, studies and does therapy under one roof.

A typical group home

Nexus homes

Families from the Phoenix metro 9 cities

Families from Greater Arizona 6 cities

Each town listed here has had a daughter in care at the Cave Creek house. Our staff can plan the trip with you, and parents keep a standing weekly family session, sitting in person or joining through encrypted video.

Across Arizona

Eating disorder treatment for girls near Desert Hills.

Twenty to thirty minutes east on Carefree Highway gets you to her door. You can make a weekly family session in person and still visit on weekends, and our admissions line is staffed through the night.

About 20 to 30 minutes east

From Desert Hills, it is a straight shot east on Carefree Highway, usually 20 to 30 minutes. That keeps a weekday family session, or a visit on Saturday, from rearranging your whole week.

At the table, most weeks

Being this close lets most Desert Hills parents come to family therapy in person every week and practice meal support there, with secure video for the weeks a late shift or a sibling's schedule says no.

Support lined up near home

Discharge comes with a step-down level (PHP or IOP) when it suits her, a therapist, dietitian and pediatrician near Desert Hills for outpatient care, and a school return mapped with Deer Valley Unified.

Nexus Teen Academy, Cave Creek · girls’ residence

2695 E Saddle Mountain Rd, Cave Creek, AZ 85331

Admissions 24/7

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Cave Creek residence location for Desert Hills families

20 to 30 min east via Carefree Highway

Saddle Mountain Rd, 85331 · 20 min north

Also serving Anthem and New River

Travel, telehealth & aftercare

Every Nexus program, statewide

Explore residential programs by condition.

Start with the concern that matches your daughter, then read what treatment involves for families who live near you. Every program runs through one clinical team.

Conditions treated, ages 12 to 17
8
Arizona cities our families come from
15
Residences, girls
2
Admissions line, every day
24 /7

Nexus Teen Academy's licensed residential care serves teenagers 12 to 17, covering eating disorders, ADHD, depression, anxiety, substance use, bipolar disorder, self-harm, trauma and PTSD, and suicidal ideation. A girl whose main concern is food and weight stays at our Cave Creek home, where every resident is a girl. For Desert Hills parents and those farther out, we sort out directions, travel and family sessions held face to face or over a secure video link.

Depression care, statewide

Eating disorder treatment for girls in nearby cities

Families in every city listed below have daughters in treatment in Cave Creek. Open one to read about that drive, carrying meal support into home life, school re-entry, and the questions parents from there raise.

More conditions treated at Nexus Teen Academy

Open any condition to read its statewide guide, then check nearby city pages for what the drive and visits involve.

Your town isn't here? That changes nothing about admission: girls come from all over the state and beyond. Ring (480) 485-3424 and we will explain directions to Cave Creek and every admission step.