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Teen Mental Health Treatment in Arizona

Counselors online nowJoint Commission accredited · AZDHS licensedCave Creek, AZ

Sexual trauma treatment for teen girls near Black Canyon City, AZ.

A report that is still open, or an investigation that has barely started, is not a reason to put her healing on hold. Black Canyon City has few trauma specialists who see teenagers, so families here often look south. Nexus Teen Academy treats girls ages 12 to 17 in a state-licensed Cave Creek home, forty-five to fifty-five minutes down I-17, while the legal side proceeds without us.

Talk with a licensed counselor

Give us a number; a licensed counselor from admissions phones back, generally within minutes, to go over her situation, any open case, insurance, and what beginning care would involve.

Licensed in Arizona. Accredited nationally. Independently verified.
The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval for Nexus Teen Academy
Arizona Department of Health Services licensed residential treatment facility seal
LegitScript certified seal for Nexus Teen Academy
Verified by Psychology Today badge
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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
A girls-only home down I-17Well under an hour for Black Canyon City, with encrypted video for busy weeks.

About Nexus Teen Academy

About Nexus Teen Academy's sexual trauma program for girls.

Nexus Teen Academy runs a licensed live-in program where a single clinical team guides teenage girls through recovery once sexual abuse or assault has happened. Its Cave Creek house, carrying Joint Commission accreditation, sits on open desert and admits girls ages 12 to 17 only. We do not gather evidence or question witnesses; advocates and detectives carry that work. Our job is narrower and more personal: her sleep, her fear, the shame she carries, and slowly feeling safe again.

After a recent assault, any exam or forensic interview is done first, by hospital staff, advocates or officers, never by our staff. Admissions books her arrival around those appointments. Credentials: AZDHS-licensed, Joint Commission accredited, LegitScript certified.

In short

Nexus Teen Academy provides residential treatment for teen sexual trauma for families from Black Canyon City, Arizona, for ages 12 to 17. Girls live in a licensed home in Cave Creek with daily trauma-focused 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

Inside our sexual trauma treatment program for teen girls.

Individual therapy, coping drills, classes and family meetings run from one written plan in a house of girls. None of it waits on a verdict or a detective's schedule. Every week her team checks progress, and her readiness, rather than a court calendar, decides the next move.

Intake that is not an interview

Symptoms, sleep, safety and history are reviewed clinically, so intake never becomes one more round of retelling events for her.

Legal and medical steps first

Exams and any forensic interview belong to hospitals, advocates or police; admissions plans her start date once those are done.

Weekday sessions, one clinician

One named, licensed therapist works with her each weekday, starting TF-CBT or EMDR only after grounding skills have taken hold.

Calming drills, daily

Breathing and grounding drills practiced daily, so a nightmare or news about the case meets steps she has rehearsed many times.

Drive down or log on

Weekly family therapy, in Cave Creek or over encrypted video, plus a Saturday parent session about triggers and rebuilding trust.

On-site psychiatric care

Our prescriber reviews medicines for sleep, low mood, anxiety or PTSD symptoms, and asks you before adjusting anything.

Credits while she heals

Weekday classes that earn credit, taught by a certified teacher, so weeks away from her usual school need not cost her the year.

Planning for a small town

Step-down care, the closest outpatient help with trauma training, and written steps for coping and staying safe, arranged before she comes home.

Integrated care

Conditions we treat alongside sexual trauma.

The NIMH adolescent survey counted PTSD at some stage of life for 8.0% of American teen girls between thirteen and eighteen. It rarely arrives alone: heavy moods, anxiety attacks, eating shifts, drinking or vaping, and self-injury often follow, and none of them pause because a case is pending.

In Cave Creek, a single team handles the trauma plus whatever grew on top of it, through one plan. For a small community up I-17, that spares parents from stitching together several specialists, each one a long drive in a different direction.

Healing can begin before a case closes

The setting

A licensed residential setting for teen girls.

Home for her stay is a plain, lived-in house on Cave Creek desert acreage, forty-five to fifty-five minutes by freeway from Black Canyon City. Nobody but girls lives there. Rooms for sleeping and washing are theirs alone, the daily rhythm hardly changes, overnight staff keep awake on every shift, and AZDHS licenses the building.

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

A typical day in residential sexual trauma treatment.

Nights tend to weigh most, above all when an interview or hearing sits on the week's calendar. So evenings get extra scaffolding: the same unhurried adults, the same steps, the same calm answers, until her body learns rest is allowed again.

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

How we treat sexual trauma in teen girls.

Research on sexually abused children and teens favors TF-CBT above other approaches, while EMDR appears in WHO guidance for PTSD. In TF-CBT her narrative is written slowly, for her own healing, kept inside therapy and apart from the legal process, and only once she feels ready.

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

    Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT)

    Grounding skills come before any narrative work, and her narrative stays inside therapy, separate from the legal process.

    Helps withskills, then storyher pace
  • Teens supporting each other in a group therapy session2

    EMDR

    Bilateral stimulation lets painful memories reprocess so reminders hit with less force. Starts only after she stabilizes.

    Helps withless forceafter stabilizing
  • A weekly family therapy session with parents and a clinician3

    Emotion-regulation and distress-tolerance skills

    Breathing, grounding and distress-tolerance tools rehearsed daily for moments when a case update lands hard.

    Helps withdaily rehearsalcase-day plans

Supporting care, running alongside

  • Healthy relationships and body safety

    Girls-only circles on consent, boundaries and trust, a safe room to relearn what feels right with other people.

    consenttrust
  • Family therapy and parent group

    Family sessions weekly, in person after the I-17 drive or over encrypted video, plus a Saturday meeting just for parents.

    drive or videoSaturday parents
  • Equine, art and experiential

    Friday hours with horses, and time for painting or music, give her body ways to settle without needing to talk.

    horses, Fridayscreative work
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.

A named primary therapist with a license and trauma training leads her treatment, working with our on-site prescriber and residential staff who become familiar faces. You can look up every Arizona license shown here before you ever make the drive.

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

What Arizona families say about Nexus Teen Academy.

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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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

The admission process, 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

During the first call, a licensed counselor asks what has shifted in her behavior, if she is safe at this moment, whether anyone has filed a report or opened an investigation, whether the individual who harmed her can still get in touch, plus symptoms and past care, and will say plainly whether residential treatment fits.

2

Coverage check

With your permission we look up residential behavioral-health benefits, confirm network standing and estimate what you would owe. The mental-health part of a policy is where trauma treatment gets billed, and we explain how yours handles it, usually within hours.

3

Clinical assessment

Her assessment, by a licensed clinician, covers mood, sleep, safety, psychiatric history and earlier care, and touches the trauma only to the depth she picks. It is clinical, not investigative, and never repeats a forensic interview; pending cases and medical needs are scheduled around.

4

Plan the arrival

One coordinator sees to medical clearance, the I-17 trip, school records and medications, and tells you what to pack and leave behind for safety, and shares where she is staying only with people you name.

5

A gentle, planned arrival

Introductions to her team, time to settle into her room and the other girls, and a date for family session one, all before you begin the drive north.

Coverage & cost

Insurance coverage for sexual trauma treatment

Residential trauma care falls under behavioral-health coverage in most major private plans, and Nexus Teen Academy accepts most of those insurers. For families coming down from Black Canyon City, we confirm benefits and whether we are in network, free and privately, often that same day, and explain your probable out-of-pocket figure in everyday language before any decision.

  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

Check what your plan covers for a daughter's residential care, confidentially and free of charge.

HIPAA-protectedNo obligationNever sold or shared

After discharge

Step-down care and aftercare near Black Canyon City.

Finding trauma care around Black Canyon City takes time, so that search starts early. By discharge, count on a PHP or IOP option if it suits, the nearest outpatient therapist and prescriber trained in trauma we can locate, her written safety and coping steps, and a return to school in stages.

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

Answers

Frequently asked questions about sexual trauma treatment

Direct answers on starting care mid-case, the I-17 drive and privacy, written for parents in Black Canyon City.

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. When a near me search turns up nothing local, Black Canyon City families can turn to Nexus Teen Academy's Cave Creek residence, forty-five to fifty-five minutes down I-17, which treats girls ages 12 to 17. Admissions answers (480) 485-3424 any hour of any day.

Budget a bit under an hour southbound, forty-five to fifty-five minutes in normal traffic. Lots of parents drive down for weekly family therapy and visits, then use secure video when a job or younger children make the trip impossible that week.

Teen trauma specialists are thin on the ground in small I-17 communities. Statewide, 1 in 4 adolescents who sought mental-health care said access was very difficult or impossible. A residential stay gathers a full trauma team in one place for several weeks.

Yes, only girls ages 12 to 17 live there. Their bedrooms, washrooms and groups include no one else, which helps many feel safe enough to talk about boundaries and their own bodies.

Care & cost

In most cases, yes. Reports, investigations and forensic interviews remain with advocates and law enforcement; our clinicians do not conduct them. Admissions times her arrival around interviews or exams, and with your consent we coordinate so treatment and the case stay out of each other's way.

No. Therapy serves her healing, not an investigation. Nobody pushes her to disclose; she starts by learning to feel safe and cope, then chooses what to share, and when.

We plan for it with you: transport and timing, grounding practice beforehand, and extra support from her team when she gets back.

Residential trauma care is usually covered by major private insurers through the mental-health benefit, once they judge it medically necessary. Our benefits review is free and private, often done within hours, and we walk through the numbers before you commit.

Expect roughly 30 days or more, shaped by clinical markers. Ahead of discharge our team arranges partial hospitalization or IOP where helpful, the closest trauma-trained outpatient therapist and prescriber available, and a return to her school in stages.

Licensing & privacy

AZDHS licenses the home to provide behavioral-health care in a residential setting. On top of that come Joint Commission accreditation and LegitScript certification, and all three are public, so you can check them yourself.

HIPAA protects her records, which go only to those you authorize. Because clinicians are mandated reporters, a legally required report to protect a child is the sole exception, and they explain that at the outset.

Calls and visits happen only with people on your approved list, staff are awake overnight, and the fact that she is here is withheld from anyone you have not cleared, the person who harmed her included.

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.

Research context

Teen sexual trauma statistics parents should know

By CDC estimates, one in every four American girls is sexually abused in childhood, and many say nothing for months or years.

Aerial view of a Nexus Teen Academy residential center in Arizona

18%

Sexual violence within a single year was reported by 18% of teenage girls attending high school nationally (CDC YRBS, 2021).

14%

Having been physically forced into sex was reported by 14% of girls in the national high school survey (CDC YRBS, 2021).

8.0%

Lifetime PTSD affects 8.0% of 13-to-18-year-old girls in the United States (NIMH, NCS-A).

1 in 4

For 1 in 4 adolescents in Arizona who needed help with their mental health, getting it proved very difficult or impossible (AZDHS, 2026).

Many girls wait a long time to tell anyone, so a disclosure calls for calm support right away, whatever stage any case has reached.

For a small place like Black Canyon City, that statewide shortage often means no trauma specialist within easy reach.

Sources: CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary and Trends Report, 2011-2021; CDC, Fast Facts: Preventing Child Sexual Abuse; National Institute of Mental Health, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder statistics (National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement); Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona Adolescent Mental Health Report, 2026.

Residential care vs. a teen group home

The feel of a home, the structure of treatment.

Considering group homes after your daughter was sexually abused or assaulted? Girls from small towns and big cities alike stay in our Cave Creek house, where only girls reside and the state license covers behavioral-health care in a residential setting, so lessons, therapy and everyday routines share one secure setting.

A typical group home

Nexus homes

Families from the Phoenix metro 9 cities

Families from Greater Arizona 6 cities

Each town named below has had girls in treatment with us. We help families plan the I-17 drive or other routes, and mothers and fathers attend weekly family sessions on site or over encrypted video.

Across Arizona

From Black Canyon City to Cave Creek: travel and visits.

Cave Creek lies north of Phoenix and southeast of you. From Black Canyon City, take I-17 south and budget under an hour, workable for regular visits, with secure video covering weeks when the trip cannot happen. Admissions answers the phone day and night.

Forty-five to fifty-five minutes

Southbound from your town, the Cave Creek house sits forty-five to fifty-five minutes away by I-17, a realistic weekly trip, with video filling in on weeks when the drive cannot happen.

In person or secure video

Family therapy is held weekly, in person or by secure video. Plenty of parents alternate, driving down I-17 some weeks and logging on others when school runs or jobs get in the way.

Aftercare when specialists are scarce

We set up partial hospitalization or IOP when it helps, the nearest outpatient trauma therapist we can locate for Black Canyon City, and a stepwise return coordinated with her home school district.

Nexus Teen Academy, Cave Creek · girls’ residence

2695 E Saddle Mountain Rd, Cave Creek, AZ 85331

Admissions 24/7

See a center on the map

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Directions from Black Canyon City to Cave Creek

Cave Creek, under an hour by I-17

Saddle Mountain Rd, 85331 · 20 min north

New River, Anthem and nearby I-17 towns

Travel, telehealth & aftercare

Every Nexus program, statewide

Find the right program for your daughter.

One clinical team handles many conditions for girls statewide. Choose the problem your daughter is facing and see how treatment gets arranged for families close to you.

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 delivers state-licensed residential treatment for adolescents from 12 to 17, with programs for anxiety, sexual trauma, bipolar disorder, substance use, depression, ADHD, suicidal ideation, trauma and PTSD, self-harm, and eating disorders. Girls healing from sexual trauma stay at a Cave Creek house kept for girls alone, a bit under an hour south for Black Canyon City families, and households statewide get help with travel, route planning and family therapy on encrypted video.

Depression care, statewide

Nearby cities we serve for sexual trauma care

Each city here has sent girls to Cave Creek. Its page covers the route, keeping her safe once home, her return to that school district, and the worries parents there mention first.

Related teen treatment programs

Select a condition for its Arizona overview; the city links beside it describe treatment for families living there.

Your town is not on the list? It does not matter where in Arizona you live, and out-of-state girls are welcome too. Call (480) 485-3424 and our admissions team will cover the drive and every step of intake.