- Joint Commission accredited
- Two AZ centers
- Ages 12 to 17
- Admissions 24/7
Residential treatment for teen suicidal ideation in Arizona.
When a teen's suicidal thoughts keep returning, the level of care between a weekly therapist and a hospital bed is residential treatment. Nexus Teen Academy treats persistent suicidal ideation in adolescents 12 to 17 across Arizona, with C-SSRS risk assessment, a written safety plan, daily therapy, and awake supervision every hour. If your teen is in immediate danger, call or text 988 first.
- Free & confidential · No obligation · (480) 485-3424
- 4.7 Google · 37 reviews
- AZDHS-licensed residential facility
- Most major private insurance accepted
- Free consultation
- Counselor online now
Wherever in Arizona you're calling from, share where to reach you and a licensed admissions counselor calls back, usually within minutes. We'll talk through fit, coverage, and next steps. No pressure.
- It's now where you are · typical callback under 10 minutes.
- Secure, private, and HIPAA-protected. By submitting you agree to be contacted about care; message/data rates may apply.
- 4.7 Google · 37 reviews
- Joint Commission accredited
Every credential is independently verifiable. Joint Commission · AZDHS registry · LegitScript.


Joint Commission accreditedAZDHS-licensed · LegitScript certifiedAbout Nexus Teen Academy
Arizona teen suicidal ideation treatment center.
Nexus Teen Academy is a licensed, Joint Commission-accredited residential provider treating teens with persistent suicidal ideation across Arizona. Our live-in program is the subacute level between weekly outpatient therapy and a psychiatric hospital, for adolescents 12 to 17 whose suicidal thoughts continue despite outpatient care or a recent discharge. Every admission includes C-SSRS risk assessment at intake and through the stay, a safety plan each teen helps author, daily skills-based and cognitive therapy, and staff awake in the home overnight. Boys are treated in North Scottsdale and girls in Cave Creek. In immediate danger, call or text 988.
Two gender-separate residences in the Phoenix metro, North Scottsdale for boys and Cave Creek for girls, deliver clinician-led care with C-SSRS screening at intake and awake staff through every night. This is not a locked psychiatric unit and not a crisis line; it is a licensed Arizona home built for safety, with secured medications and clear sightlines, at the level after or instead of a hospital stay. AZDHS-licensed, Joint Commission accredited, and LegitScript certified.
Nexus Teen Academy provides residential treatment for teen suicidal ideation in Arizona for ages 12 to 17. Teens live in a licensed home in North Scottsdale (boys) or Cave Creek (girls) 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.
North Scottsdale
Boys, 12 to 17 · Phoenix metro
Cave Creek
Girls, 12 to 17 · Phoenix metro
Accredited Arizona centers
Ages we treat, gender-separate
Awake clinical staff, every hour
A primary therapist, by name
Secure form · About 2 minutes · Free, no obligation
Our admissions team will reach out to you soon. Here’s what happens next:
- An admissions counselor contacts you, free and confidential
- If you asked about coverage, we check your benefits with your insurer
- You get honest answers and clear next steps, with no obligation
Where residential care fits: IOP, PHP or residential
The subacute level between weekly therapy and a hospital bed.
Therapy once or a few times a week. Your teen stays home and at school.
Live-in clinical care with 24/7 awake staff, daily therapy, and accredited school, in a real home.
You are hereShort-term acute stabilization for immediate medical or safety crisis.
| Question | Intensive outpatient (IOP) | Partial hospitalization (PHP) | Residential (RTC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | A step down from PHP, or a starting point for teens who need more than weekly therapy | A step down from residential care, or a starting point for teens who need structure without 24/7 care | Teens who need 24/7 care in a safe, immersive setting |
| Where your teen sleeps | At home | At home each evening | A licensed, home-like residence with 24/7 awake staff |
| Weekly schedule | About 4 hours a day (10:30 to 2:30 or 1:00 to 5:00), 3 to 4 days a week | Several days a week, multiple hours a day | Daily therapy, with care around the clock |
| Typical length | 30 to 90+ days | 30 to 90 days | 30 to 60 days |
| School | Stays in school; IOP is therapy-focused, with no academic support | Daily schoolwork time in a classroom, with educators on staff | Accredited, credit-bearing classes on site |
| Family | Weekly individual therapy and family counseling every other week | Family therapy sessions included | Weekly 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 teamThe program
What our teen suicidal ideation program includes
Every teen admitted for suicidal ideation follows the same safety-first plan at both Arizona centers: C-SSRS risk assessment at intake and on a re-screening cadence, a written safety plan the teen co-authors rather than receives, daily therapy in place of a single weekly hour, and awake supervision that removes the unsupervised nights where risk concentrates.
C-SSRS risk assessment
The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale at intake, then on a set re-screening cadence, so any change in a teen's risk is measured rather than guessed.
Collaborative safety plan
A written, stepwise plan the teen helps author: personal warning signs, coping steps, and the people and professionals to reach, updated as treatment moves forward.
Daily skills-based therapy
Individual sessions and skills groups every day, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and the coping tools that can answer a suicidal thought in the moment it arrives.
Group skills & connection
Small groups where teens practice coping skills and rebuild connection, so the isolation that feeds suicidal thinking is treated directly alongside the individual work.
Family therapy & means safety
Weekly sessions, in person or by secure video, that rebuild communication and send parents home with a concrete plan for securing medications, firearms, and other lethal means.
Psychiatric & medication care
The depression, trauma, or anxiety driving the ideation is treated directly; if medication is worth considering, the reasoning is explained and monitored, never rushed.
Accredited academics
Daily accredited classes with transferable credit continue on-site, at a workload matched to each teen's clinical status, so recovery does not cost the school year.
Discharge & 90-day safety plan
The highest-risk weeks come right after intensive care ends, so discharge is planned as treatment: the safety plan travels home, follow-ups are booked, and the first 90 days are staged before the last day.
- Dual-diagnosis care, depression, anxiety, trauma, self-harm & substance use, together
Dual-diagnosis care
Conditions that drive suicidal thoughts: depression, trauma, anxiety, and self-harm.
Suicidal thoughts are rarely the whole picture; an underlying condition is almost always driving them. Treated in isolation, the thoughts return. Nexus Teen Academy treats the ideation and its driver together, so the safety a teen builds actually holds.
Treating the suicidal thoughts without treating what drives them is why the crisis keeps coming back.Nexus Teen Academy treats the ideation and its underlying condition, depression, trauma, anxiety, or self-harm, under one integrated plan, dual-diagnosis care with a single clinical team in one Arizona residence.
Primary focus · Suicidal ideation
Everything below is treated in the same plan, by the same team.
Teen anxiety treatment
The alarm that never switches off.
Teen substance abuse treatment
Self-medication that took over.
Teen self-harm treatment
Safety-planned and monitored.
Safety firstTeen ADHD treatment
Focus, impulse control, school.
Teen depression treatment
Withdrawal and mood collapse.
Teen bipolar disorder treatment
Mood swings that need a diagnosis.
Teen behavioral issues treatment
Defiance, aggression, running.
Teen trauma & PTSD treatment
Flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance.
Teen ODD treatment
Arguing, defiance, constant conflict.
Teen anger issues treatment
Blow-ups that frighten the family.
- Whatever your teen is facing, care stays coordinated in one integrated plan, one clinical team, and one residential setting.
The setting
See inside our Arizona teen residential home.
Two gender-separate residences in the Phoenix metro, boys in North Scottsdale and girls in Cave Creek, are licensed Arizona homes engineered for safety without the institutional feel: clear sightlines, secured medications and personal items, and staff awake through every night. Comfort and constant supervision, in the same house.
Take a self-guided 3D walkthrough of the home
Life inside
A supervised day in suicidal ideation treatment.
Structure is part of keeping a teen safe. Every weekday at both Arizona centers follows the same rhythm, wake and safety check-in, school, therapy, movement, shared meals, and a fixed wind-down, with staff awake through the night. Predictability removes the unstructured moments where suicidal thoughts gain ground.
-
MorningHygiene, meds & breakfast
Hygiene and meds from 6:30 to 7:30, then breakfast from 7:30 to 8:00.
-
MorningGratitude 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.
-
MorningGroup therapy & lunch
Group therapy from 11:00 to 12:00, then lunch and mindfulness from 12:00 to 1:00.
-
AfternoonGroup therapy
Group therapy from 2:00 to 3:00, a snack at 3:00, then group therapy again from 3:15 to 4:00.
-
AfternoonMovement, 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.
-
EveningFree 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
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
Evidence-based therapies for teen suicidal ideation.
Nexus Teen Academy coordinates every evidence-based therapy into a single plan. Skills-based behavioral therapy carries the strongest randomized evidence for adolescents at high risk of suicide, and here it runs daily, alongside cognitive work on hopelessness, family therapy, and psychiatric care for the condition underneath.
Core therapies
1
Individual therapy. CBT & TF-CBT
Individual CBT and TF-CBT targeting negative thought patterns, low energy, and any underlying trauma.
Helps withthought spiralstrauma2
Group therapy & coping skills
Distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and mindfulness, practiced in peer groups.
Helps withself-harm urgesmood swings3
Family therapy, every week
Weekly family therapy that repairs communication and prepares the home your teen returns to.
Helps withthe home they return to
Supporting care, running alongside
Holistic & experiential
Art, movement, and mindfulness that rebuild motivation and self-worth.
energy & sleepself-worthPsychiatric & medication support
Prescriber-led evaluation; medication weighed case-by-case, explained in full, monitored closely.
treatment-resistant depressionAccredited academics
Accredited classes each weekday with credit coordination, so recovery and graduation progress together.
staying on track to graduate
Your teen's clinical team
Meet our licensed clinical team.
Every teen works with a named, credentialed clinician. Faces, roles, and licenses are shared before day one.
LPC, BC-TMHHannah Carr-Unquera
Executive Director
Leads the clinical program across both homes, licensed in Arizona and board certified in telemental health.
LCSW, DSWDr. Tyler White
Director of Adolescent Clinical Services
Sets the treatment plan each resident’s team works to, and supervises the clinicians who deliver it.
DNP, PMHNP-BCAlexandria Penner
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Runs psychiatric evaluation and medication management on-site, so prescribing stays inside the house.
House teamAshley Daniels
Director of Family Services & Education
Runs family services and education across both homes, after directing theatre and teen programs and building liberal-arts residential summer camps for Mount Holyoke College and Bryn Mawr College.
House teamJennifer 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.
House teamMelissa 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.
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Carol TrombinoTrustindex 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.![]()
Hemella SweattTrustindex 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.![]()
S HTrustindex 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.![]()
Amanda HayesTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
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.![]()
AlishaTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
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.![]()
Vanessa AnayaTrustindex 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.![]()
Sean HayesTrustindex 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.![]()
Zane BedfordTrustindex 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.![]()
lily hendersonTrustindex 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.![]()
Jasmine CarterTrustindex 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.Google rating score: 5.0 of 5, based on 23 reviews
★★★★★
“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.”
★★★★★
“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 →
★★★★★
“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 →
These come straight from our public Google Business Profile, anyone can read all 34 and add their own.
Getting started
How admission works, with safety decided first.
- You set the pace, with no pressure to decide
- Clear answers to every clinical and financial question
- An honest recommendation, even if another program is the better fit
1
- Today · 24/7
- ~15 minutes
One calm call
A licensed Nexus Teen Academy admissions counselor asks about intent, plan, and access to means first. Acute risk is routed straight to crisis care with our help; when the situation is subacute, the call continues to a structured evaluation. Free, confidential, and the safety triage happens on this call, not after it.
- What to have ready: nothing. Just call, questions are welcome, and there is no obligation.
2
- Same day
- Free & confidential
Coverage check
With your okay, we confirm your benefits straight with your private insurance plan, and translate the result into plain numbers: what is covered, what is not, and a realistic out-of-pocket, before any decision.
- What you get: your coverage answer, usually the same day, every option mapped, including in-network and out-of-network paths.
3
- Within 24 to 48 hrs
- Licensed clinicians
Clinical assessment
A licensed clinician administers the C-SSRS, maps ideation severity, its drivers, and protective factors, and states the indicated level of care, residential here, or acute care first if that is what the findings show.
- Your input matters: what you have seen at home is a key part of the clinical assessment.
4
- Within days
- Named coordinator
Plan the arrival
One coordinator manages logistics with you: the packing list, travel into Phoenix, school records for credit transfer, and how the first day will go.
- No surprises: you will have the packing list, schedule, and your coordinator's direct line in writing.
5
- Welcome day
- Never out of the loop
A gentle, planned arrival
Your teen meets the clinical team, settles into a prepared room, and begins their safety plan on the first day, with your first family update scheduled before you leave the driveway.
- From here: predictable days, weekly updates, and a team your teen knows by name.
Coverage & cost
Does insurance cover residential care for suicidal ideation?
Residential behavioral-health treatment for suicidal ideation and the conditions driving it is a covered benefit under most major commercial plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, and more. Nexus Teen Academy accepts most private insurance and returns your plan's specific answer, covered services, network status, and projected out-of-pocket, in writing before any decision. Free, confidential, and usually same-day.
- 1You send your plan detailsTwo required fields. Member ID optional. Takes about a minute.
- 2We verify with your insurer directlyIn-network or out-of-network, free and confidential, usually the same day.
- 3You get the number in plain EnglishYour exact out-of-pocket cost, explained before you commit to anything.
- Meritain
- UMR
- + more
Out-of-network or unsure about your plan? Call anyway, cost should never be the reason a teen doesn't get help.
- Free benefits check
See exactly what your plan covers for residential treatment, free, confidential, no obligation.
After discharge
Aftercare built for the highest-risk 90 days.
Because suicide risk concentrates in the weeks after intensive treatment ends, discharge is planned as a clinical event. The safety plan travels home in writing, follow-up appointments are booked before the last day, an outpatient provider near home takes a warm handoff, means safety is confirmed with parents, and school re-entry is staged with the district, whether home is the Valley, Tucson, Flagstaff, Prescott, or Yuma.
Answers
Teen suicidal ideation treatment FAQs
The questions families ask us most, answered plainly, centers, distance, insurance, licensing, and privacy.
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) 485-3424Safety & urgency
No, not first. A plan, stated intent, or an attempt is an emergency: call or text 988, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room now. Call us once your teen is stable, because coordinating the step-down from a hospital into residential care is exactly what we do.
Passive ideation is wishing to be gone without intent to act: wanting to sleep and not wake, feeling like a burden. Active ideation includes a method, plan, or intent. Both deserve a professional evaluation, and active ideation with plan or intent needs emergency care right away. Clinicians grade the difference with the C-SSRS.
No. Research consistently finds that asking directly about suicide does not raise risk and usually lowers distress, because it replaces secrecy with support. Ask plainly, listen without panic, and let the answer guide how urgently you act.
Staff stay awake in the home through the night, every night. Medications and personal items are secured, room checks follow each teen's clinical protocol, and common areas keep clear sightlines. That constant supervision is the structural difference between this level of care and home.
When residential care fits
When the thoughts persist or return despite weekly therapy, when a psychiatric hospitalization has just ended and an hour a week is not enough, or when supervision at home cannot realistically match the risk. Residential care supplies daily treatment and around-the-clock supervision at the level between outpatient and hospital.
No. These are licensed residential homes, not locked units: ordinary Arizona houses with clinical safety design, secured medications, clear sightlines, and awake staff around the clock. A teen in acute crisis belongs in hospital care first; we serve the subacute level after or instead of it, as the C-SSRS findings direct.
Yes, and that hand-off is a core use of this program. With your consent we coordinate with the discharging hospital, transfer records, and time the admission so the step-down is continuous rather than a gap. The months right after discharge carry the highest risk, which is exactly what structured step-down care is built for.
Skills-based behavioral therapy carries the strongest evidence: the largest randomized trial in high-risk adolescents found it outperformed supportive therapy, and a meta-analysis across 21 studies confirms it reduces suicidal ideation. Here it runs daily, alongside cognitive work on hopelessness, family therapy, and psychiatric care for the condition underneath.
Cost, logistics & privacy
Under most major commercial plans, yes: residential behavioral-health care is a covered benefit. Nexus Teen Academy accepts most private insurance and returns your plan's exact answer in writing, free and confidentially, and usually the same day.
Nexus Teen Academy runs two licensed homes in the Phoenix metro, boys in North Scottsdale (85260) and girls in Cave Creek (85331), within a day's drive of nearly every Arizona family. Both run the same clinical model for ages 12 to 17, admissions answers (480) 485-3424 around the clock, and family therapy continues by secure video when the drive is long.
Length of stay is set clinically, by the C-SSRS trajectory, skill progress, and family readiness, not by a fixed calendar. Discharge happens when the safety plan is rehearsed, the drivers are in active treatment, and the 90-day aftercare plan is booked.
No. Everything you share is protected health information under HIPAA, kept within the treating team, never sold, and never used for advertising.
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.
The statewide picture
Arizona teen mental health, by the numbers.
Suicidal thinking among Arizona teens is more common than most families realize, and for a growing number weekly outpatient therapy is not enough to keep a teen safe. The state’s own data shows why a middle level of care, residential treatment, exists.

4 in 10
Arizona high-schoolers reported their mental health was not good most or all of the time.
3 in 10
Seriously considered suicide, and about 1 in 10 attempted.
97%
Rise in adolescent depression diagnoses in Arizona, 2016–17 to 2020–21.
55%
Rise in anxiety diagnoses over the same period.
Arizona’s 988 and Teen Lifeline lines meet the emergency, but a crisis call is stabilization, not ongoing treatment.
Residential care is the step between outpatient therapy and the hospital, the middle is what has been missing.
Sources: Arizona Department of Health Services, Adolescent Mental Health Report; Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2021); National Survey of Children’s Health.
Talk to an Arizona counselor, 24/7Teen group home care for Arizona families
A teen group home in Arizona, with treatment inside the house.
Searching for a teen group home in Arizona? Teens from across the state live at one of our two gender-separate homes in North Scottsdale and Cave Creek, each licensed by AZDHS as a behavioral-health residential facility, so the treatment happens inside the house, not somewhere else.
A typical group home
- Licensed for shelter and supervision
- Daily living and structure
- Supervision, not clinical treatment
Nexus homes
- AZDHS behavioral-health residential licence
- Daily therapy and psychiatric care
- Accredited school on site
Families from the Phoenix metro 9 cities
Families from Greater Arizona 6 cities
Teens from each of these cities are treated at our two homes in North Scottsdale and Cave Creek. We help with the drive or flight, and families join weekly therapy in person or by secure video.
Across Arizona
Two Arizona centers, serving families statewide.
Both Nexus Teen Academy residences sit in the Phoenix metro (Maricopa County), so families from every corner of Arizona can reach accredited residential care and stay close to the process. Admissions are answered 24/7.
Two Phoenix-metro centers, statewide reach
Our boys center is in North Scottsdale and our girls center in Cave Creek, both in Maricopa County and within a day's reach of every Arizona family via I-10, I-17, and I-8.
Telehealth & travel, handled
Secure weekly family telehealth for families outside the metro, plus help coordinating travel into Phoenix Sky Harbor. Distance does not interrupt treatment.
Aftercare mapped to your community
Step-down and outpatient care lined up near home before discharge, plus a graded return to class with your own school district.
Nexus Teen Academy, Scottsdale · boys’ residence
Admissions 24/7
Nexus Teen Academy, Cave Creek · girls’ residence
Admissions 24/7

See a center on the map
Tap Cave Creek or Scottsdale below to load its interactive map right here.
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Explore each Nexus Teen Academy location
North Scottsdale, 85260 · off Loop 101
Saddle Mountain Rd, 85331 · 20 min north
Served from both centers
Travel, telehealth & aftercare
From the Nexus library
What parents read before they call us.
The newest articles from Nexus Teen Academy for parents weighing what comes next. This list updates itself every time a new article goes live.

Teen Xanax Addiction: Xanax Abuse in Teen Boys & Girls
The misuse of prescription drugs among teens continues to grow. According to recent statistics, 2.5% of 12- to 17-year-olds abuse prescriptions annually, while 7.1% of high
5 Best Self-Help Books for Teens
Adolescents often face significant academic, emotional, and social challenges. As you support them through the ups and downs
What to Do When Your Teen Refuses to Go to Treatment or Therapy
One of the most heartbreaking experiences a parent can undergo is watching their teenager struggle. It is even
Signs Your Teen Needs a Higher Level of Care Than Weekly Therapy
Teen mental health statistics can be worrying. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that roughly 49.5% of

How Caffeine Impacts Brain Development
Teens need roughly 8-10 hours of sleep for healthy brain development, which doesn’t always happen. For

Why Teen Boys With Trauma Often Target the Parent Who’s Trying Hardest to Help
Trauma and adverse childhood experiences can affect a child’s attachment, emotional regulation, and behavior toward caregivers.
Reading because something changed at home? Call (480) 485-3424 and talk it through with an Arizona admissions counselor. It is free, confidential and there is no obligation.
Every Nexus program, statewide
Find your teen’s program, wherever you live in Arizona.
Eleven conditions, one clinical team, and families from fifteen Arizona cities. Choose what your teen is struggling with, then see how care works for families from your area.
Nexus Teen Academy provides licensed residential treatment for teens aged 12 to 17 across eleven conditions: anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, self-harm, suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder, substance use, ADHD, behavioral issues, oppositional defiant disorder and anger issues. Boys live at the North Scottsdale residence and girls at the Cave Creek residence. Teens from 15 Arizona cities and the rest of the state are treated at these two residences, with drive-time guidance, travel help and family therapy by secure video for families outside the metro.
Suicidal ideation care, statewide
Teen suicidal ideation treatment for families across Arizona
Teens from each city below are treated at our Scottsdale and Cave Creek residences. We walk families through the drive, school re-entry with your home district, and the questions parents from that area ask most.
Each condition leads to its Arizona guide, and the cities beside it show how care works for families from there.
Tell an admissions counselor what you are seeing at home, and they will say plainly which program fits.
Your city is not listed? We admit teens from anywhere in Arizona and from out of state. Call (480) 485-3424 and we will tell you which residence is closer and how the drive works.


