Momentum for Health works with youth and young adults coping with heavy challenges. Some are involved in the criminal justice system, and others are unhoused or at risk of being so. Some clients have several mental health conditions and haven’t had good results with past treatment.

We’re here to help. Momentum for Health’s experienced team offers rapid, short-term treatment and support to help youth and young adults:

  • Meet their most pressing behavioral health needs  
  • Handle sudden episodes of mental illness
  • Create a stable life amid mental health concerns
  • Set and meet academic goals
  • Build skills to live independently
  • See adulthood in a positive light

Our team approach includes case managers, psychiatrists, peer support counselors, addiction counselors, occupational therapists, and family advocates, all focused on the unique needs of youth and young adults.

Services for Transitional-Age Youth

We offer intensive programs for transitional-age youth—ages 16 to 25—with a diagnosed mental health condition. Our team delivers personalized treatment plans, group therapy, and life and relationship skills training.

Momentum’s “whatever it takes” recovery model focuses on each client as a whole person. Through these programs, youth and young adults regain hope, reconnect with the community, and take personal responsibility for making positive changes in their lives.

What to Expect:

The Drop-in Center is a safe, inclusive space for you to connect with your peers. You’ll have access to:

  • 1.

    You meet with a psychiatrist who specializes in youth and young adults to assess whether you need medication to manage symptoms. If so, we discuss your treatment options, answer your questions, and offer you a prescription.

  • 2.

    You also meet regularly with a clinical therapist for individual and/or family therapy. You can meet with your therapist in the community (for example, at your home, school, or library), or at Momentum for Health’s offices.

  • 3.

    In therapy, you practice setting goals and making decisions to create positive changes in your life. Your therapist uses a strengths-based approach that focuses on your gifts and abilities.

  • 4.

    Your case manager supports you throughout the program. They can help you with medication refills, appointments, school support, and employment services. Your case manager can also connect you with other services in Santa Clara County.

  • 5.

    Your peer support specialist provides a range of activities, including advocacy, coaching, modeling, mentoring, and self-assessment.

  • 6.

    You learn to build healthy relationships and natural supports that help you feel involved and comfortable in your community.

Who Is Eligible?

To be eligible for youth acute outpatient services, you must meet the following criteria:

  • You are between 14 and 25 years old.
  • You have had behavioral health-related crises, including multiple emergency psychiatric services/crisis residential visits, hospital stays, or repeated involvement with law enforcement.
  • You have active Medi-Cal, Medicare, or no insurance. (We can’t accept private insurance.)
  • You have parental/guardian consent for treatment if you are under 18 years of age.

Step by Step

  • 1.

    Contact the Santa Clara County Call Center at (800) 704-0900 for a referral.

  • 2.

    After a brief phone screening to assess whether you qualify for care, you’ll be referred to Momentum for Health.

  • 3.

    Our intake team meets with you to review your information and evaluate your needs. Everything you share remains 100% confidential.

  • 4.

    A licensed staff member determines whether you’re medically eligible.

  • 5.

    If you’re eligible, you and your family are paired with an outpatient team to create your customized treatment plan, which may include medication, therapy, and other services.

Certification Information

Our team approach includes mental health rehabilitation case managers, psychiatrists, peer support specialists, addiction counselors, occupational therapists, and family advocates, and employment specialists all focused on the unique needs of youth and young adults.

Outcome

Our programs reach youth who are vulnerable and at risk for unmet mental health needs, so we can break the cycle of crisis. Early intervention can help clients build the skills to cope with mental illness throughout their lives. Targeted, appropriate treatment can also decrease the chance of future poverty, homelessness, and involvement with the criminal justice system.

Take the Next Step

If you’re interested in youth acute outpatient services for yourself or a loved one, call (800) 704-0900 to start the referral process.

Day in the Life

As a client in youth acute outpatient services, you work closely with a team that listens and supports you. We work with you to build skills and confidence, so that whatever you do in life, you can carry a sense of hope. You talk with your therapist and case manager about:

  • How to manage mental health symptoms
  • How to handle stressors, like school bullying or conflicts with family and friends
  • Goals you’d like to set
  • What you want your future to look like
  • Whether you want to go to college

You can also visit our Drop-In Center, which offers programs and classes each weekday just for our clients.