Behavioral Health Services
Family Wellness Unit
Mental and Behavioral Health Services.
La Maestra’s Family Wellness Unit (FWU) began
providing services in 2004.
The objective of the FWU is to provide linguistically and
culturally competent mental and behavioral health services
focused on community education, prevention and early
intervention and treatment, and to overcome stigmas and
dispel myths of mental illness as well as post traumatic
shock syndrome for victims of torture.
The FWU is staffed with three full time licensed
Marriage and Family Therapists, two full time licensed
psychologists, one part time psychiatrist, a Comprehensive
Perinatal Health Worker, a Mental Health Coordinator and a
receptionist, who are
culturally representative of the targeted patient population
and are fluent in Spanish, Sudanese, Nuer in addition to
English. All
promotional and educational materials are translated into
the appropriate languages as needed.
The FWU works closely with and receives referrals from the
San Diego Access and Crisis Line, the court system, local
Child Protection Services (CPS) agencies, Survivors of
Torture, and the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition (for
victims of human trafficking).
La Maestra’s psychologists are TERM (Treatment and
Evaluation Resource Management Program)-approved counselors
and receive referrals from the County Health and Human
Services Agency for CPS, the courts, and the welfare
department for mandated counseling.
The FWU also provides psychological support for
pregnant females and their families during pregnancy,
including psychosocial assessment focusing on potential
causes of stress that could impact pregnancy, birth outcomes
and postpartum behavioral health; and individual, couple and
family therapy as needed.
Uninsured patients are screened for eligibility to
participate in one of the four programs the clinic operates
through its contract with the Council of Community Clinics:
IMPACT (Improving
Mood-Promoting Access to Collaborative Treatment),
SED (Severely
Emotionally Disturbed),
SMI (Severely
Mentally Ill), and
TERM (Treatment and
Evaluation Resource Management) Program.
For the past four years the FWU has provided an internship
program for students from local universities’ psychology,
social work and marriage and family therapy programs.
The clinic provides two internships per year although
no health insurance or other program reimburses the services
provided by interns of the supervision provided to them.
La Maestra has chosen to absorb the cost in order to
support this valuable service.
For general program or treatment related questions call:
Diana Alvarez, Unit Coordinator
Location:
4060 Fairmount Avenue
San Diego, CA 92105
Tel: 619-564-8765
Fax: 619-564-8786
Hours: Monday through Friday
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday (by appointment only)
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Services
Languages: English and Spanish. Services in other languages are provided with an interpreter.
The Family Wellness Unit provides culturally competent services including but not limited to:
Counseling for pregnant women and their families. Psycho-social services to pregnant and postnatal women as a part of the Comprehensive Perinatal Service Program. Individual and group sessions are available. Spouses/partners are encouraged to attend.
Mental Health services to children, adolescents and adults. Individual family and group psychotherapy. Psychiatric evaluation and medication management. Support group for Depression and Anxiety made possible by the California Department of Justice, Antitrust Law Section. Referrals to other community agencies are made if needed.
The Family Wellness Unit provides La Maestra’s patients with publications from the National Institute of Mental Health in Spanish and English. These materials address clinical conditions such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, social phobia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Our services are provided by culturally competent licensed clinicians that have many years of experience in the field:
Lorena Aguila, PhD
Berenice Ibanez, PhD
Luis Zapata, PhD
Linda Gallegos, MFT
Jorge Naranjo, MD
Payment options include Medi-Cal, sliding fee scale based on monthly family income, or funding from MHSA.