Why Choose
Academics West?
Selecting a specialized school can be a challenging and oftentimes emotional for families. Simply, it can be confusing to figure out what level of care each program is able to provide. Academics West is accredited both academically and therapeutically, which reflects the high standards of care we are dedicated to. Each student’s schedule includes a minimum of five support services each week and family support are an integral component of our model. Our counselor to student ratio is on average 1:5 (16 counselors on site for a maximum of 75 students) ensuring all students benefit from direct and consistent care.
What Makes AW A High Support School?
Many schools define themselves as therapeutic because counseling is available, however it is on a need-by-need basis. At Academics West, counseling is integral and all of our students engage in a variety of modalities. We are structured as a “therapeutic milieu” meaning, the way we structure the environment and train all our staff is intended to support prosocial behavior among our students. It is our goal to help students rehearse critical social emotional skills throughout the school to optimize their progress.
Counseling is a requirement for all students and is conducted solely by licensed mental health professionals with a minimum of two years of experience. This level of certification also indicates that family counseling is an integral part of the program. Academics West, therefore, provides traditional academic support and remediation while also offering a wide array of interventions. Students benefit from individual and group counseling, family counseling, art therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy in an integrated collaborative care model.
Clinically Informed Academics®
