Residential Services


Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTFs)

PRTFs provide 24-hour highly structured services for children and youth between ages 6-17 who are severely emotionally disturbed.  Licensed by HCQC and accredited by CARF, services are provided by Medicaid-credentialed staff and include:

  • Psychiatric oversight
  • Comprehensive psychological assessment, psychiatric evaluation and medication management
  • Individual, family, and group psychoeducation and therapy, interactive parent training, guided family visits, recreation therapy, milieu therapy, and crisis intervention
  • Child and Family Team Meetings (CFTs) that include the Primary Behavioral Health Provider and essential members of each youth's support network
  • Coordination of care, and warm handoffs with community-based services
  • Behavior therapy services
  • Nursing services

Our objective is to help youth who have behavioral, emotional, psychiatric and/or psychological disorders or conditions, who are no longer appropriate for an acute level of care, or who cannot effectively respond to services from a less restrictive setting. Facilities are staff-secured, and average length of stay is around 90 days. Youth must meet Medicaid guidelines, summarized in the DCFS PRTF Brochure available below. Referrals can be made by completing the Nevada DCFS PRTF Residential Admissions Committee Referral Form (available below) and emailing the form to DCFS-PRTF.Referrals@dcfs.nv.gov. Availability of services based on current census, staff capacity, and program capabilities. 

Desert Willow Treatment Center (SNCAS)

Desert Willow Treatment Center is a licensed 32-bed psychiatric hospital accredited by the Joint Commission that provides mental health treatment to children throughout the state. The facility consists of one acute psychiatric unit (8 beds) serving children 12-17 years of age, and 2 residential units, 12 beds each. These programs provide psychiatric care to the highest need youth in the most secure setting in the state. Many of the youth served present risks to themselves and/or their community. The services include:

  • Crisis intervention and stabilization
  • Individual, family, and group therapies and behavior management
  • Clinical case management
  • Psychological evaluation and consultation
  • Psychiatric evaluation and medication management
  • Nursing care
  • Recreational therapy
  • Special education through the Clark County School District
  • PRTF Map 2