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Waco Center for Youth

3501 North 19th Street
Waco, TX 76708
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About Waco Center for Youth

This state operated facility is for kids ages 13 to 17 who have behavioral health struggles like co-occurring addictions and mental illnesses. Note that this is not a dedicated addiction rehab but their services are more generalized for behavioral health so it’s primarily for kids with addiction who have other behavioral health needs, too.

During your child’s program, they’ll have a personalized treatment plan that’s tailored to their needs. The program as a whole focuses on guiding teens in recovery while also identifying and harnessing their strengths. It’s not just about trying to stop your child from a behavior but also trying to replace that behavior with positive fulfillment elsewhere.

Your child will have individual therapy and group therapy throughout their program. They’ll learn social skills and other life skills too like self regulation. The facility also has more unique therapies and activities like equine therapy and a challenge course. Your family will be highly involved along the way too with family therapy sessions.

Of course, this is a long term recovery center so your child may be here for several months. Don’t worry about their education suffering because during their treatment they’ll continue their education through the Axtell Independent School District.

I should note that you cannot apply for admission to this state facility on your own. Your child has to be referred by a local mental health authority or state hospital or by Child Protective Services.

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Fact checked and written by:
Nikki Wisher, BA
Edited by:
Courtney Myers, MS

Latest Reviews

Caity McMahon
1 month ago on Google
1
DO NOT SEND YOUR KIDS HERE!!!!! Lies lies and more lies this place will only hurt your child more in no way help them not a safe place
Sprinkles
1 month ago on Google
1
I went here in 2024 and i was in san saba just got there in november and it was great well a few weeks later i got sexually harassed and they did nothing about it they let your kids date there and i this place has alot of cool stuff but if i'm being honest this place didn't help me at all they dont do anything if they dont want to deal with you they will send you to jail
Maddox Hernandez
1 month ago on Google
3
I was here in 1/13/25-8/4/25 with a level 4 I did good but there were a lot of weird kids there in the Trinity unit except for 4 kids out of 10 and some kids try to bring your level down all the way to a 1 and being a level 1 sucks but there were good staff like Rick Houston, Bruce Nichols, Shawn donihoo and clement omoh, have staff activities were awesome like a trip to a rangers game for example and a Baylor bears game but the reason I gave it a 3 star is because just too many code whites,ert,yellows or crises in general
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Rehab Score

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Scoring is assigned by a proprietary system which helps surface key metrics that determine quality. The 10-point scale factors in categories such as operations, customer satisfaction, and trust metrics. Read Full MethodologyCaret icon
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5.9 / 10

Accepted Insurance

Please contact to verify your specific insurance provider.

Waco Center for Youth works with several private insurance providers, please contact to verify your specific insurance provider.

Other Forms of Payment

Private insurance refers to any kind of healthcare coverage that isn't from the state or federal government. This includes individual and family plans offered by an employer or purchased from the Insurance Marketplace. Every plan will have different requirements and out of pocket costs so be sure to get the full details before you start treatment.

Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.

Financial aid can take many forms. Centers may have grants or scholarships available to clients who meet eligibility requirements. Programs that receive SAMHSA grants may have financial aid available for those who need treatment as well. Grants and scholarships can help you pai for treatment without having to repay.

Sliding scale payments are based on a client's income and family size. The goal is to make treatment affordable to everyone. By taking these factors into account, addiction recovery care providers help ensure that your treatment does not become a financial burden to you or your family, eliminating one barrier to care.

Medicaid is a state based program that helps lower-income individuals and families pay for healthcare. Medicaid covers addiction treatment so those enrolled can use their coverage to pay for rehab. When a program accepts Medicaid the client often pays very little or nothing out of their own pocket.

Medicare is a federal program that provides health insurance for those 65 and older. It also serves people under 65 with chronic and disabling health challenges. To use Medicare for addiction treatment you need to find a program that accepts Medicare and is in network with your plan. Out of pocket costs and preauthorization requirements vary, so always check with your provider.

Addiction Treatments

Levels of Care

Residential treatment programs are those that offer housing and meals in addition to substance abuse treatment. Rehab facilities that offer residential treatment allow patients to focus solely on recovery, in an environment totally separate from their lives. Some rehab centers specialize in short-term residential treatment (a few days to a week or two), while others solely provide treatment on a long-term basis (several weeks to months). Some offer both, and tailor treatment to the patient's individual requirements.

Treatments

Mental health rehabs focus on helping individuals recover from mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, clinical depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and more. Mental health professionals at these facilities are trained to understand and treat mental health issues, both in individual and group settings.

Programs

Teen programs are designed to address the unique pressures teens face, pressures that can drive them to experiment with dangerous, addictive substances. They need programs that meet them exactly where they are and give them tools for long-term recovery. Therapy can help teenagers understand and work through underlying issues so they can reclaim the life ahead of them.

Clinical Services

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapy modality that focuses on the relationship between one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is used to establish and allow for healthy responses to thoughts and feelings (instead of unhealthy responses, like using drugs or alcohol). CBT has been proven effective for recovering addicts of all kinds, and is used to strengthen a patient's own self-awareness and ability to self-regulate. CBT allows individuals to monitor their own emotional state, become more adept at communicating with others, and manage stress without needing to engage in substance abuse.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modified form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a treatment designed to help people understand and ultimately affect the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. DBT is often used for individuals who struggle with self-harm behaviors, such as self-mutilation (cutting) and suicidal thoughts, urges, or attempts. It has been proven clinically effective for those who struggle with out-of-control emotions and mental health illnesses like Borderline Personality Disorder.

Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.

In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.

Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.

Whether a marriage or other committed relationship, an intimate partnership is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Drug and alcohol addiction affects both members of a couple in deep and meaningful ways, as does rehab and recovery. Couples therapy and other couples-focused treatment programs are significant parts of exploring triggers of addiction, as well as learning how to build healthy patterns to support ongoing sobriety.

Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.

Nutrition therapy, aka medical nutrition therapy (MNT), is a way of treating physical, emotional, and medical conditions through diet. Specific dietary plans are designed by professional nutritionists or registered dietitians, and patients follow them in order to positively affect their physical and mental health.

Experiential therapy is a form of therapy in which clients are encouraged to surface and work through subconscious issues by engaging in real-time experiences. Experiential therapy departs from traditional talk therapy by involving the body, and having clients engage in activities, movements, and physical and emotional expression. This can involve role-play or using props (which can include other people). Experiential therapy can help people process trauma, memories, and emotion quickly, deeply, and in a lasting fashion, leading to substantial and impactful healing.

When used as recommended, nicotine replacement therapy in Texas provides enough nicotine to help you avoid severe cravings and withdrawal symptoms after quitting smoking. This increases comfort so you're less likely to relapse into your smoking habit.

Addiction recovery treatment in Texas will offer recreational therapy in a holistic approach to treatment. Therapy incorporates enjoyable activities that support your physical and mental health, such as team sports, creative arts, or individual sports. This activity gives you an emotional outlet, reduces your stress, and improves your mood, each of which promotes long term sobriety.

equine-therapy iconEquine Therapy

Amenities

  • weight iconGym

Staff

Maurice McCreary Jr.COO

Trey Wood

CFO

Sylvia Hernandez Kauffman

CIO

Kate Hendrix

Chief of Staff

Contact Information

Building icon

3501 North 19th Street
Waco, TX 76708

Explore Other Centers Near Waco

Reviews of Waco Center for Youth

3.44/5 (61 reviews)
2
Staff
3
Amenities
0
Meals
1
Value
3
Cleanliness
5
28
4
6
3
7
2
5
1
16

Reviews

1
Parent involvement

Our experience has been, parents are an unwanted nuisance. Our daughter who is mentally ill with behavior problems has been put in charge. She has many labels with ODD being always present. 17 years old and everyone must conform to her wants. Do not try to get answers, ... Read More

Susan R.
Reviewed on 4/10/2025
Staff
2
Amenities
3
Meals
0
Value
1
Cleanliness
3
3

it was okay i was on the red river and they were always on a locked unit BC people would not stop running away i felt so trapped they were getting ready to take out the level system and i left 10-30-19 and i felt happy but since i have been home i have been crying to talk to ... Read More

Reviewed on 11/7/2019
5

While my stay at (Waco center for youth) I loved it at the end of my stay but at first I did not like any thing about the place but the more a stayed the more I learned new things life skills and peer communication (talking to peers) I reccomend if your child has any probl ... Read More

Reviewed on 7/1/2019
Overall Experience
Date Submitted
Reviewer

Google Reviews

3.4655172413793 (58 reviews)
Caity McMahon
1 month ago
1

DO NOT SEND YOUR KIDS HERE!!!!! Lies lies and more lies this place will only hurt your child more in no way help them not a safe place

Sprinkles
1 month ago
1

I went here in 2024 and i was in san saba just got there in november and it was great well a few weeks later i got sexually harassed and they did nothing about it they let your kids date there and i this place has alot of cool stuff but if i'm being honest this place didn't help me at all they dont do anything if they dont want to deal with you they will send you to jail

Maddox Hernandez
1 month ago
3

I was here in 1/13/25-8/4/25 with a level 4 I did good but there were a lot of weird kids there in the Trinity unit except for 4 kids out of 10 and some kids try to bring your level down all the way to a 1 and being a level 1 sucks but there were good staff like Rick Houston, Bruce Nichols, Shawn donihoo and clement omoh, have staff activities were awesome like a trip to a rangers game for example and a Baylor bears game but the reason I gave it a 3 star is because just too many code whites,ert,yellows or crises in general

Reid Flanagan
2 months ago
1

Very rude office staff

Overall Experience
Date Submitted
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