Teen Challenge

About Teen Challenge

Teen Challenge has an addiction treatment center in San Diego, California. It primarily services teens and young people and strives to keep costs low for participants. Treatment here is often supported by fundraising, community partnerships and donations. Insurance isn’t usually needed and enrollment is accessible to individuals with limited financial resources.

Faith Based Addiction Treatment Services For Young People

This location has been a part of the San Diego community since the mid-70s, with its services primarily rooted in the Christian faith. You’ll find the center near the eastern part of the county, having previously operated in various borrowed buildings and rented facilities. It found a permanent home in 1996 and has been operating from there since.

Christian Discipleship Programming

Clients can access a long term residential Christian discipleship program. The treatment program was designed specifically to help individuals address life controlling issues like substance abuse and more. This personalized programming typically lasts 12 months, wth a focus on personal growth and sustainable recovery.

Day to day, participants can expect to engage in a structured schedule of classes, counseling, work therapy and spiritual development.

Fact checked and written by: Lauren Thompson

Edited by: Gayle Morris, BSN, MSN

Addiction Treatment Programs

Alcohol Rehab
If you’re ready to overcome alcohol use disorder, an alcohol rehab in California can give you the tools you need. Whether you need detox, inpatient treatment, or outpatient care, an alcohol program will help you build a new lifestyle based on healthy coping mechanisms, better relationships, and a new way of thinking about life.
Dual Diagnosis
Many people with addiction issues also have a mental health diagnosis, which is known as a dual diagnosis. Be sure to find a rehab in California that can treat both. Whether you need detox, inpatient treatment, or outpatient care, a dual diagnosis program will offer specific support for your mental health needs alongside traditional substance use treatment.
Opioid Addiction
The goal of an opioid rehab in California is to give you the tools and skills you need to achieve long-term recovery. During this program, you’ll work with professional counselors to deal with the psychological, emotional, and physical issues that opioid misuse can cause. Over time, you’ll learn how to live without substance use long-term.
Adult Program
An adult program in California addresses the unique needs of adults, such as finding secure housing, building a career, and raising a family. Whether you need detox, inpatient treatment, or outpatient care, an adult program will offer specific support for your emotional, mental, and social needs.
Men's Rehab
Choosing a men’s rehab in California can be a great way to manage gender-specific issues while also addressing substance use. Whether you need detox, inpatient treatment, or outpatient care, a men’s program will offer specific support for your emotional, mental, and social needs.
Young Adult Rehab
Young adult rehabs in California address a wide range of substance use issues while also helping clients transition into adulthood. Whether you need detox, inpatient treatment, or outpatient care, a young adult program will offer specific support for your emotional, mental, and social needs.
Faith-Based Program
San Diego Teen Challenge runs a Christian discipleship program centered on faith in Jesus Christ, combining spiritual growth, mentoring, and structured daily schedules to help residents overcome addiction and life-controlling problems.
Men's Program
Teen Challenge provides a separate residential track for men in San Diego County, offering counseling, work assignments, and classroom instruction within the twelve-month Christian discipleship model for addiction recovery.
Women's Program
San Diego Teen Challenge maintains a distinct residential program for women, delivering the same phased structure of counseling, education, and spiritual mentoring to support long-term freedom from addiction.
Long-Term Residential Recovery
The Teen Challenge program in San Diego County is structured as a twelve-month residential discipleship experience, dividing recovery into phases that include mentoring, group classes, and vocational work components.

Insurance Coverage

Free
Having a hard time paying for substance use treatment in California? Consider looking for free rehabs that provide high-quality care. As you look at options, make sure you choose a program run by qualified professionals that uses evidence-based treatment. Free rehabs are often run by the state or county.
Medicare
Medicare is a good way to pay for substance use treatment in California. Your Medicare plan can pay for some or all of the costs of rehab, although you will want to check on the full details. You may have some out-of-pocket costs such as copays or deductibles.
Medicaid
One way to pay for rehab in California is to use Medicaid if you qualify for the coverage. You can find treatment centers that accept Medicaid offering multiple levels of care, including detox, inpatient, and outpatient. You may pay little or nothing out-of-pocket.

Levels of Care

1
Inpatient Rehab
San Diego Teen Challenge offers a long-term residential program at its 5450 Lea Street location, providing a structured, faith-based environment for men and women overcoming drug and alcohol addiction over twelve months.
2
Aftercare Support
Following the residential phase, Teen Challenge provides aftercare programming to support continued recovery, helping graduates of the San Diego County program maintain sobriety and apply life skills learned during treatment.
3
Sober Living Homes
Teen Challenge offers sober living as a transitional support option, helping residents of the San Diego program continue building stability and recovery habits after completing the primary residential discipleship phase.

Therapies

Family Therapy
Attending family therapy in California is a way to address broken relationships and dysfunction, helping you establish long-term recovery. There are several goals in family therapy. Some sessions may be focused on specific past events, while others address current broken relationships or how good intentions have gone astray. Over time, family relationships can be restored, making recovery easier.
Group Therapy
Attending group therapy in California is a way to overcome shame and isolation, helping you establish long-term recovery. Substance use treatment includes detox, inpatient treatment, and outpatient care, and group therapy may be a part of each of these stages. The goal is to help clients support each other, provide accountability, and relate to each other’s experiences.
Individual Therapy
During individual therapy in California, clients work with a professional to address specific individual concerns. Some of the topics covered in individual therapy include developing healthy coping skills, addressing past events that may have played a part in substance use, and building a support network.
Individual Counseling
Teen Challenge provides one-on-one counseling sessions as part of its structured residential program, helping residents address the root causes of addiction while building a foundation of spiritual growth and personal accountability.
Group Counseling
Group-based counseling sessions at San Diego Teen Challenge give residents a structured setting to work through addiction recovery alongside peers, supporting mutual accountability within the faith-based residential program.
Anger Management
San Diego Teen Challenge incorporates anger management sessions into its residential curriculum, helping residents develop healthier emotional responses as part of the broader life-skills and recovery programming offered on-site.
Relapse Prevention
Relapse prevention education is woven into daily programming at Teen Challenge, equipping residents with practical strategies to sustain sobriety after completing the 12-month residential discipleship program in San Diego County.
Life Skills
Life skills training at San Diego Teen Challenge helps residents build practical habits for independent living, complementing the program’s work therapy, education, and spiritual components during the long-term residential stay.
Work Therapy
Work therapy assignments are a core part of the Teen Challenge residential model, giving men and women structured vocational responsibilities alongside counseling and classroom instruction throughout the 12-month program.
Spiritual Counseling
Bible study and chapel services form the spiritual foundation of San Diego Teen Challenge’s Christian discipleship program, guiding residents toward recovery from addiction through faith-centered mentoring and daily structured worship.