Teen Residential Treatment in California Covered by Optum & UnitedHealthcare
Muir Wood Teen works with Optum Behavioral Health & UnitedHealthcare (UHC) — helping families access evidence-based adolescent mental health and substance use treatment with less financial stress.
In-Network With Most Commercial Insurers
*Please note that at this time, we are not in network with Medicaid/Medi-Cal
Clinically reviewed by
Dr. Ian Wolds Psy.D.
Last reviewed on July 16, 2026
Does Optum & United Healthcare Cover Teen Residential Treatment?
Optum Behavioral Health is one of the largest behavioral health management organizations in the country, administering mental health and substance use benefits for tens of millions of Americans. If your plan’s behavioral health benefits are managed by Optum/UHC, your teen may have coverage for residential treatment.
Optum manages behavioral health benefits for many major insurance carriers, including UnitedHealthcare. Muir Wood works with Optum and UHC to help families access residential treatment for their teens. Our admissions team will verify your benefits directly with Optum and clarify your family’s expected costs.
Under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), insurers like Optum and UHC are required to cover mental health and substance use treatment at the same level as physical health conditions. This means residential treatment for your teen should be covered when deemed medically necessary.
Coverage varies by plan, but Optum policies commonly include benefits for:
Residential mental health and dual-diagnosis treatment
Individual, group, and family therapy
Psychiatric evaluation and medication management
Experiential therapies (art therapy, mindfulness, outdoor activities)
Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) as a step-down from residential care
Why Families Choose Muir Wood for Optum/UHC-Covered Teen Treatment
Muir Wood is one of California’s leading adolescent behavioral health providers, offering gender-separate residential treatment programs for teens ages 12–17. We also offer Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) for teens who need structured support while living at home.
Some of our key differentiators include:
Expertise in Primary Mental Health + Substance Use
With expertise in treating both primary mental health and co-occurring substance use challenges, our trauma-informed approach helps teens heal deeply and build lasting change. We focus on the whole person—addressing both emotional wellbeing and underlying behavioral patterns—to support lifelong healing.
Maintain Academics While Getting Support
School stays the priority. Whether in residential treatment or IOP, teens can keep up to date with education. We help them map assignments, manage stress, and practice executive functioning skills such as planning, time management, and communication. When helpful, we coordinate with families and schools so gains in treatment carry into the classroom and daily routines.
We Work With Optum & UHC
Our admissions team handles the insurance process for you — verifying benefits, coordinating pre-authorization, and explaining expected costs — so you can focus on your teen’s health rather than paperwork.
Evidence-Based, Gender Separate Programs
Our clinical model treats addiction and behavioral health challenges as responses to underlying mental health issues — not the other way around. Boys and girls heal in separate campus environments with treatment plans tailored to gender-specific developmental needs.
Joint-Commission Accredited
Muir Wood holds Joint Commission accreditation and is licensed by both the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and the Department of Social Services (DSS). These credentials signal to Optum and UHC’s utilization review team that our programs meet nationally recognized standards of care.
Accreditations
*Please note that at this time, we are not in network with Medicaid/Medi-Cal
Multiple California Programs and Locations
We operate campuses across the state so families can choose the setting that works best:
Northern California — Sonoma County
Residential Treatment — Petaluma, CA
Lohrman Campus for Girls
Mental health and substance use care for teen girls on a tranquil Petaluma property within Sonoma County, surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills.
Residential Treatment — Petaluma, CA
Skillman Campus for Boys
Dual-diagnosis treatment for teen boys—mental health and substance use care on a serene Petaluma property in lovely Sonoma County.
Residential Treatment — Penngrove, CA
Penngrove Campus for Girls
Primary mental health care for teen girls in Penngrove, CA — a quiet, rural retreat nestled among Sonoma County’s farmland and oak-studded hills.
Intensive Outpatient Care — Petaluma, CA
Petaluma IOP Center
Our Petaluma Intensive Outpatient treatment for teens in Sonoma County — step-down or direct-admit care with the clinical depth and family focus that define Muir Wood treatment.
Fresno/Clovis — Central California
Residential Treatment — Clovis, CA
Makena Campus for Girls
Teen girls receive dual-diagnosis care for mental health and substance use challenges in Clovis—a tranquil foothill setting at the gateway to California’s majestic Sierra Nevada.
Residential Treatment — Clovis, CA
Auberry Campus for Boys
Dual-diagnosis care for teen boys in Clovis—mental health and substance use treatment at the gateway to California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.
Intensive Outpatient Care — Fresno, CA
Fresno/Clovis IOP Center
Our Clovis Intensive Outpatient treatment for teens in the Fresno area — step-down or direct-admit care with the clinical depth and family focus that define Muir Wood treatment.
Arlington Heights Area — Southern California
Residential Treatment — Riverside, CA
Edgewild Campus for Girls
Mental health and substance use care for teen girls on a beautiful, spacious campus situated near Arlington Heights’ historic groves.
Residential Treatment — Riverside, CA
Bradley Ranch Campus for Boys
Mental health and substance use care for teen boys near Arlington Heights, situated on a lush, open property surrounded by citrus heritage.
Family-Centered Care & Academic Planning
Parents are actively involved in therapy and aftercare planning throughout your teen’s stay. Our on-site academic programs ensure teens stay on track with schoolwork, so treatment doesn’t mean falling behind.
Serving Families Across California
With beautiful campuses across California, Muir Wood provides gender-specific residential and intensive outpatient care for teens and their families throughout the state. In Northern California, our Petaluma and Penngrove campuses serve Sonoma County and the greater North Bay, including Marin and Napa counties. In Central California, our Clovis campuses serve the Fresno area and the surrounding Central Valley. And in Southern California, our campuses in the historic Orange Grove District of Riverside County serve families throughout the Arlington Heights area and Inland Empire. Wherever you're located, we offer specialized residential and outpatient treatment close enough to home that families can stay actively involved in their teen's healing.
Northern California
Central California
How to Use Your Optum & UHC Insurance at Muir Wood
The process is straightforward, and our admissions team manages most of the insurance coordination for you.
Step 1: Verify Your Benefits
Call our admissions team or complete our online insurance verification form. We’ll contact Optum/UHC directly to confirm your teen’s benefits, including deductible status, co-insurance rates, and any plan-specific limitations.
Step 2: Pre-Admission Assessment and Authorization Process
Our admissions team conducts an initial assessment to determine the appropriate program for your teen. Most Optum & UHC plans will require authorization be requested once your teen has admitted. Some plans require authorization prior to scheduling admission. Our team will walk you through this process.
Step 3: Understand Your Costs
Before your teen begins treatment, we’ll walk you through a clear explanation of what Optum & UHC will cover, what your estimated out-of-pocket responsibility looks like, and any financing options available.
Step 4: Begin Treatment
Once authorized, your teen can start their residential program at Muir Wood. Our average length of stay is approximately 45 days, though Optum and/or UHC may approve longer stays when clinically indicated.
2 Simple Ways to Get Started Today
- Speak With an Admissions Coordinator
- Verify Your Insurance Coverage
Frequently Asked Questions About Optum/UHC and Teen Treatment
Does Muir Wood accept Optum?
Yes. Muir Wood Teen Treatment works with Optum and UHC Behavioral Health, helping families access residential and outpatient treatment for teens with mental health and substance use challenges.
How long will Optum cover residential treatment for my teen?
Coverage duration depends on Optum/UHC’s medical necessity criteria and your specific plan. Our team will coordinate with Optum/UHC regarding their assessment of medical necessity. We generally conduct weekly concurrent reviews with Optum/UHC to determine the continued length of covered care. Our team keeps you informed throughout this process.
Does Optum cover Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)?
Yes. Many Optum plans cover IOP as a step-down level of care after residential treatment, or as a standalone option for teens who don’t require 24/7 residential support. Muir Wood offers IOP programs in Petaluma and Clovis.
Does Optum require pre-authorization for teen residential treatment?
In most cases, Optum/UHC requires authorization based on medical necessity for residential mental health treatment to be submitted at the time of admission. Some plans may require authorization prior to admission. Our teams handle this process, including submitting assessments and coordinating directly with Optum/UHC’s utilization review department. We keep you informed throughout this process.
What if my Optum plan doesn’t cover all treatment costs?
Our admissions team will explain all anticipated costs before your teen begins treatment. If there’s a gap between Optum coverage and the total cost, we’ll discuss available financing options with your family.
What Optum plans does Muir Wood accept?
Optum manages behavioral health benefits for a range of plans, including UnitedHealthcare, employer-sponsored plans, and some state programs. Your specific coverage depends on the underlying insurance plan, which our team will verify for you. Call our admissions team or use our online verification form to check your benefits.
Is Optum the same as UnitedHealthcare?
Optum is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group (the same parent company as UnitedHealthcare) and manages behavioral health benefits for UHC and other plans. If your insurance card references Optum for behavioral health, we can verify your benefits through Optum directly.
Who We Are
Muir Wood treats primary mental health and co-occurring substance use disorders with equal clinical depth. Our approach is mental health-first, trauma-informed throughout, and grounded in nationally recognized expertise in adolescent substance use treatment.
Every program is designed exclusively for teens, with specialized environments for those needing an even greater level of psychiatric, trauma, or clinical support — like our Penngrove campus for girls, and our upcoming Sonoma Mountain campus for boys (Fall '26).
Mental Health First
Every program treats primary MH — anxiety, depression, trauma, mood — as the core clinical focus.
Trauma-Informed Lens
Every staff interaction, not just therapy, is filtered through a trauma lens. It is our operating principle, not a modality.
Integrated SUD Expertise
Substance use is treated alongside mental health throughout all programs, not in a separate track.
Adolescent Specialists
Every clinician, psychiatrist, nurse, and educator works exclusively with teens ages 12–17.
We Treat the Whole Teen
Nothing is treated in isolation, because nothing exists in isolation.
Every teen arrives with behaviors that developed for a reason — ways of coping with or adapting to emotional pain. Our role is to understand what's driving those patterns and build healthier, more sustainable ways of regulating and coping.
Mental Health
Trauma Informed
Emotional Functioning
Family Systems
Other Insurance We Accept
We work with many insurance providers to help families access teen treatment. See if yours is covered: