For School Counselors and Deans: Refer a Student

School counselors, college counselors, deans and disability resource staff help students find care outside school every week. Blackburn Clinical Services is an outpatient therapy and psychiatry practice in West Los Angeles for adolescents and adults. We welcome referrals for high school students in LAUSD, Santa Monica Malibu USD, Beverly Hills USD, nearby districts and independent schools, and for college students at University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges campuses. Call (888) 870 7405 or email info@blackburnclinical.com.

Call (888) 870 7405

Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Families usually make the first call. Therapy takes place in our West LA office, with family sessions for parents.

At a glance

For high school students: adolescent services with individual therapy, family therapy, psychiatric evaluation, neuropsychological testing with school recommendations, and case management.
For college students: therapy and psychiatric care, including students home on break or on leave.
Where: Therapy takes place in our office at 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066, in Mar Vista near Culver City, Venice and Santa Monica.
Coordination with school: with written permission from the student, or a parent for a minor, as allowed by law.
Fees: out-of-network practice; superbills provided. See Fees and Insurance.

For private and independent high school counselors, deans and learning specialists

Counselors, deans and learning specialists at private and independent high schools, Catholic high schools and boarding schools often know first when a student is struggling, and families often ask them where to turn. We see teens ages 13 to 17 for one-on-one therapy in our office, with family sessions for parents. Here is how a referral to us works and what to tell a family.

Context for families who are unsure whether it is serious: in the CDC’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 39.7 percent of U.S. high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and 20.4 percent said they had seriously considered suicide in the past year (CDC, MMWR 2024). For regional figures with sources, see teen mental health in Southern California: the numbers.

How a referral works

The family calls us at (888) 870 7405, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. A parent or guardian usually makes the first call for a teen.
We listen and explain next steps, including how the first appointment, an assessment, is scheduled.
With written permission, we can coordinate with the school. If the family wants us to talk with you, they sign a release, and we reach out or take your call.
You do not need to send records. A short note from you to the family about what you have noticed is often the most useful thing they can bring.

What we can and cannot share

We can share only with written permission, and only what that permission covers. Coordination usually centers on what helps at school, such as whether the student is attending and general progress.
Without permission, we cannot confirm whether a student is seen here, even to the person who referred them. Please do not read silence as a lack of follow-through.
Therapy itself is private. What a teen says in session is not passed along to the school.
We are not a crisis service. If a student may be in danger, call 911, or call or text 988.

When students are seen

Appointments are Monday to Friday, between 9 AM and 5 PM, with flexible scheduling within those hours. Families often plan around a free period, a late start or the end of the school day. Therapy takes place in our office at 12326 Venice Blvd in Mar Vista, West Los Angeles, or by secure video for clients located in California.

Family sessions

Parents are part of care for most teens. Alongside a teen’s individual therapy, we offer family sessions so parents can understand what is happening and learn how to help at home. See family services.

Documentation for school

When clinically appropriate, we can provide documentation for a teen’s school, shared only with written permission. Each school sets its own process, and we work within it.

When weekly therapy is not enough

For a student who needs more support without leaving school, the Blackburn Concierge Outpatient Program is an individualized alternative to a traditional IOP. It is one-on-one with no groups and no hour requirements, typically 3 to 5 hours a week of focused therapy that flexes with clinical need, and it begins with a biopsychosocial assessment. Psychiatric support can be included when needed.

Learning specialists: if a family is asking about attention or learning, our ADHD testing page explains how evaluation works.

When an outside referral makes sense

A student needs more than school-based counseling can offer, or more than a short-term campus model provides
Attendance, grades or behavior have changed and the cause is unclear
A family asks about ADHD or learning testing (see ADHD testing)
Substance use, vaping or drinking is affecting school (see dual diagnosis care)
A student is returning from a hospital stay, a residential program or a leave and needs ongoing care
A student may need medication evaluated (see medication management)

How to refer

Give the family or student our information: (888) 870 7405, info@blackburnclinical.com.
Or use our referral form. We follow up with you, then contact the family or student to schedule an assessment.
Include what helps: the concern in a sentence or two, the student’s age or grade, and the best contact. Share identifying details only as your school’s policies allow.
Coordination after intake. With written permission, as allowed by law, we can coordinate with you. Testing reports include recommendations for school.

Urgent situations

We are an outpatient practice, not a crisis service. If a student is in immediate danger, call 911. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by call or text, 24 hours a day.

Mentoring, a sister service

Some students need structure and accountability more than clinical care. Blackburn Mentoring, a sister organization, offers mentoring for middle school, high school and college students.

Pages to share with students and families

College students and young adults

High school students and their parents

Other professionals: see for educational consultants and tutors, or every professional page at for professionals.

Questions

Do you see high school students?

Yes. Our adolescent services include individual therapy, family therapy, psychiatric evaluation, neuropsychological testing with school recommendations, and case management.

Can you coordinate with the school?

Yes, with written permission from the student, or from a parent for a minor, as allowed by law.

What will you share with our school?

Only what the family gives written permission to share. Coordination usually covers whether the student is attending and general progress, focused on what helps at school. What a teen says in therapy stays private.

Can you provide documentation for a student’s school?

When clinically appropriate, yes: documentation for a teen’s school, shared only with written permission. Each school sets its own process.

Do you see college students home on break or on leave?

Yes. Students staying in Los Angeles can be seen for therapy in our office and for psychiatric care during a break, a summer or a leave.

Is Blackburn a crisis service?

No. We are an outpatient practice. If a student is in immediate danger, call 911, or call or text 988.

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