OC Specialty Health & Hospitals is proud to announce that Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health has received the Hiring Partner of the Year Award from West Coast University.
The award was presented during West Coast University’s Partnership Appreciation Dinner and recognizes the work of the hospital’s Nursing Administration team to recruit, train, onboard, and support nurses joining the behavioral health field.
Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health was represented at the event by Clarissa Padilla, Chief Nursing Officer, who accepted the award on behalf of the hospital. Her participation reflected the professionalism, leadership, and commitment to patient-centered care demonstrated by the broader nursing and clinical teams.
This recognition is an important milestone for our hospital, but it also represents something larger: the importance of building a strong behavioral health workforce for individuals and families throughout Orange County.
Clarissa Padilla, Chief Nursing Officer at Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health, accepts West Coast University’s Hiring Partner of the Year Award.
Investing in the Behavioral Health Workforce
Nurses play an essential role in behavioral health treatment. They help patients navigate difficult moments, support stabilization, administer and monitor treatment, communicate with families, and collaborate with physicians, therapists, case managers, and other members of the care team.
Receiving the Hiring Partner of the Year Award highlights the efforts of the Nursing Administration team at Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health to create pathways for qualified nurses to enter and grow within behavioral health care. Partnerships between healthcare organizations and nursing education programs can help students and graduates connect classroom learning with clinical environments while supporting the development of the local healthcare workforce.
For Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health, recruiting a strong nursing team is closely connected to its mission of providing compassionate care. Every nurse who joins the hospital contributes to the patient experience, the staff experience, and the hospital’s ability to respond to behavioral health needs in the community.
Supporting Behavioral Health Needs in Orange County
Mental health remains a significant community priority in Orange County. The county’s 2024–2026 Community Health Improvement Plan identifies mental health, substance use, and care navigation among six major health priorities selected through community participation and a data-driven health assessment. The plan emphasizes collaboration, trusted partnerships, equitable access, and evidence-based strategies to improve community health.
These priorities reinforce the need for accessible services across the continuum of care. Some people may need a structured inpatient setting during an acute behavioral health crisis, while others may benefit from an outpatient program that allows them to receive treatment while remaining connected to their homes and communities.
Located in Aliso Viejo, Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health is a licensed acute psychiatric hospital offering inpatient and outpatient behavioral health programs. The hospital has 119 beds and serves adolescents and adults, with inpatient services available for patients ages 12 and older. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for assessments and referrals.
Inpatient Mental Health Treatment in Aliso Viejo
Inpatient treatment can provide a highly structured and supportive environment for people experiencing significant behavioral health symptoms or an acute psychiatric crisis.
At Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health, inpatient care is delivered by a multidisciplinary clinical team and is designed to support stabilization, healing, and preparation for the next appropriate level of care. Services may include group therapy, medication management, recreational and expressive activities, case management, and discharge planning.
The hospital provides treatment for a range of behavioral health concerns, including:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Trauma-related conditions
- Substance use disorders
- Self-harm behaviors
- Suicidal ideation
- Co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions
Treatment recommendations are individualized, and an assessment helps determine the appropriate level of care for each person.
Outpatient Mental Health Programs
Not everyone who needs structured behavioral health support requires an overnight hospital stay. Outpatient treatment may be appropriate for individuals transitioning from inpatient care or for people who need more support than traditional weekly appointments can provide.
Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health offers a Partial Hospitalization Program, commonly called PHP, and Intensive Outpatient Programs, commonly called IOP. Outpatient services may include psychiatric evaluation, medication management, individualized treatment planning, psychoeducation, group therapy, family involvement when appropriate, and education focused on coping skills, healthy boundaries, symptom management, relapse prevention, and wellness.
Because PHP and IOP participants return home after programming, these services can help patients practice new skills while staying connected to their families and communities. Program availability, schedules, eligibility, and age requirements should be confirmed directly with the hospital.
Behavioral Health Care for Adolescents and Families
Behavioral health concerns can affect an entire family, particularly when an adolescent is experiencing a crisis. Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health provides adolescent inpatient and outpatient services for eligible patients beginning at age 12.
Adolescent inpatient treatment is provided separately from adult programming. When clinically appropriate, families may participate in treatment and aftercare planning to help extend progress into the patient’s home, school, and community environments.
Families who are uncertain about the appropriate next step can contact the hospital to discuss an assessment. A professional evaluation can help identify whether inpatient treatment, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient treatment, or another community resource may be suitable.
Recognition That Reflects a Teamwide Commitment
The Hiring Partner of the Year Award recognizes the work required to identify, prepare, welcome, and retain talented nurses. It also celebrates the people behind that work.
OC Specialty Health & Hospitals congratulates the entire Nursing Administration team at Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health and thanks Clarissa Padilla, Chief Nursing Officer, for representing the hospital during the award presentation.
We also extend our appreciation to West Coast University for this recognition and for supporting educational partnerships that help strengthen the nursing workforce.
Most importantly, we thank the nurses, clinicians, support professionals, and hospital team members whose work supports patients and families every day. Their compassion and commitment help Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health continue serving the behavioral health needs of Aliso Viejo and communities throughout Orange County.
Learn More About Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health
Aliso Ridge Behavioral Health is located at:
200 Freedom Lane
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
For information about behavioral health assessments, inpatient treatment, or referrals, call:
Inpatient and referrals: (949) 900-8600
Outpatient programs: (949) 900-8436
The hospital is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A free assessment may be available to help determine the appropriate level of behavioral health care.
If you or someone you know is experiencing an immediate mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.