Learning Assistance Center (LAC) | Merit Day Treatment

Merit Academy is a unique high school campus of Grossmont Union High School District. It is designed for students with special learning needs and behavioral concerns. Learning Assistance Center (LAC) clinicians and behavioral specialists provide a comprehensive range of integrated mental health services on campus that supports student academic and behavioral success. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) team, including the student and family, develops a customized intervention plan for each student, according to their needs.

Merit Academy Day Treatment Services

Learning Assistance Center Services are provided on campus and include:

    • Individual, group, and family therapy
    • Psychiatric medication management (as appropriate)
    • Team consultation with school district staff to find positive, effective solutions through a seamless integrated team effort
    • Mental health rehabilitation staff teach students positive behavioral strategies within educational groups and in the classroom setting to successfully achieve their social / emotional and academic goals
    • Parent Engagement Specialists mentor family participation and education
    • Referral linkage and case management support assists families in accessing supportive resources for basic needs

Professional Staff

LAC’s therapists, behavioral rehabilitation staff provide comprehensive outpatient treatment. We work in a seamless and integrated manner with teachers, school counselors and administrators. Clinical staff address school related issues and help students succeed with academics, social interactions and improve their behavior as well as family relationships.

Average student GPA increased from 1.6 to 2.0 within 6 months.

For More Information or Referral

The LAC program office phone number is 619-956-0615.
Offices are open 8:30 AM – 5 PM, Monday through Friday.

Who is Eligible?

Behavioral Health services at Merit Academy are funded either through the County of San Diego or Grossmont Union High School District. Services are provided at no cost to the student / family. Students are placed at MERIT Academy through their Individual Education Plan (IEP) team and with the approval of the Grossmont Union High School District.

Important Notice Regarding the Open Payments Database: 

The Open Payments program is a national disclosure program that promotes transparency and accountability by helping consumers understand the financial relationships between pharmaceutical, medical device industries and physicians and teaching hospitals.  The Open Payments database is a federal tool that can be used to search payments made by drug and device companies to physicians and teaching hospitals.  It can be found at https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

For informational purposes only, a link to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments web page is provided on this notice.  The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires that detailed information about payment and other payments of value worth over ten dollars ($10) from manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, and biologics to physicians and teaching hospitals be made available to the public.

Please visit the Open Payments site noted above for more information or speak to your provider if you have questions.