AMIkids Behavioral Health

About AMIkids Behavioral Health

AMIkids Behavioral Health in Jacksonville, Florida, is part of AMIkids, a national nonprofit that has worked with young people since 1969, when it began as an alternative to juvenile detention. Their behavioral health services focus on assessing and treating youth facing behavioral, emotional, and substance use challenges, with a strong emphasis on involving families. Outpatient care includes screening, crisis and risk assessment, comprehensive assessment with diagnosis, case coordination, and individual, family, and group counseling. For youth with more serious needs, the organization also runs specialized therapeutic programs that provide intensive, around-the-clock psychotherapeutic care in a residential setting.

Each young person’s treatment plan is built from their assessments and draws on research-based approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Functional Family Therapy. Licensed mental health professionals, or counselors working under their supervision, deliver this care. Functional Family Therapy is offered in the home, typically over 12 to 16 sessions across three to six months, to reduce risk factors and strengthen family support. Treatment fits within the AMIkids Personal Growth Model, which pairs therapy with education, workforce development, and behavior skills training that uses positive reinforcement through point cards, a token economy, and a rank system.