Palomar Family Counseling Service partners with North County schools to reach children early — in small groups, in the classroom, and with their caregivers. Two of these programs are part of San Diego County SchooLink and are available at no cost to eligible students who have Medi-Cal or are uninsured.

School-Based Incredible Years

County-funded · San Diego County SchooLink · Preschool through 3rd grade

School-Based Incredible Years helps younger students build the skills that make school and friendship easier. Using the Incredible Years model families know as Dinosaur School, children practice managing feelings, making friends, solving problems peacefully, and staying engaged in class.

Groups meet on campus, usually for about 8 to 10 weekly sessions. Caregivers can join parenting classes so the same skills are practiced at home.

For more information, contact Ashley White, LMFT, Lead Behavioral Health Consultant, at Ashley.white@truecare.org.

School-Based Skill-Building

County-funded · San Diego County SchooLink · 4th through 8th grade

School-Based Skill-Building, which families may know as PeerLink, supports older elementary and middle school students as social and school demands grow. Small groups focus on peer relationships, self-awareness, communication, goal-setting, and working through everyday challenges.

This program grew out of Screening to Care and is now a SchooLink early intervention service for eligible students. Groups generally meet weekly for about 10 sessions. If a student needs more support, our team can help connect the family to other SchooLink services.

For more information, contact Chris DuVall, LMFT, Lead Behavioral Health Consultant, at chris.duvall@truecare.org.

Dinosaur Bridges

Classroom-based early intervention · TK through 3rd grade

Dinosaur Bridges brings social-emotional learning into the classroom. Whole-class lessons give students a shared language for feelings, friendship, and problem-solving, while small groups offer extra practice to children who need it.

In 2026–2027, Dinosaur Bridges is offered in partnership with Vista Unified School District at Bobier, Maryland, Grapevine, and Foothill Oak Elementary Schools, with support from the Children’s Health Foundation.

Strong Families / Familias Fuertes

Parent training · English and Spanish

We bring the tools. You bring your experience. Together, we build a stronger path forward for your family.

Strong Families is our parent training series, offered alongside the school-based programs. Across 12 sessions, caregivers explore practical ways to:

• Connect — make meaningful time together count
• Grow — support confidence, emotions, and persistence
• Encourage — build on children’s strengths and celebrate progress
• Create — develop routines and expectations that work for your family
• Navigate — find positive ways to handle challenges and everyday moments

Classes are often held at school and are offered in English and Spanish.

Behavioral Health Member Handbook

The County of San Diego issued a notice of significant changes to the Behavioral Health Member Handbook. The updated handbook is effective Feb. 1, 2026. The notification dated Jan. 1, 2026, and Summary of Changes are available here:

2026-01-01 BHS Information Notice – Beneficiary Handbook Changes (PDF)

The same notice is also available on the Optum Beneficiary & Families page.

Open Payments Database Notification to Clients

For informational purposes only, a link to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments web page is provided here. 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.

It can be found at https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/.

Principal Dina’s Playbook – A Fun Guide for Parents

Welcome to Principal Dina’s Playbook, an 8-part video series designed to complement the social and emotional lessons your child is learning in Dinosaur School! Join Principal Dina and her dino-mite friends as they share practical tips to help parents reinforce key skills like following rules, managing emotions, resolving conflicts, and problem-solving at home. From “Stop, Walk, Talk” to mastering “Friendly Skills,” this series empowers you to support your child’s growth into a confident, kind, and responsible individual.

Made possible by a generous grant from The Country Friends, these short, engaging videos are packed with fun strategies to make parenting a joyful adventure. Dive in and discover how to bring Dinosaur School magic into your home!