River Oak Center for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization as defined by the Internal Revenue Service. Our tax identification number is 94-2519001.

River Oak Center for Children is a nonprofit provider of behavioral health therapeutic services in Sacramento, serving more than 1,100 children a day. With programs that work and clinicians that care, River Oak meets the highest quality standards of professionalism for a nonprofit organization in the Sacramento area that serves children and youth.

River Oak’s programs serve children and youth ages birth to 21 and their families in Sacramento County. Most families are low-income, and 90% are Medi-Cal eligible. In Sacramento County the Behavioral Health Services-Screening and Coordination (BH-SAC) refers eligible clients to programs including River Oak. You can call (916) 875-1055 or go to the website: Behavioral Health Services-Screening And Coordination (BH-SAC) to view the Adult and Child Mental Health Provider Open Assessment Hours List.

River Oak’s behavioral health programs and services are provided through reimbursement agreements with Sacramento County Department of Behavioral Health Services, Sacramento County Probation Department, the First 5 Sacramento Commission, Department of Child, Family and Adult Services (DCFAS), and other county, state and federal agencies.

River Oak’s proven programs depend on a family’s ability to stay on track and in treatment despite the occurrence of short-term set backs. Through our privately funded, Helping Hands Fund, we can offer essentials not funded through government resources such as emergency support, scholarships and enrichment opportunities, and tools for success.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an evidence-based practice is defined as “Approaches to prevention or treatment that are based in theory and have undergone scientific evaluation. ‘Evidence-based’ stands in contrast to approaches that are based on tradition, convention, belief, or anecdotal evidence.”

River Oak has taken a leadership position among other nonprofits in the Greater Sacramento area in implementing research-based practices and providing proven programs because we are committed to only the highest quality and most effective treatment and services to the children, youth, and families we serve.

River Oak is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JACHO), an agency that monitors the quality of patient care at hospitals and health-care organizations, in recognition of River Oak’s continuous efforts to offer the best quality of care to children and their families. The agency was first accredited in 2003 and was re-accredited in 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022 and 2025. Only a few nonprofit organizations not affiliated with large hospital systems have been given such recognition.

In addition, River Oak is a member of the California Behavioral Health Association, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and the Association of Behavioral Health Contractors of Sacramento County.