San Diego Kids First | Maximizing Your Family’s Potential
San Diego Kids First is a highly specialized psychology practice dedicated to maximizing the developmental, social, emotional, behavioral, and academic potential of children, teens, and families. Their comprehensive approach ensures that each child’s unique strengths and challenges are identified and addressed with the utmost care and expertise.
Embracing the philosophy of meeting clients where they are, they offer flexible service options including traditional office sessions, in-home visits, school-based interventions, and telehealth services. This adaptable approach allows them to provide personalized and effective support in the most convenient and comfortable settings for their clients, ensuring they find the answers together.
About the Founder, Deborah Pontillo, Ph.D.
Dr. Pontillo is the Owner/Founder and Director of San Diego Kids First, bringing over 25 years of expertise in pediatric psychology. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia and earned her Master’s and Doctorate from UCLA, completing further specialized training at the University of California, San Diego, and Rady Children’s Hospital. Since opening San Diego Kids First in 2005, Dr. Pontillo has dedicated her practice to identifying and nurturing children’s strengths and addressing their developmental challenges.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Pontillo is a Voluntary Assistant Clinical Professor at UC San Diego and a Site/Clinical Supervisor at Alliant International University. She developed an online parent training course for children with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder and actively participates in speaking engagements and media interviews. Specializing in various developmental and behavioral issues, Dr. Pontillo employs therapies like CBT and psychodynamic therapy and remains actively involved in all evaluations at her clinic, although she is currently not accepting new therapy clients. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her children and pets, speaking Spanish and English, and indulging in sushi and Indian food.
San Diego Behavior Solutions
San Diego Behavior Solutions provides in-home behavioral health services to improve skills and support children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, and other social and behavioral challenges.
In addition to direct intervention and skills training with children, SDBS also provides:
- 1:1 Behavioral Modification with Child
- 1:1 Observation
- Functional Behavioral Assessment
- Social Skills Training
- In-Home Behavior Intervention
- In-person Academic Support
- In-vivo training of parents and caregivers to allow families to foster the growth and development of their children in natural settings in day-to-day life.
They strive to provide these services in a caring manner that stimulates, engages, and motivates children to embrace learning by addressing their individual needs in their own familiar environments. The specific strategies used in each child’s program will vary based on their individual needs and abilities. They also strongly recommend families take advantage of their parent coaching sessions, to allow parents to gain the skills necessary to reinforce and accelerate their child’s progress in between intervention sessions.
Connect with San Diego Kids First
- 858-692-4187
- contact@sdkidsfirst.com