UCLA Family Development Program

Find your care

We provide targeted care for pediatric, adult and geriatric patients. Call 800-825-9989 or 310-825-9989 to learn more about our psychiatry services.

Find a doctor

Adult Psychiatry

Geriatric Psychiatry

Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Program Overview

The UCLA Family Development Program (FDP) provides evaluation, consultation, prevention, and treatment services for parents and families who are facing early life medical challenges with their infant, including high-risk pregnancies and NICU stays. The mission of FDP is to enhance the ability of family members to care for themselves, each other, and to cope with stressors while bonding with their infant.

Services we offer

Being a new parent can be tough, FDP is here to help by providing convenient weekly visits virtually in the comfort of your home, at our clinic, or at the medical center. Our skilled providers support families with guidance for bonding with your baby and strategies for coping with the many difficulties that parents experience when their infants are facing medical challenges. The program also provides confidential mental health assessment and referrals to additional resources, individual consultations and family therapy, as well as ongoing support during and after your transition home via virtual or in-person sessions.

Program history

Launched in 1987 by the esteemed Dr. Christoph Heinicke, FDP has provided high quality services to new mothers and their families in Los Angeles County for over 30 years. FDP is grounded in theory and research that supports the program as an evidence-based practice. With funding from longstanding private donors, our program continues to grow to meet the changing needs of the families we serve. Located at the Nathanson Family Resilience Center within the UCLA Semel Institute for Neurosciences and Human Behavior, our program is bolstered by the most current research in family resilience and child development.

Who We See

FDP offers support services to parents and families who are facing early life medical challenges with their infant and want to provide the best possible future for their family. Health challenges may include NICU stays, surgeries, high-risk antepartum hospitalizations, and other medical complications.