Inpatient Services Program Overview

Children and adolescents needing these services have significant difficulty functioning in their homes, schools or communities. They may also be at high risk for harming themselves and/or others. They also may be unable to attend to normal routines or expectations due to depression, anxiety or other mental health problems.

The inpatient unit has separate treatment programs for children (ages 4-11) and adolescents (ages 12-17). The focus of treatment is to address the crisis or behaviors which led up to the hospitalization. Attention is given to diagnosis, assessment and the selection of treatment interventions that will help to stabilize the child's or adolescent's behavior or condition quickly. The goal of treatment is to develop a plan which will help the child or adolescent to stabilize and function in a more healthy way after discharge. Parents and families are involved in decisions about treatment and aftercare planning.

On admission to the inpatient unit, each child or adolescent receives a psychiatric evaluation, nursing assessment, medical history and physical, social history and educational assessments. Therapies are designed to assist the child or adolescent in gaining behavioral control.

The multidisciplinary Inpatient Treatment Team provides service in this program. Child and adolescent psychiatrists see each patient regularly for the purpose of directing treatment and prescribing medications as needed. Each patient has a primary clinician who coordinates treatment and who provides individual therapy and family interventions as needed. A caseworker plans and coordinates details for after-care services. A registered nurse provides supervision of the care on the unit at all times. Psychiatric assistants and activities staff lead groups and activities. All staff/patient interactions, structured groups and unit activities are designed to help the child or adolescent learn healthier coping skills. These skills aid the child or adolescent in gaining control of the behaviors that brought them to the hospital.

Services Offered

• Individual therapy
• Family therapy
• Group therapy
• Social skills training
• Goal setting group
• Coping skills group
• Expressive therapy
• Recreational therapy
• Educational therapy
• Adventure challenge therapy (adolescents)
• Spiritual issues group (adolescents)