Child & Adolescent Inpatient Mental Health Program

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The Child and Adolescent Inpatient Mental Health Program is a joint effort which unites the strengths of a premier mental health provider - McLean Hospital, with a nationally recognized leader in pediatric rehabilitation and special education, Franciscan Hospital for Children. It is a place for hope and healing for children in psychiatric crisis offering expert crisis stabilization, assessment, and inpatient mental health treatment in a safe and nurturing environment. The goal of the program is for each child and adolescent to return successfully to his or her home, school and community.

Patient Profile & Program Goals

The inpatient program provides prompt response to psychiatric emergencies with comprehensive assessment and treatment for children and adolescents. The program offers high quality individualized psychiatric crisis care for youth ages three through nineteen, of all developmental abilities, and all diagnostic categories. The focus of treatment involves restoration of safety, targeting high risk behaviors, and most frequently, reduction of suicidal behaviors.

Program Philosophy

Multidisciplinary assessment and crisis intervention in the inpatient child and adolescent mental health program consists of expert diagnostic assessment, psychopharmacological treatment, and mobilization of the child’s family and support system. Treatment occurs within the context of a structured therapeutic program, based on a strength-based model of care. The goal of our strength-based treatment program is to promote safety and a sense of hope and stability, while encouraging active child and family involvement in treatment within the inpatient unit and in treatment that follows hospital discharge. The therapeutic program introduces the youth involved to a range of techniques designed to assist in stabilizing children in crisis, reduction of high risk symptoms, and beginning of skill acquisition related to overcoming mental health crises. Program goals include rapid restoration of safety and successful continuation of treatment and recovery outside the hospital setting.

The Treatment Experience

A child’s participation in the structured daily program is an important part of a comprehensive assessment. The daily schedule is designed to engage each child in a range of developmentally appropriate therapy, school and daily living experiences. The structured activities help organize children in a time of crisis, provide opportunities to learn and practice important coping skills, and provide an assessment of each child’s response to different situations.