Cedar Crest's Acute Care Hospital Program is a psychiatric intensive care program designed to stabilize a child or adolescent's immediate crises while providing the patient and family with skills to help prevent or minimize future incidents that would require readmission.

PATIENT PROFILE

Males and females, ages 4-17
Suicidal thoughts/attempts
Severe depression
Hallucinations
Sexual acting out
Anger/rage
Severe attention deficit-hyperactivity disorders
Erratic mood swings
Alcohol/drug abuse
School suspensions/expulsions
Other mental health problems

TREATMENT OVERVIEW
We place our treatment emphasis on creating a stable, safe environment in which the child can develop and practice new insights, functional skills and behaviors.

Immediate actions are taken to ensure maximum clinical impact and value by quickly diagnosing and beginning treatment for the child. This includes rapid psychiatric, psychosocial and nursing assessments and immediate treatment planning/ discharge planning.

We believe each child should play a role in his/her treatment. Each participates heavily in, and must take responsibility for, the healing process.

Strong family involvement is a key ingredient to each child's progress. The role of a supportive home system both during and after treatment is essential. Family counseling and education involvement within our network of community support groups augment and sustain the progress made during treatment.

REFERRALS AND ADMISSION

Referrals for admission to acute care services come from a variety of sources, including, but not limited to, psychiatrists or other physicians, therapists, social service workers, parents or family members and managed care carriers. Each referral is assessed by the admission specialist and seen by a physician to determine recommendation for treatment. Discharge planning is initiated at the time of admission and revised during the child's inpatient stay. The discharge plan includes recommendations for further treatment, follow-up activities and medication management.