Advanced Child Treatment
ACT Program

Our ACT Program provides inpatient stabilization services for children ages 4-12, who have experienced multiple treatment failures in other settings, including previous psychiatric hospitalizations. These children are considered acutely disturbed, displaying suicidal and/or homicidal symptoms, destruction of self or property and/or impulsivity that place them or others at risk for harm.

It is fundamental to this program that the children we serve are not viewed as the sum of their challenges and deficits. The ACT Program identifies strengths and assets in all areas of a child's life as well as works to have the child and the caregivers capitalize on them. No diagnostic category is excluded and developmental delays are not excluded. We accept referrals from any source that meet criteria for acute admission.

The program provides comprehensive assessment, treatment, education, and follow up to help children and their family/caregivers effectively cope and grow. Treatment is coordinated by a multi-disciplinary team that works with the child, the family/caregiver and referral source simultaneously throughout the hospitalization and discharge.

Outreach Coordination

A vital and unique component of the ACT Program is the Outreach Coordination. The ACT Program has an Outreach Coordinator (OC) assigned to each child. The OC attends all staffings, collaboratively develops detailed discharge recommendations, and continues to consult on training and implementing new treatment interventions and techniques with the parent/caregiver for up to one year after discharge. Follow up provided by a psychiatrist can be provided for 90 days after discharge or until a qualified psychiatrist is available in the child's community.

The ACT Program functions on the concept that mental illness is not simply a disease, but rather the product of a combination of factors. Factors for the typical child on the ACT Program include:

  • Cognitive or processing deficits
  • Exposure to varying degrees of neglect, abuse, and environmental violence
  • Exposure to drugs/alcohol and violence before birth (during gestation)
  • Genetic predisposition toward mental illness

Program Components

  • Individual, Group and Family Counseling
  • Behavioral Therapy
  • Parent Training and Support Sessions
  • Expressive Therapies
  • Academic and Classroom Instruction
  • Social Skills Training
  • Study Skill Enhancement and Training
  • Medication Monitoring and Education
  • Case Management
  • Comprehensive Multi-Disciplinary Diagnostic Evaluation, including:
    • Medical and academic history
    • Technologies to identify psychiatric, genetic, and physiological diseases, syndromes, and/or deficits that impact mood, cognition and behavior. Including:
      • Neuro-chemical profiles
      • DNA probes
      • Chromosome studies
      • Screening for metabolic errors
      • Neuropsychological testing