Self Harm Program for Adolescent Girls
The Self Harm Program is for 12-17 year old females that exhibit self destructive behaviors and are in need of stabilization due to chronic internalizing and externalizing behaviors; they also should have had previous treatment failures, including outpatient and/or psychiatric hospitalizations. The program has its own wing located within our main inpatient hospital building, but is separated from our other inpatient units.
All diagnoses are accepted and those adolescents that are developmentally delayed are eligible for admission to the program. Each adolescent will be evaluated on a case by case basis to determine if the program can reasonably expect to be effective in stabilizing and treating her.
Each adolescent has an individualized program and treatment plan that shall reflect her unique needs and goals. We will work with her case worker and other multi-disciplinary outpatient care providers for this purpose throughout the admission. Comprehensive assessments, treatment plans, and long-term intervention recommendations are developed for her and are communicated to the family, school, court/legal system, and external treatment providers by the time she is discharged.
The prominent treatment philosophy utilized in this program is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). DBT combines elements of cognitive-behavioral techniques, relaxation, self soothing, and enhancement of self awareness skills. This approach emphasizes the acceptance of adolescents as they are while encouraging them and teaching them skills which will enable them to make positive changes in their life. DBT has produced the most promising data in the treatment of this population.
Our experience in implementing evidence-based treatment interventions, and our ability to incorporate the latest innovative models for difficult populations as new research becomes available, enables this program to be the best choice for those adolescents whose mental health issues put them at risk for harm to themselves.
The ultimate goal is for an adolescent to learn how to modulate her emotions thus allowing her to make healthy choices and utilize appropriate coping skills within her community.
