Adolescent Treatment Program

Program description
This program provides an intensive interdisciplinary assessment process accompanied by brief treatment designed to stabilize those symptoms that led to hospitalization and promote optimal ongoing clinical treatment for adolescents, age 12 to 17.

• The assessment process begins with the patient and family meeting with the treatment team, including psychiatrist, psychologist, primary nurse and clinical social worker.
• The assessment consists of a psychiatric evaluation, psychological testing (neuropsychological testing, if indicated), family assessment, neuropsychiatric assessments (MRI, PET scans, CT scans, EEG) when indicated, addictions assessments, thorough psychopharmacological assessment and management, nutritional evaluation and psychosocial rehabilitation assessments. Obsessive-compulsive disorder and eating disorder assessments are also completed if necessary. An on-site internist is available for a medical assessment of every patient admitted.
• Upon admission, patients are prescribed core treatment interventions and groups such as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), group psychotherapy, individual psychotherapy, family therapy, psychoeducational groups, treatment readiness and recreational groups. As assessment findings begin to refine the diagnostic understanding of the patient’s issues, additional treatment interventions (specific to individual needs) are prescribed. Examples of patient-specific interventions include addictions groups, trauma group, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) group, eating disorders interventions and self-injury protocols.
• Throughout the assessment and treatment process, the treatment team is able to make observations as the patient interacts within the treatment milieu. This helps in understanding how the patient’s interactions and thought processes manifest in relation to the diagnosis. This enriched understanding of the diagnosis and its impact upon the adolescent's daily functioning promotes effective discharge planning.

Family involvement
Family support is critical to treatment effectiveness. A clinical social worker works with patients and parents in gaining an understanding of family issues contributing to and complicated by the patient's symptoms and behaviors. Improved family functioning is accomplished as patients and parents participate in weekly family therapy sessions with goals consistent with the treatment plan.

Families who live at a distance schedule regular visits and have weekly family therapy by conference call when they are not visiting.

Menninger also offers families an educational Family Workshop.

Focus on outcomes
Patients and parents are asked to participate in projects designed to evaluate treatment effectiveness. Upon admission, clinical surveys are completed. These are repeated at discharge and following treatment.

For help & information
Please call our Admissions staff. They offer assistance with admission, insurance benefits and payment for services.

• 800-351-9058 and 713-275-5000