What is individual therapy
and how does it work?
What is family therapy and how does it
work?
What is group therapy?
What are psychoeducational groups?
What is recreational therapy?
What is case management and discharge planning
and what do they include?
What is the average length of stay?
What should a patient bring with them?
What items are prohibited?
What is the visitation and phone
policy?
Can referrals be made any
time of day?
Parent
Handbook
What is individual therapy and how does it
work?
Individual therapy will be offered to each child by his or her
assigned program therapist a minimum of two times a week. The
program therapist will meet with the child one-to-one working to
establish a therapeutic alliance with the child and encourage
problem solving in a compassionate and supportive environment. In
individual therapy, the therapist will complete a thorough
psychosocial assessment of the child, help the child identify
strengths and needs, and help the child identify and work towards
achieving his or her treatment goals.
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What is family therapy and how does it
work?
Family therapy will be offered by the assigned program therapist on
a weekly basis to each child residing with a family and/or foster
family. The program therapist will work with each child and his or
her family from a family systems perspective to improve positive
family communication, positive family coping and to achieve
identified treatment goals.
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What is group therapy?
This is a discussion group lead by a program therapist that is
designed to assist the children in identifying and resolving the
problem(s) which precipitated the need for their hospitalization.
These are problems which, if unaddressed, will likely contribute to
the child having continued difficulty in less structured settings
after discharge. This group encourages children to see that they
have choices to make on a day to day basis which strongly influence
their lives. .
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What are psychoeducational groups?
These groups are designed to provide children with the tools to
more effectively deal with problematic behaviors and cope with
negative emotions. These are structured groups which offer children
concrete and realistic options to use when dealing with day to day
interactions with others and with their own emotions. Examples may
include learning how to manage anger, reduce stress, and improve
positive communication. Role playing is often used to practice
newly acquired skills.
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What is recreational therapy?
This group utilizes mediums of art, music, play and sports to
assist children in identifying and expressing issues. These
activities are designed to create an outlet for relaxation and
socialization while increasing awareness of appropriate leisure
time activities.
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What is case management and discharge planning and
what do they include?
Case management and discharge planning is a time to work with a
therapist or discharge planner to determine what your needs will be
as you transition from hospital care back into your community and
home. This will include scheduling outpatient services as needed,
and seeking support services that are easily accessible to you.
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What is the average length of stay?
The average length of stay in the acute unit is approximately 12
days.
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What should a patient bring with them?
- Comfortable clothing (no more than three changes of clothes
please)
- Nightclothes
- Slippers
- Schoolwork and materials
- Personal hygiene items
- A favorite stuffed animal or blanket (pillows, bed linens and
blankets are provided)
- Books or magazines (without staples) with appropriate
themes
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What items are prohibited?
- Razors Make-up, nail polish or perfume
- Electrical appliances Valuable items (e.g. jewelry, money)
- Products with alcohol Belts or clothing with strings
- Sharp objects Metal combs, tweezers, files or clippers
- Glass items Clothes hangers
- Mirrors Spiral notebooks
- Metal cans or aerosols Weapons or potential weapons of any
kind
- Glue or inhalants Medication not dispensed by nurses
- Drug related items Smoking materials (e.g. cigarettes,
lighters)
- CD’s, DVD’s or VHS tapes Anything with batteries
- Cell phones or cameras Inappropriate books, magazines or
photos
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What is the visitation and phone
policy?
Visitors are identified by parent /guardian and are subject to the
approval of the treatment team.
Visiting hours are as follows:
Pediatric Unit: Saturday & Sunday, 10:30am to
11:30am
Monday & Thursday, 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Adolescent Girls: Saturday & Sunday, 1:30pm to
2:30pm
Thursday, 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Adolescent Boys: Saturday & Sunday, 3:45pm to
4:45pm
Tuesday, 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Professionals on the visiting list (e.g. school officials,
counselors, clergy, attorneys and probation officers) may visit at
times outside of normal visiting hours with the permission of
nursing and/or therapy staff so as not to interrupt daily
programming.
Visitors under the age of 18 are not permitted due to the acuity
of the population we serve as well as the need for a high degree of
confidentiality. Children under the age of 18 may wait in the lobby
area of the hospital during visiting, but must not be left
unattended.
Visitors must check in at the reception desk in the front lobby
upon entering the hospital and will be asked to show
identification.
No candy, gum or other food items brought in from outside of the
hospital are permitted on the units, or in visitation.
Phone Policy:
Parents may call the inpatient units at any time to ask questions
or to check on their child. Due to the intensity of the program,
patients are allowed to make and receive phone calls at designated
phone times. Please see Telephone Times handout, which lists of
specific phone times throughout the day and telephone numbers for
each of the inpatient units. In an effort to respect privacy and
secure your child’s safety, upon admission you will be asked to
identify a code word. Staff will ask for this code for all incoming
phone calls. In order to maintain an organized, therapeutic
environment, and to ensure all children have access to unit
telephones, we try to limit calls to 5 minutes. If your individual
needs are different than our schedule, please discuss this with the
staff so that accommodations can be made.
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Can referrals be made any time of
day?
Yes, our Assessment and Referral department is available 24 hours a
day. Please call (217) 585-1180 and ask to speak to our Assessment
& Referral Department.
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