For children ages 5 to 12 who are experiencing a variety of serious emotional and behavioral challenges we provide acute crisis stabilization, assessment, and treatment.
What to Expect
At the Brattleboro Retreat we believe that inherent in each child is the desire to be accepted by others and to do well.
- We utilize a strength-based, trauma-informed and resiliency model of care, with a focus on deliberate and sensitive support for children and their families as they learn new ways of understanding and managing their lives.
- Our Children’s Inpatient Program employs a multidisciplinary team approach that is short term, strength-based, and skills oriented.
A typical stay lasts from 4 to 14 days. We recognize that successful treatment and return to the community depends on effective collaboration with families and community providers. That’s why both during and after treatment:
- We engage in ongoing communication with families.
- We work to coordinate services with community providers.
When your child is admitted to our inpatient program we will provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary psychiatric (mental health) and physical assessment. During this process we will take great care to:
- listen to the needs and concerns of your child
- make sure that your family and anyone who is helping with your child’s care (agency representative, community provider, etc.) is involved.
We’ll look closely at factors such as your child’s physical health, psychiatric status, medication profile, possible substance abuse history, family issues, and educational needs.
Based on the results of the assessment and evaluation, we will develop a customized treatment plan that outlines key goals for your child and allows for modifications during your child’s stay as his or her needs change.
Planning for discharge and aftercare begins immediately upon admission. This will ensure that your child, your family and other caregivers are prepared for a smooth transition back to either the community or to a care environment that provides different supports (for example, residential care, and/or outpatient therapy).
The average length of stay in the Brattleboro Retreat’s Child Inpatient Program is eight to ten days.
Our experienced and compassionate staff is expertly trained to provide your child (ages 5 to 12) with the finest treatment available for mental health and behavioral problems. Specialized services include:
- Multidisciplinary assessment
- Psychiatric evaluation
- Medication evaluation and interventions (as needed)
- Psychological testing and sensory profile
- Family assessment and initial therapeutic intervention
- Substance abuse assessment
- Group therapy
We will help your child learn about the nature of his or her challenges using age-appropriate teaching methods. In addition, we also teach your child healthy, constructive ways to deal with issues that often accompany mental health and behavior problems.
