A hospitalization for a young child is a stepping stone where the child can remain safe and provides an opportunity for the child and family to develop new coping skills.
TaraVista's Child Inpatient Progam is a specialized treatment program for children ages 5 to 12 who are experiencing significant stressors and who are having difficulty with unsafe behaviors and impulsivity.
Children generally require inpatient treatment when they have experienced serious changes in the way they learn, behave, or handle their emotions, resulting in acute distress getting through the day. The child’s behavior can not be safely managed at home and with existing services. During each stay, we focus on crisis stabilization and putting into place a care management plan so the young patient can return home and or transition to less intensive services with a restored feeling of hope for a bright future.
What to expect:
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Psychiatric evaluation and medication assessment
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Interdisciplinary treatment team of psychiatrists, nurses, master’s level therapists, and mental health counselors
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An average length of stay between 7 and 14 days
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Family and support system collaboration as an essential part of treatment planning
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Onsite academic support and coordination with child's school
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A treatment plan which maps out strategies for short-term gains that can be built upon for ongoing emotional development
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Group therapy, age apropriate therapuetic programming and outdoor activities
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Coaching and skill development support from nurses and mental health counselors for daily practice of positive coping skills
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Caring and experienced staff with specialized training in psychiatric care for children
Watch this short video to learn more about inpatient mental health treatment for Young Children.
Referral Process
Admissions are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
When a young child is experiencing a mental health crisis, getting the right care quickly matters. At TaraVista, we help hundreds of children and their families each year access specialized inpatient psychiatric care.
TaraVista accepts direct admissions to our child inpatient behavioral health program and, when clinically appropriate, can often help patients bypass a lengthy emergency department wait. We accept referrals from pediatricians, counselors, hospitals, community mental health providers, schools, and families seeking help for a loved one.
If you are concerned about the mental health of a child or have questions about whether inpatient care is appropriate, our admissions specialists are here to help. We will explain the admission process, discuss eligibility, and guide you through the next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Trauma-informed care is an approach to healthcare and social services that recognizes the impact of trauma on a person's mental, physical, and emotional health. It is based on the understanding that trauma is a common and often hidden factor in many health and social problems, and that people who have experienced trauma need care that is sensitive, supportive, and empowering. Trauma-informed care is designed to create an environment that promotes safety, trust, and healing. It involves several key principles, including safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration and empowerment.
For young children, therapy often happens through play. While it may look like games and fun, every activity has a therapeutic purpose. Our clinicians use age-appropriate games, art, movement, and group activities to help children build emotional regulation, coping skills, communication, problem-solving, attention, and healthy social interactions. Play is one of the most effective ways young children learn and practice new skills.
DBT is an evidence based treatment to assist individuals with developing productive thinking patterns concentrating on mindfulness, emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships and distress tolerance.
DBT has been adapted for use with children and adolescents. It has been proven to be an effective approach to treatment that helps young people learn skills to manage their emotions, reduce self-destructive behaviors, and improve relationships with others.
We encourage families to schedule visits in advance by calling the unit at 978-615-5203.
Review our visiting policies here.
The treatment team will be actively engaging with parents and guardians. When questions arise about your child's treatment or discharge plan, please reach out to the assigned social worker. If your questions are about daily activities the nursing and unit staff can help.
- Child Unit (South 1): 978-615-5203
The length of inpatient treatment is determined by each child's individual clinical needs, response to treatment, and overall readiness for discharge. Our care team continually assesses each patient's progress to ensure they receive the appropriate level of care throughout their stay.
On average, children receiving inpatient psychiatric treatment at TaraVista stay 7 to 10 days. Throughout treatment, our multidisciplinary team works closely with patients, families, guardians, and outpatient providers to develop a personalized discharge plan that supports a safe transition back to home, school, and the community whenever possible.
Discharge planning begins early in your child's hospitalization and is an important part of the treatment process. Once a discharge date has been determined, your teen's assigned social worker will contact parents or guardians, typically within 24 hours of the planned discharge, to review the discharge plan, aftercare recommendations, follow-up appointments, medications, and the individualized safety plan.
Our goal is to ensure that families have the information, resources, and support needed for a safe and successful transition home or to the next level of care.
Here To Care
At TaraVista, we realize admitting your child to the hospital is a stressful time for your family. We will be with you each step of the way and no matter the problems your child is facing we can help move things in right direction. Our pediatric treatment team are experts in caring for young children and have assisted thousands of families achieve well-being.
