Child and Adolescent Services
Partial Hospitalization for Children and Adolescents
Miller-Dwan Behavioral Health offers specialized Child and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization
Programs for children and young adults struggling at home, in school or in community
because of serious emotional or behavioral challenges. Their issues may include:
- abuse
- adjustment problems
- withdrawal
- anger
- fear
- suicidal thoughts
- aggression
- depression
Our programs are designed for young people who are at risk for hospitalization or
institutional care due to their emotional or behavioral problems.
Partial Hospitalization offers a structured, therapeutic environment that helps
young people stabilize their current stressors and learn skills necessary to have
a greater sense of security and confidence, and improve interpersonal relationships.
They build trust, improve communication skills, increase self-confidence, and gain
practical skills for improving relationships.
Families are considered a significant, positive resource. They are encouraged to
participate in many aspects of care, including assessing needs, developing treatment
goals and planning for the future. We also offer family therapy and education.
Care is personalized, intensive and directed by a psychiatrist. Small groups are
also used. Clients are at the hospital all day, five days a week, for two to three
weeks. A teacher contracted from the Duluth School District provides on-site education.
Full Hospitalization for Children and Adolescents
Our Child and Adolescent Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit
serves patients ages 3-18 with the most severe mental health or chemical
dependency concerns.
Patients must meet a medically-defined need for hospitalization, including suicidal
or homicidal behavior, or lack of success in an outpatient treatment program combined
with continued problems that cannot be managed in a home or community setting.
Our 16-bed acute care unit is operated specifically for children and adolescents.
The secure unit is designed to evaluate, stabilize and briefly treat patients so
they may safely and successfully transition to appropriate outpatient services.
Specific programming includes:
- Specialized psychiatric and medical evaluation for individuals and families
- Addressing drug and alcohol problems (chemical dependency)
- Psychiatric nursing care
- Social work services
- Individual, group and family therapy, including occupational, recreational and art
therapy
- Educational programming for individuals and families
- Medication management
- Life skills training
- Discharge planning with families and community agencies