When an adolescent is in crisis and needs a structured setting in which to work towards overcoming symptoms of mental health, they may find benefits from engaging in an intensive outpatient program (IOP). This after school treatment option for children 13-18 (18 year olds must be current high school students) allows individuals to live at home, stay in school and to receive thorough treatment that fully addresses their needs in a less restrictive environment than that which is offered in partial hospitalization programming (PHP), inpatient treatment, or residential care. Yet, it provides a more structured therapeutic setting than that which is typically offered in a traditional outpatient setting.

Children who may benefit from this program have:

• Been bullied at school and are depressed
• Tried to harm themselves
• Attempted suicide or had suicidal ideations
• Behavioral problems such as a significant decline in grades or skipping school
• Attempts with traditional outpatient treatment were ineffective

All individuals who engage in IOP receive individualized treatment plans that are tailored to meet their unique needs so that their treatment goals can be most appropriately met. These individualized treatment plans will include a variety of therapeutic interventions, which may include the following:

In some instances, the implementation of psychiatric medications can benefit certain individuals as a complement to therapeutic interventions, as they can work to alleviate the physical and psychological distress that certain symptoms elicit. All medications are prescribed by a licensed board-certified child & adolescent psychiatrist, and follow-up meetings with the psychiatrist will be held on a regular basis.

Group therapy sessions are frequently the main treatment component used in MSA’s intensive outpatient programs. These sessions are led by professionals who facilitate topics of discussions that are relevant to the needs of the patients who are taking part in the program. Types of groups include expressive art therapy, didactic education, and psychotherapy groups. These sessions can serve as a time for individuals to not only receive education on the specific problems that they are learning to manage, but also as a time to give and receive support to and from peers who are also participating in the group. This peer interaction can serve to help individuals come to realize that they are not alone in the struggles that they are facing which can, in turn, promote acceptance and healing.

Individual therapy sessions serve as a time for individuals to meet one-on-one with a therapist in a confidential setting. They can be a time for individuals to process through their experiences in treatment, address any concerns that arise, ask any questions they have, receive ongoing support, and celebrate successes as they happen. In intensive outpatient programs, these sessions are most commonly held on an as-needed basis.

In most cases, including an individual’s family members into his or her treatment can be monumentally beneficial. In doing so, any damage that has been inflicted upon the family unit because of an individual’s mental, behavioral, or chemical dependency concerns can be confronted and processed through. Additionally, this can serve as a time for one’s family members to become educated on what their loved one is going through and learn ways in which they can best be of assistance.

Our board-certified child & adolescent psychiatrists, pediatric psychiatric nurse practitioners and therapists specialize in treating mental health issues in children ages 13-17
Working closely with families, our team develops treatment plans to address:

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Self-esteem issues
• Oppositional defiance
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Adjustment issues
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Body dysmorphic disorder and body image concerns
• Trauma
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Mood dysregulation disorder
• Family conflicts and relationships, including divorce and issues that affect blended families
• Sexual orientation and gender identity
• Coping skills

Services include:

• Psychiatric Evaluations
• Individual counseling
• Group therapy
• Expressive art therapy
• Education and skill-building groups
• Family therapy
• Medication management services
• Coordination of care with primary care provider