Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhen It’s NeededWhat to Expect

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When It’s Needed

What to Expect

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If your child is having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If your child is having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

A mental hospital for teens provides the highest level of treatment available and is intended for the short-term stabilization of seriousmental health issues. An inpatient setting also provides a secure environment with constant clinical supervision to ensure the teen’s safety.

Learn when psychiatric hospitalization may be needed for adolescents and what treatment looks like within these settings. It’s also important to know what to expect when the teen is discharged and how you can support their mental health once they return home.

When Is Teen Psychiatric Hospitalization Needed?

While some teenage mental health issues can be treated outpatient, others might need immediate inpatient care. A mental hospital for teens may be needed if:

Similar to how traditional hospitals treat physical health issues, psychiatric hospitals treat mental health issues. Staff are prepared to deal with mood or behavioral changes that come on suddenly. Teen psychiatric hospitals also provide the intense structure and intervention needed to keep adolescents safe.

Teens require different treatment from adults, so it’s important for teens to have access to mental health ​staff trained in dealing with younger patients.

Transporting Troubled Teens to Treatment

What to Expect With Teen Psychiatric Hospitalization

The two most important things to know about psychiatric hospitalization are:

Mental hospitals for teens are intended to thoroughly evaluate the crisis, act quickly to stabilize the patient, and develop a plan for continued care. This process begins the moment the teen arrives.

Evaluation and Assessment

This assessment considers the teen’s history of issues concerning mood or behavior, use of drugs or alcohol, previous treatment, physical illness or symptoms, andfamily history of mental illness.

Some teens may engage inpsychological testingas a part of the evaluation process.

Psychological Evaluations for Troubled Teens

Treatment

Teen psychiatric hospitals use a treatment team approach with an extensive staff of professionally trained personnel. Team members may includepsychiatrists or psychologists,substance abuse counselors, therapists, social workers, nurses, activity therapists, teachers, and more.

Professionals from each discipline make recommendations for treatment both in the hospital and after discharge. While in the hospital, teens participate in numerous daily structured activities that may include:

Discharge Planning

Some teens may require residential treatment after discharge, while others may benefit from day treatment. If medication and efforts at stabilization create significant changes, a lower level of care such as an alternative school or intensiveoutpatient therapymay be appropriate.

A case manager works with parents on setting up aftercare services. Referrals to a therapist, psychiatrist, or other service provider will be made. Usually, a case manager will set up follow-up appointments to ensure that the teen remains healthy once they’re discharged home.

Returning Home

Sometimes, parents feel like the teen is being rushed out of the hospital. They fear the teen hasn’t recovered enough or they worry that safety issues aren’t completely resolved.

Unfortunately, short stays are the reality of psychiatric hospitals. They are expensive to operate and are intended to assess the teen,stabilize the crisis, and provide expertise in helping transition the teen into a less intensive mental health treatment program.

Support Groups for Parents of Troubled Teens

2 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Utah Huntsman Mental Health Institute.When to seek inpatient mental health treatment at a hospital.Pérez-García M, Sempere-Pérez J, Rodado-Martínez JV, Pina López D, Llor-Esteban B, Jiménez-Barbero JA.Effectiveness of multifamily therapy for adolescent disruptive behavior in a public institution: A randomized clinical trial.Child Youth Serv Rev. 2020;117:105289. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105289

2 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Utah Huntsman Mental Health Institute.When to seek inpatient mental health treatment at a hospital.Pérez-García M, Sempere-Pérez J, Rodado-Martínez JV, Pina López D, Llor-Esteban B, Jiménez-Barbero JA.Effectiveness of multifamily therapy for adolescent disruptive behavior in a public institution: A randomized clinical trial.Child Youth Serv Rev. 2020;117:105289. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105289

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

University of Utah Huntsman Mental Health Institute.When to seek inpatient mental health treatment at a hospital.Pérez-García M, Sempere-Pérez J, Rodado-Martínez JV, Pina López D, Llor-Esteban B, Jiménez-Barbero JA.Effectiveness of multifamily therapy for adolescent disruptive behavior in a public institution: A randomized clinical trial.Child Youth Serv Rev. 2020;117:105289. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105289

University of Utah Huntsman Mental Health Institute.When to seek inpatient mental health treatment at a hospital.

Pérez-García M, Sempere-Pérez J, Rodado-Martínez JV, Pina López D, Llor-Esteban B, Jiménez-Barbero JA.Effectiveness of multifamily therapy for adolescent disruptive behavior in a public institution: A randomized clinical trial.Child Youth Serv Rev. 2020;117:105289. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105289

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