The Menninger Clinic announces opening of partial hospital for adolescents
HOUSTON, TX—(March 26, 2009)
Houston teens with mental health issues who need more than just a weekly session with a mental health specialist, but need less than inpatient mental health care, can now look to The Menninger Clinic for help. Menninger, a psychiatric hospital in west Houston, opened the doors this week to a partial day program specifically designed for teens ages 12–17.
“This program is intended to assist local Houston area families whose teens are struggling with mental health issues. Teens admitted to this program don’t need the intensity of a 24-hour inpatient program but haven’t been able to progress in a regular outpatient care setting,” said Laurel Williams, DO, program director of Menninger’s Adolescent Treatment Program.
The day hospital program will treat teens with a wide variety of diagnoses and coexisting conditions including depressive disorders, anxiety, psychosis, substance use/abuse, self-harm issues and suicidal thoughts.
Williams said that unlike other partial programs that are short-term, Menninger expects families to agree to a minimum of six weeks in the program.
“Other programs are often dictated by the parameters set by insurance companies that only pay for 10 days of treatment. We base our program on what the teen’s needs are, not the needs of the insurance companies,” says Dr. Williams. “These problems didn’t manifest themselves overnight. It requires time to work on these issues and set the family on a progressive path toward healing.”
Teens participate in the Menninger Partial Hospital Program at The Clinic Monday – Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Nights and weekends are spent at home with their families.
“Patients participate daily in intensive therapy, psychoeducational and skill building groups and school work tutoring. When they leave for the day, we expect them to go home and put into practice the new skills they have learned at The Clinic,” says Dr. Williams. “When they return to us in the morning, we will go over how their night or weekend went, what helped and what we need to continue to work on.”
In addition to working with the teen, the program also emphasizes weekly family therapy. Sunday educational programs for parents also address addiction, communication and relationships.
“We understand that the decision to place a child into treatment can be difficult and painful. The entire treatment team—the psychiatrist, the psychologist, the social worker, the addictions counselor and the rehabilitation specialist—all work collaboratively with the teen and parents to set realistic treatment goals and work toward achieving them,” Dr. Williams said. “Working together, we believe that we can bring a sense of hope and healing into the treatment process.”
For more information on Menninger’s Adolescent Partial Hospital Program, contact an admissions counselor at 713-275-5000.
About The Menninger Clinic
The Menninger Clinic is a nonprofit international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to Houston in 2003 and is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. Since 1991, Menninger has been named among the leading psychiatric hospitals in U.S.News & World Report’s annual ranking of America’s Best Hospitals. Menninger is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
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