Treatment for Adolescents
Silver Hill’s adolescent program is designed specifically for the developmental needs of teenagers struggling with psychiatric disorders and/or co-occurring substance use issues. Offering Intensive Outpatient, Residential, and Inpatient treatment options, our adolescent team collaborates closely across disciplines and levels of care to support individualized treatment and optimal outcomes.
Distinct Approach
From their first moments with us, teens experience the warmth of Silver Hill care, the benefits of our clinical rigor, and the comfort of our neighborhood campus. The Silver Hill Adolescent Program is defined by:
- Three levels of care to support teens with different or evolving needs, all on the same campus
- Small patient communities and focused clinician caseloads that support highly personalized care
- A comfortable environment designed to feel more like a home than a hospital
- Long-tenured staff deeply devoted to their work, patients, and Silver Hill’s unique setting
- Close family involvement in the treatment process
Each adolescent at Silver Hill receives the direct attention and care of their collaborative treatment team, who build meaningful therapeutic relationships and provide highly personalized care.
Who We Serve
Silver Hill adolescent programs serve:
- Teens ages 13–17 (Adolescent Inpatient and Intensive Outpatient programs also accept 18-year-olds attending high school)
- All Genders
- Patients struggling with psychiatric or co-occurring substance use disorders
- Voluntary and willing participants
- Patients in need of a higher level of care than standard outpatient
What We Treat
- ADHD
- Anxiety Disorders
- Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders
- Depression
- Emerging Personality Disorders
- Emotion Dysregulation
- Excessive Anger
- Family Conflict
- Impulsivity and Risk-Taking Behaviors
- Mood Disorders
- Peer Relationship Problems
- School Avoidance
- Self-Esteem and Identity Issues
- Substance Misuse Caused by Psychological Difficulties
- Suicidality and Self-Harm
Levels of Care
Silver Hill offers three levels of care, Inpatient, Residential, and Intensive Outpatient (IOP). If a teen’s needs change, they can move between levels of care without leaving the Silver Hill campus.
Inpatient—for stabilization and crisis management
An adolescent patient may first be admitted to Silver Hill’s adolescent inpatient care, for crisis management and stabilization. Our team of board-certified adolescent psychiatrists, social workers, and nurses helps families through the process and treatment. After an initial diagnostic assessment, a treatment plan is tailored specifically to each patient.
Inpatient Program Details:
- Focused on crisis management and stabilization
- Located on the third floor of the Patricia Regnemer Main House
- Unit is locked for patient safety
- No personal computers or cellphones are permitted
- Maximum of 10 patients (Five double rooms, each with private bath)
- Average length of stay is 7–10 days
- 24/7 nursing and safety checks every 15 minutes
- Daily individual sessions with psychiatrist; frequent meetings with social worker
- School support and outdoor activity time
- Group therapy to address issues such as conflict management, self-esteem, distress tolerance, and more
Residential—for continued therapeutic recovery
The Adolescent residential program at Klingenstein House (KHouse) helps patients develop the skills necessary to control emotions, impulsivity, self-damaging behaviors, and interpersonal disorganization. It is the appropriate level of care for patients who do not require close inpatient supervision but are not yet ready to manage successfully in an outpatient setting.
Residential Program Details
- Maximum of 10 patients
- Minimum 5-week stay
- Full-time psychiatrist leads clinical team
- Comprehensive DBT groups, experiential therapy, and individual sessions
- In-house residential counselors (24/7) reinforce DBT skills in daily life
- Academic instruction and support
- Family programming
Intensive Outpatient—for continued treatment from home
The Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is a multi-modal program on the Silver Hill campus designed for patients living at home. The IOP provides psychological treatment and skills building to help teens function effectively at home and in school.
IOP Program Details
- Maximum of 12 patients
- Patients live at home while participating in treatment
- 8-week program: 3 days/week for 3+ hours each day
- DBT and MBT-A groups
- Experiential therapy participation
Program Overview
The cornerstone of treatment in the Adolescent Residential and Intensive Outpatient programs is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). A highly-structured form of behavioral therapy, DBT teaches individuals the skills necessary to regulate emotions, control destructive behaviors and improve interpersonal relations. DBT provides the tools needed to make positive behavioral changes.
The adolescent’s treatment plan includes:
- Diagnostic assessment supplemented by 24/7 observation of symptoms, behaviors, and social interactions
- Classroom observations and recommendations for school support
- Support in navigating Department of Education for school accommodations and out-placement
- Educational services and tutors based on patients’ academic needs
- Transition home and aftercare planning
- Family involvement
- Comprehensive DBT: individual therapy, group therapy, skills coaching, weekly DBT consultation team meeting
- Milieu-based intervention
- Residential Counselors who are DBT trained and can provide 1:1 DBT skills coaching as needed in real time
- Expressive therapies including art therapy, yoga, writing group and art workshops
Our Campus
KHouse
KHouse
KHouse
KHouse
KHouse
KHouse
KHouse
For Families
Family support and integration is an important part of successful treatment and recovery. Silver Hill encourages close collaboration with families through every stage of care.
Adolescent treatment includes:
- Family campus visits (details vary by level of care)
- Regular phone/virtual communication on progress and next steps (all levels of care)
- Departure planning meeting (all levels of care)
- Weekly virtual family DBT groups for families and caregivers to acquire DBT skills along with their adolescent and learn how to best reinforce them at home (Residential and Outpatient)
- Weekly family meeting with the treatment team (Residential)
- Family therapy sessions when appropriate (no additional cost) (Residential)
- Weekly Caregiver Support Group (Residential)
Treatment Team
Fees for Treatment
Visit the Fees & Insurance page for more information.
Contact Us
To learn more about Silver Hill Adolescent programming, refer a patient for admission, or find out if it is right for you or a loved one, please contact Nicole Coarse, LCSW, our Adolescent Senior Admissions Coordinator at (203) 801-3426 or Silver Hill Hospital general admissions at 1 (866) 542-4455 or complete a contact form here.