Partial Hospital Program
This first-of-its-kind, Partial Hospital Program provides a step-down/step-up solution for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families. This unique service provides effective supports for children to transition successfully back into the community following an inpatient stay, and helps others improve safety at home and in school with the hope of preventing hospitalization and Emergency Room visits. As a family-based program, our team works closely with caregivers to build confidence in responding to challenging behaviors.
How We Treat
The Autism Center Partial Hospital Program is a short-term, intensive day program for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder who are not able to safely participate in treatment or school programs and may be at risk for, or stepping down from, an inpatient hospitalization. Our multidisciplinary team works with you and your child to design and implement a behavior intervention plan and to incorporate it in the context of small group treatment. This plan addresses challenges in an optimized therapeutic environment. Family involvement plays a key role in your child’s care to learn new techniques, reach individualized goals, and maintain improvements in behavior after discharge.
Using the principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), an individualized Behavior Intervention Plan improves adaptive skills, peer relationships, emotion regulation, and problem-solving or coping skills.
Caregiver involvement is essential to reduce family stress, reach goals, and maintain your child’s improvements after discharge. Our staff supports you in required weekly parent training sessions, and provides structured activities and environments where both you and child can succeed.
Occupational therapists, and speech/language pathologists, and other clinicians work with your child in the small-group setting. Self-care, social communication, leisure skills, and emotion regulation are examples of skills that may be addressed in these groups.
Our staff coordinates with other professional services as needed for individualized treatment and follow-up. This may include your child’s school, community providers, social service agencies, pediatricians and more.
Program Highlights
- Short-term (3-5 weeks), intensive (daily) group intervention with behavior support present in each group room
- Psychiatric evaluation and medication consultation available
- Our NEW 18,000 square foot, inpatient and partial hospital facility is designed specifically for children and adolescents on the autism spectrum. The facility has its own dedicated entrance and welcoming center, and an outdoor recreation area, all in a welcoming, therapeutic milieu.
Admissions
To be considered for admission your child must fit the following criteria:
- The child or adolescent must have a current diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the referring clinician or parent must provide documentation of this diagnosis in detail.
- The child or adolescent requires daily monitoring (Monday through Friday), support, and intervention to stabilize safe behaviors and reduce challenging behaviors.
- The child or adolescent must have challenging behaviors including aggression, self-injury, property destruction, or school refusal that significantly interfere with day-to-day functioning at home and/or at school.
- The family and/or caregivers must have the ability to participate in the outlined program for the child or adolescent, including transportation to and from program for its duration.