Children’s Psychiatric Care

The Children's Psychiatric Inpatient Service (CPIS) combines the resources of Yale New Haven Children's Hospital with faculty of Yale School of Medicine departments of child psychiatry (Yale Child Study Center) and pediatrics.

Find more information about visit the inpatient psychiatric services at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital.

Children’s Day Hospital

Yale New Haven Children’s Day Hospital's Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and Partial Hospital Program (PHP) provide specialized treatment for children ages 5-12 years who are experiencing high intensity mental health needs. Treatment is provided for a range of mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, self-injurious patterns, intrusive thoughts, interpersonal relationships, trauma, loss, gender identity, emotional/behavioral dysregulation and school avoidance. Therapy groups are developed based on age, presenting problem and treatment focus.

Treatment

Once determined a child is appropriate for IOP or PHP level of care, a date is set to begin group therapy, typically within 24-48 hours of consult. Children admitted to the program are provided with a structured treatment plan that includes groups to develop skills for better behavioral, emotional and social regulation. We offer weekly psychiatric consultation and weekly family therapy sessions. Families are encouraged to participate in family therapy which is held on a day their child is not in the program. 

The specialized team consists of child psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers, psychiatric counselors and therapeutic recreation specialists. The team also includes Abby, our dedicated therapy dog!

Our therapy groups incorporate skills from evidence-based treatment approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The Collaborative Problem-Solving model frames our perspective of children.

• Psychoeducation Group teaches and reinforces skills.
• Psychotherapy Group encourages application of skills to the child’s day-to-day life circumstances. This group is a space for exploring and addressing topics including depression, anxiety, self-destructive patterns, family dynamics, interpersonal relationships, trauma, gender and sexuality, cognitive distortions and much more.
• Therapeutic Recreation Group implements recreation and other activity-based interventions, as well as creative expression to provide diversified activities to meet the needs, interests, and abilities of each child. Therapeutic recreation promotes psychological and physical health, recovery, and well-being in a fun and creative therapeutic environment.
• Social Skills Group provides patients the space to interact with their peers, build connections and practice interpersonal skills.

Program Hours

The Children's Day Hospital is open Monday - Friday, 8:30 am – 5 pm. Children in our IOP attend group three times per week, while children in our PHP attend group five days per week. After hours and weekend support for psychiatric crisis is available for active program patients. 

Insurance

Our program and services are covered by most insurance plans. For questions regarding your eligibility and benefits, please contact your insurance company to inquire about mental health benefits for Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) care. An inquiry will also be completed by our team. If there are gaps in your coverage you will be notified. 

Transportation

Youth admitted to our program are transported by parents, caregivers and other family supports. Transportation is not provided by the Children’s Day Hospital.

Location

350 George Street, Lower Level
New Haven CT 06511

For questions or to make a referral, please call 203-789-4288.