Psychiatry and Psychology at Children's Hospital Colorado
Children's Hospital Colorado’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences provides the highest quality clinical services for children, adolescents and families. Our emphasis is on developing coordinated systems within the hospital as well as collaborating with other agencies and providers.
Children's Hospital Colorado provides a complete continuum of psychiatric services, from our outpatient clinic to inpatient hospitalization for children and adolescents. Providers represent many disciplines, including psychiatry, psychology, social work, and nursing. The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences works to promote the integration of high-quality mental health services with the unique multidisciplinary services provided by Children's Hospital Colorado.
Each of our specialty programs offers the following services:
- Diagnostic evaluations
- Individual, family and group therapy
- Parent counseling
- Consultation to other departments and services within the hospital
- Educational programs for parents and for other mental health and child healthcare professionals
Programs and Services for Psychiatric Conditions
Psychosocial Research Center
The Psychosocial Research Center at Children's Hospital Colorado is currently recruiting children to participate in various clinical trials and research studies. Participants in clinical trials gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available. Often the process of collecting information in the study will allow the doctor to find out more about your child’s condition and the effects it has on your child. This may allow your child to benefit from better treatment after completing the trial. Many patients also derive satisfaction from knowing they are aiding in an effort to help reduce the suffering of other people suffering from the same ailment.
Eligible participants will be seen by specialized physicians who will aid in the evaluation of their condition. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the safest way to find new treatments that will improve health problems. Our clinical trial team includes doctors, psychologists, nurses, and study coordinators. Before joining a clinical trial, a participant must qualify for the study. Psychotherapy is not provided as part of these research studies; they are only medication clinical trials. Depending on the study, participation in psychotherapy while your child is involved in the study may not be allowed, or could be allowed under the conditions outlined in the protocol. All study-related assessments and medication are provided at no cost; the study medications are investigational.
The Eating Disorder Program provides a full continuum of services ranging from outpatient evaluations, day treatment services to inpatient hospitalization. Services are provided jointly by Children's Hospital Colorado Department of Adolescent Medicine and Psychiatry.
The "Healthy Expectations" perinatal mental health program supports pregnant and postpartum women and their families who are struggling with mood and anxiety issues. The program offers free support groups for mothers during pregnancy and the postpartum period, as well as individual counseling, couples counseling and mother-infant support. Healthy Expectations also provides evaluations for medical, psychological, social and/or alternative approaches.
This program serves children and adolescents with a broad array of psychiatric problems and their families, including:
- Patients with emotional and behavioral disorders who have been recently discharged from inpatient units or day treatment programs
- Youth who have presented to the emergency room recently for psychiatric issues
- Youth who are not responding adequately to routine outpatient services and need a higher level of care
The multi-disciplinary team includes Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists and Psychologists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Certified Mental Health Workers, Psychiatric Registered Nurses, Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses and Creative Arts Therapists. IOP offers Initial Psychosocial Assessments, Multi-family Group/Creative Arts Therapy and Psychosocial Skills Building Workshops. Anger management, relaxation, social skills and parent effectiveness training are among the skill sets covered. Medication clinics are also available to patients enrolled in IOP.
This is a multi-disciplinary program that provides a continuum of care from 24 hours/ 7 days a week to day treatment five days a week. This service is available for clients with acute psychiatric symptoms that require the safety and support of more intensive care. Services are available for children four to 18 years of age.
This is a day treatment program for medically compromised children ages seven to 21, whose medical needs can not be met in a regular school setting. The children receive medical, nursing, academic and psychosocial support daily, in an out patient setting. The conditions treated vary from chronic to acute and the length of stay is tailored to the needs of the child.
This is a day treatment program that serves children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and/or neurodevelopmental disabilities ages three to 18 years who have co-morbid medical and/or psychiatric conditions. The NSC was developed to accurately and comprehensively assess the complex psychiatric and/or medical needs of children with developmental disabilities in order to effectively address the chronic or escalating symptoms of behavioral acting-out that can lead to repeat emergency room visits, inpatient hospitalizations, or out-of-home placement.
The Ponzio Creative Arts Therapy Program provides individual, group and family services throughout Children's Hospital Colorado. As part of the program, creative arts therapists use the arts to help children work through their problems, deal with pain, and express themselves. These therapists collaborate with clinical teams to work toward psychiatric or medical treatment goals using the creative arts as a medium. Art, music, dance, movement and yoga become tools for communication, emotional release, and ultimately, healing.
PSYCLES is a multi-disciplinary team consisting of child psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and creative arts therapists. This team provides emergency evaluation for all patients who present with psychiatric needs in the Emergency Department. Urgent evaluations are completed during scheduled hours. PSYCLES staff members consult with all medical services at Children's Hospital Colorado at the request of the patient’s physician. Project CLIMB, a mental health program in the Child Health Clinic, provides teaching, consultation and interventions in the Child Health Clinic. Clinicians can coordinate admissions to the Outpatient Specialty Clinics, Intensive Outpatient Program, Day Treatment Programs, and Intensive Services Program.
This program provides a series of outpatient specialty clinics for children and teens, aged five to seventeen, and their families. The program serves children and teens with emotional and behavioral problems, as well as patients with any psychiatric diagnosis or a combination of illnesses. Children with both medical and psychiatric needs are a clinic specialty. Each clinic offers specialty evaluations; individual, family and group therapies; and medication recommendations. Support groups for siblings and parents are also available. The clinics are staffed by Child Psychiatrists, Child Psychologists, Social Workers, Nurses and trainees, and focus on several areas of care, including:
- Disruptive Behavior Disorders
- Mood and Psychotic Disorders
- Autism and Developmental Disabilities
- Stress, Anxiety and/or Medical Illnesses
