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Transitioning from outpatient mental health care

What if my child struggles again with their mental health? How should I connect with their school? When should I seek care again? How can I support my child’s mental health?

These are all questions you might ask yourself if your child is in or transitioning out of outpatient mental health services. This can be a big step for a lot of families and hopefully, a very positive one. Our pediatric mental health experts have compiled resources and advice to answer those questions, and others, while helping smooth this transition.

What you should know when leaving outpatient mental health care

Leaving an outpatient mental health program is different for every family. Your child may or may not need ongoing formal care. Schools have different levels of mental health support, and every community has unique resources that might help you. The most important thing is finding reliable support and routines that boost your child’s mental health and confidence and help support you.

Create a mental health safety plan

After your child leaves outpatient care, they’ll most likely experience challenges, tough times and strong emotions — and they might face mental health issues again. Creating a safety plan ahead of time and knowing how to put it in action can help tremendously if your child is dealing with stress or experiences a crisis.

How to make a safety plan

Give yourself the peace of mind of knowing what to do when your child is experiencing strong emotions or is distressed.

Make a plan with your child

Mental health issues are health issues

It can be helpful to think of your child’s mental health condition like many other health conditions or issues. If your child has strep throat, a broken bone or a chronic condition, they’ll experience troubling symptoms or pain, get the care they need and likely feel better. But that doesn’t mean they’ll never experience that condition or injury again. And if they do, it’s no one’s fault. Nobody did anything wrong.

The same is true for anxiety, depression, stress or other mental health issues. When your child leaves outpatient mental health care, they are done with that episode of care. But it might be just that — one episode of care. Your child will experience challenges, emotional stressors, hormonal changes and more. They’ll experience life. And life creates challenges and stress for all of us. Occasionally, even happy or positive events can cause increased stress.

Sometimes, your child will be able to overcome these challenges on their own using the skills and insights they have developed. Other times, they may get stuck. Their mental health challenges might hang around and get in the way of participating in school, friendships or family life. When that happens, it’s better to take on those challenges with the help of mental health professionals.

If your child needs to return to outpatient care, or another level of mental health care, know that it’s completely common — just as it’s common for a kid to break multiple bones in their life or need periodic care for asthma. This is simply part of living and growing.

Find healthy routines in your community

When your child leaves outpatient care, they may or may not need ongoing mental health care down the road. But what every kid does need in this situation are activities that give them a sense of community, purpose and confidence. Help your child find a positive peer group and interests that boost their self-esteem. This can include:

  • Volunteering
  • Positive hobbies, projects or interests
  • Creative outlets like art or music
  • Clubs or activities at school or in the community
  • Athletics or other physical activities
  • Learning a new skill
  • Spending time with family and friends
  • If appropriate, a job

Connect with your child’s school

Every school offers different mental health resources to their students, so it’s important to understand what’s available to your child. These are common supports to explore at your child’s school:

  • School counselor: Understand the role of your child’s school counselor and how your child might benefit from connecting with them. Some counselors focus more on college and career advice rather than emotional or behavioral issues.
  • School psychologist: Does your child’s school have a psychologist? If so, what is their role? Are there other providers in your child’s school who could help your child?
  • Teachers: Explain your child’s mental health challenges to their teachers, request open communication and check in frequently. Encourage your child to advocate for themselves as much as possible and have them participate in these conversations. Even young kids can do this.
  • Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan: If your child already has an IEP or 504 Plan, consider speaking with their therapist and teachers about whether you should make any updates. If your child doesn’t have one but is having difficulties at school, discuss with their mental health provider and school team if they could benefit from having formal support.

Reconnect with your child’s doctor

As your child transitions from outpatient care, it’s important for your mental health providers to communicate and coordinate with their primary care provider (PCP) about their treatment. Give your child’s PCP the latest update about their mental health treatment and any other information that will help their PCP provide continued care to your child, such as your child’s IEP/504 Plan, if they have one. If your child is on medication for their mental health, consider discussing with their PCP whether they would be comfortable providing ongoing medication management. Schedule regular check-ins with your PCP, who can monitor your child’s mental health and support reconnecting them to therapy, if they need it in the future.

Take care of yourself and your mental health

When your child is facing mental health challenges, it’s easy to focus all your energy on helping them. And it may have been a long road to get to where you are, leaving you tired and your needs neglected.

You may have heard this sentiment many times, but it doesn’t make it any less true: to take care of your loved ones, you have to take care of yourself first.

Take some basic steps to protect your mental and emotional well-being. Engage in activities for your own enjoyment. Lean on your support system and talk to trusted friends and family about what you’re going through. Seek your own mental health care if you need it. Find activities and resources that you enjoy, give you a sense of purpose and fit your life, but make sure you do it for yourself.

And please consider sharing your family’s story. Mental health issues still carry stigma and the best way to combat that is to increase awareness.

“If you have a kid who’s graduating from treatment, be willing to share your experiences and be an advocate for mental health treatment. Create space for other people in your life to talk about what they’re going through. You never know who could benefit from hearing your story.”
Dr. Lauren Eckhart, Child and Adolescent Psychologist

Talking about mental health

Many people are hesitant to discuss mental health. It’s understandable, but it can be easier. Let’s Talk helps you start conversations and reduce stigma.

Learn what to say

Find support in your community

As your child leaves outpatient mental health services, finding support in your community is an important step. Search our Resource Hub to find care options, support, medication management services and other resources. You can also find help with finances, food, housing, transit and more, should your family need it.

Resources for your mental health journey

When your child leaves outpatient care, your focus is largely on helping them establish healthy routines and build a supportive community. Below, you’ll find articles, training and other resources from pediatric mental health experts to help you support your child.

Youth mental health advice

Explore articles from the experts in our Pediatric Mental Health Institute to help your child build empathy and resilience, overcome loneliness and more.

Overcoming Loneliness: How to Help Kids Build Social Connection

Is your child struggling with loneliness? Here’s how to tell — and how to cope.

How to Connect with Your Kids

How do you make time to connect with your kids in a busy world? Check out these tips from mental health experts.

How to help your kid stress less

Everyone gets stressed. It’s a part of life. Get advice from our child psychologists on how kids can learn to identify stress and move through it with grace.

Help your child manage emotions and build resilience

This training from Partners for Children's Mental Health teaches skills from dialectical behavior therapy, a therapeutic approach focused on mindfulness, stress management and healthy relationships.

Learn how to build your child's skills