Services We Provide in our Partial Hospitalization Program

At Children’s Hospital Colorado, our Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) offers intensive, evidence-based care for children and teens ages 6 to 17 experiencing significant mental health challenges. With decades of experience, we deliver treatment tailored to each child’s unique needs while keeping families at the center of care. Our primary focus is to stabilize mental health challenges and equip children and families with the skills they need for long-term emotional well-being.

What conditions respond well to partial hospitalization programs?

Families often come to us when their child is struggling with symptoms including:

• Suicidal thoughts, urges or behaviors
• Anxiety and depression that interferes with daily life or causes physical discomfort
• Intense emotional distress that inhibits school participation, family routines or favorite activities
• Self-harm or other high-risk behaviors
• Difficulty regulating strong emotions, including episodes of yelling or aggression
• Severe school-related anxiety or school refusal

If you think our PHP might be a fit for your child, call our mental health care team at 720-777-6200.

Our PHP is often a starting place for families who are unsure how to support their child’s well-being. During the initial appointment, our team works with your child and family to understand their needs and determine the most appropriate level of care. If your child needs more specialized care, they may qualify for our other PHP programs:

• Neuropsychiatric Special Care PHP: This program consists of intensive day treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities and other neurodevelopmental conditions who are experiencing behavioral crises.
• Eating Disorder Program PHP: The Day Treatment Program offers full-day support seven days a week for children and families navigating eating disorder recovery.

How we customize your child’s care in the Partial Hospitalization Program

Every child and family who enters our PHP benefits from a personalized treatment plan designed to meet the child’s specific strengths, needs and goals. Children and teens spend a majority of the day in group settings alongside peers with similar developmental stages and shared diagnoses, which helps support connection, relatability and confidence during treatment. 

Our program incorporates a wide range of therapies and is guided by an adaptation of the Unified Protocol for Children and Adolescents specifically designed for use in our PHP. This is an evidence-based model that focuses on building core emotional regulation skills. Regardless of a child’s diagnosis, we help them develop tools to manage their emotions and how they express them. 

Our clinical care model is based on cognitive-behavioral principles that are useful across a wide range of emotional and behavioral challenges. Children learn ways to raise awareness of their feelings, thoughts and behaviors, and learn strategies that can help them manage strong, difficult feelings and behaviors. Our program includes group therapy, individual and family therapy, evaluation and management of medicines, creative arts therapy, education and support, and caregiver coaching and support groups.

Supporting families throughout care

We understand that participating in our PHP is a commitment and adjustment. Our team makes the transition as smooth as possible and offers flexible engagement opportunities for parents and caregivers. At Children’s Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus location in Aurora, families have access to the Family Resource Center, where they can work, eat and complete daily tasks.

We also support your family’s ongoing recovery after you complete our PHP. When the program ends, your family works with our care transitions team and peer supports to receive continued care at the right level for your child. We also work closely with partners in the community, including other mental health providers and schools, to support each child’s continued progress. This may include setting up outpatient appointments or transitioning to an intensive outpatient program. Your family also has access to a dedicated peer supports who will help coordinate your child’s care and reentry with their school.

Learn more about what to expect in our PHP.

Your care team

Every child in our PHP benefits from a team of mental health experts that tailors treatment to your child’s needs. This team includes behavioral health clinicians, psychiatric professionals, psychologists, behavioral health specialists and nurses. We also offer additional creative arts therapy options through our PHP, such as art, music and yoga, to further support the emotional and mental well-being of patients.

Contact us 

To schedule an appointment, call 720-777-6200— no referral needed. Our team will guide you through the assessment and admissions process and be available to you every step of the way.  

Schedule an appointment