Children and teens who are experiencing mental health and addiction issues now have a place to go.
Located in Solon, Changes is a new state-of-the-art outpatient facility from Springstone, a behavioral health services organization that also operates Highland Springs, a hospital and adult treatment center in Highland Hills. The adolescent clinic, which opened in September, partnered with University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s to provide intensive therapy options for ages 8-17. Treatment is offered to adolescents with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, substance abuse issues and other common mental health conditions.
“This is more intensive and this level of care is not readily available, especially for younger children,” says Jennifer Reed, licensed professional clinical counselor, registered art therapist and clinical program manager. “This is going to fill a huge need.”
The services that will be provided are partial hospitalization, which is an intensive day treatment Monday through Friday, and intensive outpatient, which is four days a week for three hours per day. Children will attend group therapies and have access to family support services and a sensory area. Kids in partial hospitalization will be able to continue their academics during the daytime programming.
“This newly renovated facility will allow University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s providers to combine dialectical, cognitive, music, art and recreational therapies, plus yoga, with medication management to help children and teens address mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders,” Patti DePompei, president of UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s and MacDonald Women’s hospitals, stated in a press release.
The program’s art therapy is one of the ways to help kids explore how they are feeling and their options for support.
“People are able to communicate through media and creative expression,” Reed says about art therapy. “You can get a snapshot of what’s going on and that enables the therapist to ask the questions to bring the words out.”
The center is open Monday through Friday and serves all communities in the region. If a family needs assistance, they can call 216-302-3070 for a 24/7 helpline to have a confidential assessment by a qualified mental health professional.
Johni Fiber, director of clinical services, says this is a good opportunity for the nurse, doctor and therapist to all work together on the same treatment team, which also includes a teacher communicating with the child’s home school district.
“Everything will be in an all-in-one place to help during a really critical time,” Fiber says. “We are obviously short-term for the partial outpatient hospitalization, (but) we are helping that family and that kiddo manage the crisis (and) have a team approach to have these needs met. That is where you are going to see our ability to make an impact and create a safer situation for a kid.”
Visit highlandspringshealth.com for more information. If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or the Crisis Text Line at 741-741; or in Ohio, text “4HOPE” or visit the Lifeline Crisis Chat at crisischat.org.
