Inpatient Psychiatric Care for Children and Adolescents
RiverValley’s Children’s Hospital provides inpatient psychiatric care for children and adolescents ages 5 to 17. It is an 80-bed hospital on a 40-acre campus in Owensboro.
Inpatient care is for a child in psychiatric crisis, or with behavior that can’t be managed safely at home with outpatient support. The hospital is licensed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Center for Autism.
On admission, a team of psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, licensed therapists, registered nurses, behavioral health technicians and a board-certified behavior analyst evaluates the child and writes a treatment plan around what they are dealing with and the skills they need at home and at school.
The 70,000-square-foot building has activity and recreation areas, a gymnasium, a cafeteria, secure outdoor space and an on-site school run with Daviess County Public Schools, so schoolwork continues during the stay. Music and art programs are run with the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art.
Treatment includes individual, group and family therapy; medication evaluation and management; therapeutic activities; 24/7 nursing and crisis support; behavioral intervention; and discharge and aftercare planning. Therapists use Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Two specialized programs run alongside the standard unit: BIRCH, a long-term program for high-acuity boys ages 12 to 17, the first of its kind in Kentucky, developed with and funded by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services; and STATE, an ABA-based program for children and teens with autism spectrum disorder in its own unit.
The Walk-In Clinic is open 24/7, no appointment necessary. Call the Children’s Hospital at (270) 689-6800.
What to Expect
Admission starts with a psychiatric assessment at the 24/7 Walk-In Clinic; no appointment is needed. A provider evaluates your child and decides whether inpatient care is right. If it is, your child gets an orientation and meets the treatment team.
Days follow a set schedule of therapy, activities, school, meals and recreation. Length of stay depends on clinical need and progress. The team works with your family throughout on the discharge plan: outpatient therapy, community resources and follow-up appointments.
Other Children’s Hospital Services
Acute Psychiatric Inpatient
Short-term inpatient care for children and teens in psychiatric crisis: immediate safety, 24/7 monitoring, and a plan for what happens next.
Individual Group Family Therapy
Individual, group and family therapy for every child in the hospital, using TF-CBT, EMDR and DBT, with parents and caregivers part of the plan.
Specialized Therapeutic Activities
Art, music, movement, games and recreation, built into every child’s daily schedule as part of treatment.
Medication Evaluation Management
Medication evaluation and management by child and adolescent psychiatrists, with parents in on every decision and daily monitoring during the stay.
Nursing Care Crisis Support
Registered nurses and behavioral health associates on the unit 24 hours a day, handling medications, health needs and de-escalation.
Behavioral Intervention Services
Behavior support planning led by a board-certified behavior analyst: find what a behavior is for, teach a better way to get the same thing, and coach the family on it.
Specialized Therapies
The STATE Program for autism spectrum disorder, the BIRCH long-term program for boys 12 to 17, and TF-CBT, EMDR and DBT across the hospital.
