Children's Psychiatric Emergency Services is a 20-bed, brief treatment inpatient unit for children and adolescents from age 2 to 17 (13 for boys), suffering from a variety of psychiatric disorders. Emphasis is on evaluation and stabilization. Treatment consists of intensive individual, family, and group psychotherapy.

Treatment includes:

• Psychiatric evaluation by board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrists, including medication evaluation
• Each child will be assigned a therapist who will provide individual and family psychotherapy throughout their stay
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy
   -  Token economy system
   -  Behavior management
• 24-hour care by specially trained nurses
• Tutorial instruction provided by a teacher with a master's degree in special education from ACES (Area Cooperative Educational Services)
• Parent and sibling education programs and support groups

Contact:  Jennifer Barba, LCSW, Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services at (203) 789-3340 or email: jbarba@srhs.org, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  At all other times or in an emergency, please contact the unit at (203) 789-3633.

Upon admission, each child receives a physical examination from a pediatrician. A pediatric neurologist is available to perform a neurological assessment as needed.