Partial Hospitalization Program

The Partial Hospital Program (PHP) is an intensive treatment intervention for youth with acute psychiatric problems who can be safely maintained at outpatient level of care. Often when youth are experiencing a crisis they are unable to attend school. They need more intensive treatment than once a week therapy.

The goal of this intervention is to stabilize the youth and family in order to return to school and a lower level of care as quickly as possible. PHP can often be used to help youth avoid an inpatient hospitalization and/or to support their transition from inpatient/residential facilities back to their communities. Participation in this program is voluntary only. The average length of stay for teens is generally 10 to 14 days.

Program components

• Comprehensive mental health assessment
• Psychiatric evaluation with medication evaluation and management when indicated
• Safety planning/contracting
• Group therapy
• Individual therapy
• Family meetings
• Parent support group
• Collaboration with school and other providers
• Aftercare and discharge planning
• Psycho-education programs
  • Symptom management skill development
  • Coping skills development
  • Relapse prevention strategies
  • Leisure education

Admission criteria

• Teens ages 13 years and above who are willing to participate in treatment
• Acute psychiatric illness, but is not at imminent risk for suicide, harm to self, or harm to others
• Exhibits emotional and/or behavioral symptoms that impair functioning in at least one of the following areas: social, educational, or family relationships
• Has failed to show improvement at lower levels of treatment
• Ability to develop and utilize a safety plan
• Capacity to fully participate
• Parent/guardian participation in treatment
• Transportation to and from the program each day and, if needed, for transition days to school
• Physician will determine appropriateness for admission at the completion of the psychiatric evaluation.

Our team

Led by a board-certified child/adolescent psychiatrist, the clinical staff are masters or doctoral level mental health clinicians with extensive training in providing treatment services to adolescents who are experiencing an acute mental health concern. Licensed mental health providers supervise the specific interventions used to help the adolescent and family reach their treatment goals. Additional programming and support is provided by mental health counselors and technicians who are trained and supervised by a licensed mental health clinician.

To access services, please call 703-218-8500 to schedule an intake with a mental health counselor.

FAQ

Click to read Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Inova's Adolescent PHP and IOP Programs