Sheppard Pratt’s day hospitals, also known as partial hospitalization programs, are a level of care “in between” inpatient and outpatient services. Patients participate in treatment on weekdays during the day and return home in the evening. We offer day hospital services at our two hospitals located in Towson, MD, and Elkridge, MD.
Who the Child and Adolescent Day Hospitals Serve
- Children and adolescents ages 10 - 17: we serve ages 10 - 17 at our Towson hospital, and ages 12 - 17 at the Baltimore/Washington Campus
- Diagnoses treated:
- Major depressive disorders
- Anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Oppositional defiant disorder
- Other mental health conditions
About the Program
Most people are referred to our day hospital after they have stabilized or completed an inpatient treatment program, or through a treating clinician who feels they need more treatment
Our Staff
Our treatment teams can include:
- Psychiatrists or nurse practitioners: psychiatrists and nurse practitioners help patients with medication management
- Therapists: therapists offer supportive counseling and lead treatment groups
- Mental health specialists: mental health specialists help offer treatment groups
- Nurses: nurses assess, plan, and evaluate patient care and provide nursing support
Treatment at the Day Hospital
Patients participate in six and a half hours of therapeutic programming each day. We use a group therapy model at our day hospitals.
- Group treatment which can include modalities like:
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): a form of psychotherapy that is effective for people who have trouble managing strong emotions and problem behaviors
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): a solutions-focused form of talk therapy that is designed to address specific, usually negative, thought patterns and behaviors
- Psychoeducation: an evidence-based therapeutic intervention; individuals can better cope with their mental health through having an increased understanding of their diagnosis
- Recreation/activity
- Supportive counseling
- Medication and symptom management as needed
- Treatment planning
- Aftercare planning and coordination
- Family meetings
Sample Schedule
Continuing Care
As patients prepare to discharge from the day hospital, we ensure that care does not stop . While a patient is enrolled at the Child and Adolescent Day Hospital, our team will create a comprehensive aftercare plan to ensure that the appropriate community-based appointments have been arranged.
How to Enroll
- Visit one of our Psychiatric Urgent Care walk-in clinics for a level of care assessment.
- If you are referred to the day hospital, a Day Hospitals Admissions Coordinator will contact you to share orientation information and schedule a start date.
- Depending on your insurance authorization requirements, you may need an assessment prior to admission. This assessment would be scheduled and performed by our program providers.
Highlighted testimonials:
I went there for 2 weeks and I have the best impression. Everybody who worked with me and other patients was so nice, attentive, and caring! They really do their best to help you and will address your needs and concerns any time. So thankful for this team, they're truly the best caregivers.
The workers here are dedicated individuals striving to provide the best care possible each day. The true essence of this place as a healing environment lies in its staff. Many of them have imparted invaluable lessons to me. Overall, my experience at Sheppard Pratt was exceptional, a solid 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone facing challenging times.
Outcomes
Our data shows that treatment at the Sheppard Pratt day hospitals is effective. We measure patient progress using PROMIS. Through PROMIS, patients self-report how they are feeling.
Between admission and discharge, patients’ depression scores decreased by 3.5 points and anxiety scores decreased by 3.3 points. This is a meaningful improvement in scores, and shows that our patients are leaving the day hospital feeling better than when they admitted.