Child & Adolescent Services

Each year, Spring Harbor Hospital treats hundreds of young people from cities and towns throughout Maine and New England.

Child Services

Our 12-bed unit is specially designed for the care of children who experience mental illness. In general, admitted patients are children who are an imminent risk to themselves or others, or are unable to function at a lower level of care. Our team of pediatric mental health professionals works closely with children, their families, and other caregivers to achieve maximum treatment results. Unit programming includes comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, medication management, individual and family therapy, educational and consultation services for parents, and on-site academic instruction.

Adolescent Services

Our 14-bed units serves teens who require acute mental health care and substance use intervention. Typically, patients are adolescents who present an imminent risk to themselves or others, or are unable to function at a lower level of care, due to their psychiatric symptoms. Programming includes comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, individual and family therapy, recreational and group therapy, medication management, parent education, and on-site academic instruction.

The multidisciplinary patient care team specializes in the treatment of diagnoses common to this age group, including anxiety, psychotic or depressive disorders, oppositional/defiant disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Each adolescent patient room features ample natural light, a private bath, and a window view of our recreational areas, reflecting pool, or tranquil wooded grounds. The spacious family consultation rooms and teen skill-building areas are conveniently located nearby.

Co-occurring Disorders Program

Many teens in our care experience co-occurring chemical addiction, so a specially designed treatment regimen exists for these young people and their families. Group therapy on substance use awareness is offered to all adolescents once per week, and those who are diagnosed with co-occurring disorders receive group therapy twice weekly. Also available to patients is a weekly Alcoholics Anonymous support group. Individual treatment plans also address chemical dependency issues.

Inpatient Admission Criteria

For admission to Spring Harbor Hospital, at least one of the following severity of illness elements must be met and the patient cannot safely be managed at a less intensive level of care:

1. The patient has seriously attempted to harm self within 72 hours prior to the admission.
2. The patient has seriously attempted to harm others and/or property within 72 hours prior to admission and this behavior is judged attributable to mental illness.
3. The patient is considered at significant and imminent risk to seriously harm self.
4. The patient is considered at significant and imminent risk for serious harm to another person and/or property as a result of a serious mental illness.
5. The patient is exhibiting a significant deterioration or divergence from expected developmental norms of behavior and/or cognitive functioning as a result of a serious mental illness, and this condition has been unresponsive to an appropriate course of treatment at a less intensive level of care.
6. The patient or patient's family behavior has prevented adequate diagnostic assessment at a less intensive level of care.
7. The patient requires continuous medical monitoring during the initiation of a medication trial and this trial cannot be safely accomplished at a less intensive level of care.

You or your family member will need a referral from a psychiatrist, therapist or crisis team before coming to Spring Harbor Hospital. Please go to your nearest emergency room if you are in crisis or cannot wait for a psychiatric evaluation.