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Child and Adolescent Inpatient Services

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At Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, we help children and adolescents address their mental health needs. Through our inpatient mental health services, we provide youth patients with 24/7 access to behavioral health professionals and the attention they need to reach their behavioral health goals and find ways to improve their mental health.

Learn more about our child and adolescent inpatient services below.

What does inpatient child care entail?

Mental and behavioral health challenges can affect anyone, and they can have far-reaching impacts on a person’s life. Children and adolescents who struggle with their mental and behavioral health may show poor performance in school, act out frequently, and experience difficulty forming and maintaining all forms of relationships. In many cases, the symptoms can become unmanageable, and they typically worsen over time without proper treatment.

During an inpatient treatment program, our team of behavioral health professionals administers a range of evidence-based treatment methods and therapies. Treatment sessions can be one-on-one sessions with a therapist or counselor, group therapy sessions that involve other youth patients, or other holistic therapies proven to help our youth navigate their mental health symptoms while providing tools to combat harmful behaviors and feelings. Some of the treatments may also involve a medication component, and our team provides medication management and education to help patients and their loves understand what that looks like for them.

Who should consider child inpatient mental health treatment?

Parents and guardians are often unsure if their child should enroll in a child inpatient psychiatric care program. It may be unclear to the parent or guardian if the child is only exhibiting temporary behavioral difficulties or if the child’s behaviors are signs of an underlying mental health condition...

The best way to determine if a child or adolescent would benefit from inpatient mental health treatment is to have the individual take a free and confidential mental health assessment. During this assessment, a member of our team can learn more about the person’s mental health needs and determine if and what treatment may be appropriate.

Common conditions that inpatient care programs treat include:

  • Mood disorders, including depression and bipolar disorder
  • Anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety and panic disorder
  • Self-harm behaviors
  • Threatening or engaging in physical violence
  • Delusions and hallucinations
  • Substance abuse

Engaging in suicidal ideation is another sign that a child or teen requires behavioral health treatment. While people who engage in suicidal ideation should seek treatment, it is crucial to address the person’s immediate needs. For immediate counseling, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255 or you can text HOME to 741741. A behavioral health professional can listen to your needs and help direct you to suicide prevention resources. If someone is in immediate danger of hurting themselves, call 911 immediately for in-person assistance.

What does an average day center look like while inpatient?

Patients engage in a variety of therapy sessions, which involve individual counseling, or group counseling sessions, activities therapies, and other holistic therapies. Additionally, some of the holistic therapies we offer include:

  • Music and expressive arts
  • Recreation activities
  • Meditation and yoga
  • Movement and mindfulness sessions
  • Pet therapy

How long does someone typical stay in the hospital?

Every patient that takes part in one of our various programs here at the hospital is provided with a treatment team, which works closely with each person from the time of admission and past the time of their discharge. It is through the use of the highly trained treatment team that a plan is created that addresses all of the persons specific health concerns. Most individuals have an average length of stay in the hospital of between five (5) to ten (10) days. The goal of hospitalization however, is to start someone on their unique path to healing and then successfully step them down into another level of care which enables them the ability to return home while still accessing the best care through one of our outpatient programs.

Do you accept insurance?

We accept most insurance carriers, and we also have a self-pay option for patients who do not have qualifying insurance. We work closely with the County of Kern system and local physicians, clinics, schools, and EAP programs to help children and adolescents’ access and qualify for the treatment they need.

If you have questions about a child or adolescent’s particular insurance plan, contact our team at (877) 755-4907. We understand that insurance coverage details can be complicated, and we are always happy to help prospective patients and their families navigate the insurance process.

Getting started at Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital

Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital provides child and teen mental health treatment to patients from southern California and around the country. We accept children between 5 to 12 years old and adolescents between 13 to 17 years old in our youth inpatient programs. We treat a range of mental health conditions, including mood disorders, anxiety, depression, and others.

You can contact our team directly at (877) 755-4907 or contact us online. On the phone, a team member can help answer any questions you may have about our treatment programs and behavioral health hospital. Additionally, we can schedule a free mental health assessment for the prospective patient.