S.T.A.T (Short Term Assessment and Treatment Unit)
Who Can Use This Service?
This residential program is an intensive mental health program for children ages 6-17 (target age 10-17) years who are experiencing severe social, behavioral and/or emotional difficulties; who are exhibiting psychiatric difficulties; who require a comprehensive mental health assessment; who are at high risk of self-harm and suicide; and whose family is in acute crises and is at imminent risk of breaking down.
What are the inclusionary criteria?
- Youth and family reside in the District of Thunder Bay
- Youth and family agree to participate in the placement to the best of their ability;
- Youth are medically stable
- There is a clear discharge plan.
What are the exclusionary criteria?
- Youth who are not medically stable
- Family or youth who refuse to participate or consent to service
- Youth who are below the borderline level of intelligence
- Youth who exhibit such extreme behaviours that they cannot be managed safely within the milieu and staffing resources
- Youth who have special needs that require a more structured or intensive service
- Youth and families who would benefit from a less intrusive service
- Where there is no discharge plan
What Is Offered?
The STAT Unit is a six-bed residential program for youth with an initial 90 day stabilization and assessment service. Placement is re-assessed at 90 days to determine if an additional 30 to 90 days is needed for ongoing treatment and transition planning.
The purpose of the program is to
- stabilize a youth's high risk and out of control behaviour
- complete a comprehensive assessment
- actively engage the youth and their family and/or the support system in treatment
- to assist youth to successfully transition back into their family and community.
How Can This Service Help?
This intensive program provides a safe, structured home-like environment for youth. This program can help youth and families by
- stabilizing the youth's behaviour
- increasing the youth's, the parent's and the service system's understanding of the youth's strengths and needs
- conducting a review of medications
- treating the youth's mental health issues through individual and group treatment
- improving family functioning and parent-child relationships
- strengthening parenting
- improving health and wellness through programming focused on recreation, healthy living, diversity and culture
- supporting the youth to attend school in either a community school or the centre's specialized school programs
How Can You Find Out More Or Access This Service?
Referrals for this program come from professionals in children's mental health, child welfare, health care, and the education system. With consent, professionals can make a referral by completing the referral package and submitting it to Intake Services at the Children's Centre Thunder Bay.
Intake Services will book an appointment with the child and family to complete the intake either over the phone or in person. The referral will then be reviewed by the Residential Intake Review Committee to determine appropriateness and need. Consents must be signed by parents and youth over the age of 12 years
If a parent or youth over the age of 16 wish to make a referral, they should call 343-5000 to request an appointment with our Intake Services staff who will gather some information and discuss with you whether this service or another one would best meet your needs.
For more information, please contact the Program Manager at 343-5046.
