Sub-Acute Program for Adolescent

At Lakeland Behavioral Health System, we recognize how important it is for adolescents to receive care that addresses their unique developmental needs and life experiences.  

Our subacute program offers specialized care for adolescents ages 13-17 who are suffering from chronic mental health concerns, such as depression or an anxiety disorder. These concerns may be causing a child to have trouble adapting to social situations, regulating their emotions, or controlling certain behaviors. 

This program is a step between acute hospitalization and the residential program at our facility in Springfield, Missouri. At this level of care, we offer oversight and therapies similar to those of our acute program, but the stay is longer to allow each young person to continue benefiting from this environment until they are ready to step down to a lower level of care. 

Every child heals at their own pace, but most children transition to the next step in their healing process in about 30-90 days. 

The care we provide each adolescent with varies because every child responds to therapy differently. To determine the appropriate care, we will start by completing a comprehensive evaluation of your child’s medical history and presenting symptoms, and we will also discuss your child’s goals for seeking treatment at our Springfield, Missouri, facility. 

Gathering this information will allow us to create a customized treatment plan that reflects your child’s specific strengths and challenges. In our subacute program, we primarily use group therapy. Our clinicians will tailor discussions to your child’s needs, so they may cover topics such as setting healthy boundaries, regulating emotions, and building interpersonal skills. 

Your child may also take part in various experiential therapies during their time in our subacute program, including animal-assisted therapy, art therapy, music therapy, and recreational therapy. Their care team may also recommend weekly individual and family therapy sessions. 

During therapy, we use a trauma-informed approach that is based in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This method can help your child identify and change any harmful thought patterns that might be getting in the way of their success. 

Our team of medical professionals is on hand to provide medical assessments and address any basic health needs, and they can administer and manage medications if this is part of your child’s care plan. 

We will work with your child every step of the way, ensuring that they are best prepared to meet their treatment goals. 

Having to seek professional mental health support shouldn’t get in the way of your child’s education. We offer educational services for the adolescents who take part in our subacute program through our nationally accredited Lakeland Regional School. 

This program is fully staffed by a principal, teachers, and substitute teachers who are professionally certified through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Students take five classes a day in the core areas of English, math, science, and social studies, along with physical education. 

Like with the mental health services we provide, we tailor every child’s academic programming to their individual needs. We administer an exit assessment toward the end of every child’s stay to measure their academic progress, with most children gaining one to three grade levels during their time at Lakeland Regional School. 

At Lakeland Behavioral Health System, we understand how hard it can be on the whole family when a child is suffering from a mental health concern. But with effective care, your child can start living a full, productive life. 

When you’re ready to get help, we’re here to assist you. The process starts with a phone call to our intake department, during which we will do a screening assessment to determine whether the subacute program is the best fit for your child’s needs. One of our admissions specialists will ask you questions such as: 

• What led you to pick up the phone to call us? 
• What is your child’s mental health background? 
• What is your child’s physical health background? 
• Has your child received mental health treatment before? 
• What do you hope your child accomplishes with us? 

Once the assessment is complete, one of our providers will review the information to decide if our subacute program is appropriate for your child’s situation. If your child is approved for admission, a knowledgeable member of our team will walk you through the rest of the process, which may include gathering additional documentation and verifying insurance benefits. 

With the help of the experts at Lakeland Behavioral Health System, your child can get on the path to a brighter future.