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Treatment for Children & Adolescents

Inpatient Programs

The Menninger Clinic^®

Inpatient Programs
- Adolescent Treatment Program

Adolescent Treatment Program

Inpatient Care for ages 12-17 

Do you have an adolescent with complex or hard-to-manage mental health symptoms? Has outpatient treatment or medication not led to meaningful improvement?

The Menninger Clinic’s Adolescent Treatment Program is an intensive inpatient program focused on stabilization, safety, and treatment planning during periods of acute psychiatric distress. The program supports adolescents who need a higher level of care to better understand their symptoms, regain stability, and determine appropriate next steps in treatment.

The Adolescent Treatment Program serves adolescents ages 12–17 with psychiatric disorders or co-occurring conditions, such as mental health concerns alongside substance use or other challenges. Many adolescents who come to the program have multiple, overlapping concerns that require coordinated care and careful clinical evaluation.

Program Focus and Approach

The Adolescent Treatment Program emphasizes stabilization and treatment planning. Care is led by a multidisciplinary treatment team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, therapists, and other specialists as clinically appropriate.

The team works collaboratively to:

Stabilize acute symptoms

Clarify diagnoses when questions remain

Identify core emotional, behavioral, and relational challenges

Develop individualized recommendations for continued care

Use clinical assessment and consultation to inform diagnosis and treatment planning

Treatment Goals

Our goals for treatment are to:

Resolve your teen’s immediate crisis and stabilize symptoms

Reduce acute psychiatric distress and address self-destructive or addictive behaviors

Develop an individualized treatment plan informed by clinical assessment

When appropriate, assessment findings are integrated into treatment decisions and shared with families to support next steps in care.

Teach coping, communication, and emotion regulation skills with opportunities to practice them

Create a comprehensive wellness and aftercare plan to support ongoing recovery

Who We Serve

Adolescents ages 12-17 admitted to the Adolescent Treatment Program often present with complex clinical needs, including anxiety, mood disorders, trauma-related symptoms, attention-related challenges, emotional dysregulation, family conflict, and substance use.

Some adolescents may also experience self-injury, suicidality, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, eating disorders, autism spectrum traits, or emerging personality patterns. Each adolescent presentation is unique, and care is tailored accordingly.

Assessment and Clinical Consultation

Assessment is an integral part of care in the Adolescent Treatment Program and is guided by each adolescent’s clinical presentation and treatment needs.

Clinical assessment is ongoing, individualized, and conducted by the treatment team. Not every adolescent requires formal psychological testing. When clinically indicated, additional psychological evaluation or consultation with psychology services may be recommended to clarify diagnosis, better understand patterns of functioning, or inform treatment planning.

Some comprehensive psychological evaluations may be available on a private pay basis. Our clinician-led admissions team can help families understand available options and expectations prior to admission.

Care Planning and Next Steps

As treatment progresses, the team meets with families to review clinical findings, treatment response, and recommendations for continued care. Assessment results, when available, are used to inform recommendations and support continuity of care beyond hospitalization.

When a Comprehensive Mental Health Assessment is recommended, families receive a written summary outlining key insights, diagnoses when applicable, and recommendations for next steps. Information is shared with adolescents separately in an age-appropriate way.

Program Components

The Adolescent Treatment Program is an inpatient program that may include:

Psychiatric care and medication management

24/7 nursing support and supervision

Individual therapy

Daily group therapy

Family therapy

Recreation and expressive therapies

Substance use–focused services, when appropriate

Group therapy and participation in a therapeutic community help adolescents practice social and communication skills, reduce isolation, build effective coping strategies, and receive feedback in a supportive environment.

Academics

We recognize the importance of education and work collaboratively with adolescents, families, and schools to support academic continuity during treatment and planning for return to school after discharge.

What to Expect

Upon admission, adolescents participate in psychiatric and psychosocial evaluation, a medical assessment, and additional consultation or assessment as clinically indicated.

During treatment:

Adolescents follow a structured daily schedule

Family participation is expected and encouraged

Technology use is limited to support therapeutic goals

Discharge planning begins early and evolves throughout care

Discharge recommendations may include outpatient services, residential treatment, or step-down programs, depending on individual clinical needs.

Campus and Amenities

The Adolescent Treatment Program is located on Menninger’s 50-acre campus and offers a supportive, therapeutic environment designed to promote healing and stability. You can learn more about our campus through our virtual tour.