Day Treatment is the name of the service provided to children/adolescent’s whose behaviors are severe enough that it is making it difficult for them to function in a typical academic setting in their community school. The service is provided in a separate classroom or building, is designed to be temporary and is structured to improve the child’s behavioral and coping skills so that they can return to their community school within eighteen months.
Day Treatment can be provided to students identified as Exceptional Children (EC), but this is not a requirement. Day Treatment services are focused on achieving functional gains and on reintegrating the child back into the school.
Day Treatment Services are offered in collaboration with the referring school system, participants will receive educational services as outlined in their Individualized Educational Programming (IEP).
Primary populations served are children and/or adolescents, age 6 through 18, with a mental health diagnosis and who meet the criteria for admittance.
• The referred child must have an Axis I or II MH/SA diagnosis that is not solely a developmental disability,
• Less restrictive MH/SA rehabilitative services in the educational setting have been considered or previously attempted but were found not effective or ineffective,
• The child exhibits behavior resulting in significant school disruption or significant social withdrawal, and
• The child is experiencing mental health and/or substance abuse symptoms/behaviors that severely impair functional ability in an educational setting which may include vocational setting.
This service is designed to serve children who, as a result of their mental health and/or substance abuse treatment needs, are unable to benefit from participation in academic or vocational services at a developmentally appropriate level in a traditional school or work setting.
The service operates no less than four days per week and three hours per day. This is a day service that shall be available year round for a minimum of three hours a day during all days of operation. During the school year, DT operates each day that the schools in the local education agency are in operation. DT operating hours shall cover at least the range of hours that the local education agency operates. Individuals and families served are informed about the availability of 24/7/365 services available through Emergency, Crisis and Mobile Crisis services