Innovative Strength‐Based Care in Child and Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatry

• DOI: 10.1111/jcap.12147
• Publication Date: 2016-08-24T03:57:24Z
• Authors: Deanna P. Sams; David Garrison; Joanne Bartlett
• Keywords: Acute care

PROBLEM Child and adolescent psychiatric units serve the highest risk, most vulnerable populations in mental health delivery system. This article describes integration of a strength‐based approach with traditional, medical model care on an acute inpatient unit. A framework allows for increased focus exploring patients' goals, strengths, relationships, skills, family communication within hospital setting. METHODS The process is described, followed by discussion implementation evaluation interventions, including mindfulness, movie, narrative, animal‐assisted therapies. FINDINGS Innovative interventions led to improvement patient symptoms, unit culture, patient, family, staff satisfaction. CONCLUSION strong emphasis strength‐based, multidisciplinary treatment has enhanced care, as goals admission are broadened include more than diagnosis medication management.