Referrals to Other Levels of Care
Most youth leave the emergency room with instructions to follow up with a community doctor, therapist, or psychiatrist.
There are different levels of care to meet your youth’s mental and behavioral health needs. Options may depend on your child’s age, where you live, diagnosis and other factors. Each service or program can have its own eligibility, areas of focus and requirements.
Safety is the most important factor when deciding what comes next. Understanding the different options can help you make informed choices.
If your youth’s condition is not stable enough for this option, you and the doctors may decide you need a higher level of care to further assess and stabilize your youth. Hospital staff will look for an available space in an inpatient care facility, which will be referred to as a “bed.” Often this involves waiting, generally in the ER, and sometimes for several days. When you have an agreed date, the staff will discuss transportation with you. Your child will be taken by secure transport, and you will need to follow in your own vehicle. The other option is that your youth may be sent home. This will cancel the referral process and the your community provider will have to restart this. It is helpful to know which places received the referrals and you can also call their admissions department and check that this is still on their waiting list.
Different Levels of Care
Outpatient Services
Outpatient services offer different types and levels of support from individual counselling to full programs.
Some programs provide early or intensive support in the community. Services may happen in your home several times a week. These include Mobile Response and Stabilization Services, Early Assessment and Support Alliance (EASA) and Intensive In-Home Behavioral Health.
Other outpatient services can focus on substance use, trauma, eating disorders, or other specific needs.
Day Treatment
Day treatment is a mental health program for youth who need more support than weekly therapy but do not need to stay overnight in the hospital.
They attend treatment during the day to receive therapy, learn coping skills, and get support, then return home in the evening.
The goal is to help stabilize emotions, strengthen coping skills, and support families while keeping youth connected to home and the community.
Acute Care
Short-term inpatient care focused on stabilizing a crisis.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Short-term, often 30-day inpatient care for youth recovering from alcohol or drug use.
Programs include group and individual therapy, recovery skills, life skills, and relapse prevention.
.
Subacute Care
Short-term residential care that provides close support and assessment.
Youth receive mental health services in a structured setting. The goal is to stabilize symptoms and prepare for the next step in care
Psychiatric Residential Treatment Services (PRTS)
Short-term residential care for youth who need 24-hour emotional and behavioral support. Youth participate in therapy, structured activities, and school.
Secure Inpatient Program (SIP)
State hospital-level care for youth who need longer-term and more intensive treatment.
Youth receive therapy, skills groups, family therapy, and attend school on site.
Other Residential Services
Other residential programs may be suggested. It is important to note that these are not licensed as mental health treatment facilities and this is not their main focus. Careful research is needed on the focus and purpose of each program, along with what and how any needed therapy may be accessed. Medical insurance is often not available for residential programs that are not licensed as psychiatric residential treatment programs.
For more information contact your insurance provider or visit the Oregon Health Authority website.