Metropolitan Center For Mental Health

child and adolescent treatment...

It has become evident over the course of the last few years that more and more children and adolescents are requiring the intervention of mental health professionals. Particularly in New York City, these children are exhibiting many different kinds of reactions to the extreme stresses in their environment. More are in foster care than ever before, and more have various degrees of learning problems, the effect of which on self-esteem and psychological development are pervasive and long-lasting. The treatment of children and adolescents requires a special kind of training and knowledge about the interaction of development, skills, personality and environment, and experience in special treatment techniques such as play therapy.

The Child and Adolescent Treatment Services program of Metropolitan Center offers thorough assessment and treatment services in both english and spanish. The whole child is addressed, with a focus on strengths as well as weaknesses, and with sensitivity to all of the others involved in the child's life.

program...

Intake into the Center's Child and Adolescent program is done via a three session intake assessment process. During the first two appointments, the child or adolescent, and the family, are seen separately and together (depending somewhat on the age of the child or adolescent), in order to get a thorough history of the problem, of developmental and school progress, and of family and life functioning. The final intake appointment is with a staff psychiatrist who will assess the need for psychiatric or physiological interventions, such as medication or other treatments.

A treatment plan is formulated which delineates a multi-pronged therapy, with all services to be coordinated by the child or adolescent's therapist. The type and frequency of the child's individual therapy, as well as family (or other) involvement, recommended will be reviewed and agreed upon. Because children and adolescents are often involved with other agencies, such as school or foster care, coordination of treatment is a priority of the therapist. Permission forms are obtained to allow for communication between all concerned parties when necessary. Other services are provided in conjunction with therapy if deemed necessary, such as psychological and neuropsychological evaluations. Remediative recommendations may be made in these evaluations, and arrangements will be made to implement them.

treatment staff...

All therapists in this program have specific training and experience in the treatment of children and adolescents. They are sensitive to developmental and learning issues, and to the need for active family involvement. They are supervised by senior staff who are all experienced child analysts.