New Specialized Children’s Inpatient Progam

June 17, 2005

Retreat Healthcare, a psychiatric and addictions treatment center, is pleased to announce the opening of a dedicated unit specifically designed to meet the needs of children and pre-adolescents. Although the Retreat has historically offered treatment for this population, children will now enjoy expanded space apart from adolescents, with specialized programming to serve more children and families.

This 12-bed unit is staffed by professionals with specialized training in Child Psychiatry, Psychology, Clinical Social Work, Nursing, art therapy, and activity therapy. The program is designed to provide short term, specialized inpatient care for children ages 5-12 with serious social, emotional, and psychological disorders that have led to disruptive and maladaptive behaviors and relationships.

The children’s program provides a home-like environment where children and their families can work collaboratively with experienced and caring professionals toward raising awareness, building the skills necessary to improve functioning at home and in school. Children participate in a structure of varied therapeutic activities designed to reflect a normal school and family day. These activities include: group therapy; communication, anger management, social skills and self esteem building, art therapy, play therapy, family therapy, outdoor adventure education, and psychopharmacological intervention. The program’s treatment philosophy is based in the belief that inherent in each child is the desire to be accepted by others and to do well. The program utilizes a strength-based, trauma-informed and resiliency model of care, with a focus on deliberately and sensitively helping children and families learn new ways of understanding and managing their lives.

Psychiatric services are provided by Dr. Desiree Biesheuvel, who completed her Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center; Dr. William Knorr, Chief of Child/Adolescent Services, who is Board Certified in General Psychiatry, Child Psychiatry, and Pediatrics, and Dr. Robyn Ostrander, who completed her Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Retreat Healthcare employs the largest staff of specialty-trained child psychiatrists in the region.

Children who require the inpatient treatment program for more than 10 school days attend the school at the Meadows Educational Center, a Vermont independent school on the grounds of the Retreat. Meadows Educational Center offers an accredited elementary curriculum to meet children’s individual needs. A typical student-teacher ratio at Meadows is one teacher and one aide for every six children. This allows for highly individualized educational support for each child. The curriculum meets the educational, clinical and behavioral needs of the children and the requirements of Vermont’s educational standards.

Retreat Healthcare, founded in 1834, is a not-for-profit, regional specialty psychiatric hospital and addictions treatment center, providing a full range of diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitation services for individuals of all ages and their families. Nationally recognized for its premiere treatment in mental health care and substance abuse, Retreat Healthcare offers a high quality, individualized, comprehensive continuum of care including inpatient, partial hospitalization, residential and outpatient treatment.

For more information, or to arrange interviews with psychiatrists or other staff, please contact:
mbasescu@retreathealthcare.org , Vice President of Communications, 802-258-6161
or Heather Harrison, 802-258-4313.