Psychiatric Residential Treatment

Residential Therapy is for children who suffer with more advanced cases of common mental health conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, severe depression, schizophrenia, and other conditions caused by genetics, biology, environment, and abuse.

Despite the various illnesses and causes, children in residential care have something in common. They no longer can function in their home and community settings. They are disruptive, sometimes uncontrollable, and often a danger to themselves or others. They have thoughts of suicide and display defiant and aggressive behaviors, which are difficulties addressed in residential treatment.

What Happens in Residential Care?

Children live at one of Trillium's campuses where they receive 24-hour support that includes therapy and medication management. Children learn new coping skills, participate in school, and undertake activities such as gardening, horseback riding and other recreation programs. Their housing and recreation space is as homelike as possible because we know that children do best in therapy when they feel comfortable and safe.

The treatment environment is one of compassion, understanding and respect, with a team culture that fosters self-control and self-regulation rather than compliance. The direct care staff is specially trained in de-escalation techniques to encourage good decision-making skills in a safe and nurturing environment.

Families are strongly encouraged to participate in their child's therapy. And as children improve, home visits for overnight or weekend stays become part of the family's overall therapy.

When children complete therapy, the treatment team works with you and your child to utilize newly learned behaviors and take the skills home. Staff discuss discharge plans with parents or guardians and determine the best way to provide a strong support system in a child's home, school and other everyday settings. This often includes working closely with teachers, school counselors, extended family, and other important figures in a child's life.

Alternatives to Hospitalization

Last year, about 25 percent of children in the Secure Children's Inpatient Program returned to their homes, where they continued to receive appropriate therapy.

Trillium serves children and adolescents in Oregon who are considered the most severely affected by mental illness. These children and teens were formerly served at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem but moved to Trillium's facilities when the state decided to remove all children from the aging state facility. Trillium's programs are the last stop -- there is nowhere else these children can seek treatment short of hospitalization.

Children served in these programs often transition to a traditional residential program or therapeutic foster care program when they complete treatment. Last year, about 25 percent of children in the Secure Children's Inpatient Program returned to their homes, where they continued to receive appropriate therapy.

Secure Children's Inpatient Program: The secure children’s program, located on the Trillium Parry Center Campus, serves children across Oregon ages 5 to 13 years old who need the highest level of care. Their conditions are advanced enough that they may be a danger to themselves or others.

Secure Adolescent Inpatient Program: This program, similar to the Secure Children’s Inpatient Program, serves teen-agers from 14 to 18 years old. The program is located in a new building on the Trillium Farm Home Campus.

Traditional Residential Therapy

Trillium provides residential therapy at its Central Oregon Campus in Bend, Farm Home Campus in Corvallis, and Parry Center Campus in Portland. Children in traditional psychiatric residential therapy need a structured environment but have some skills. Children may stay in this program for several weeks or several months, depending on individual needs, with a goal of transitioning to lower levels of care when children build new skills and coping mechanisms.

Brief Psychiatric Stabilization

Typically, children and teens stay in this program one to two weeks. They receive stabilization therapy designed to overcome their current crisis. Children undergo a complete assessment, and a treatment plan is developed with family input.

When children complete the program, Trillium staff work with families to refer them to appropriate services and resources in their communities. Sometimes, this means continuing with other services that Trillium provides. Or, Trillium therapists may refer children and families back to their regular treatment providers.