THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PROGRAM (CAP)
Child and Adolescent Outpatient Service
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The Child and Adolescent Outpatient Service at McLean Hospital is a clinical program for helping young people and their families cope with psychiatric illness and the challenges it often brings.
Services are primarily available for those who are stepping down from the McLean-Franciscan Child and Adolescent Inpatient Program and the McLean Acute Residential Treatment Program for Adolescents.
Treatment focuses on diagnosis of the developmental problems and psychiatric illnesses affecting children and adolescents. Treatment plans are tailored to each patient and may include individual or group therapy and, when needed, psychopharmacology. As with McLean's other outpatient programs, clinical services are stabilization-focused. Should longer-term treatment be necessary, assistance is provided in finding appropriate community resources. Some longer-term treatment is provided in the form of group psychotherapy.Evaluation
The Child and Adolescent Outpatient Service provides an initial evaluation that may lead to additional services, such as:
- Group Therapy
- Individual Therapy
- Psychopharmacology
- Parent Guidance and Support
- Psychological Testing
Treatment
At McLean, treatment may include multiple modalities. Groups help young people develop social and other skills that can directly benefit them at home, at school and in relationships. Group therapy provides adolescents with peer support as well as skills to help them deal with their illness. Individual therapy ranges from play therapy for younger children to insight-oriented models for older adolescents. Cognitive, behavioral and psychopharmacologic therapies are applied when needed. Parent guidance and support educates and informs parents about their child's illness and helps foster new parenting skills. The Learning Evaluation Clinic (LEC) provides comprehensive neuropsychological and psychological testing and works with school systems and parents to assess barriers to effective learning. Staff of the LEC may also aid in the development of educational strategies that make the most of the child's learning style.
Staff
The staff of the Child and Adolescent Outpatient Service are experienced clinicians in the study and treatment of psychiatric disorders and substance abuse in children. The staff includes psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and advanced practice nurses. Psychiatry residents, psychology post-doctoral fellows and interns also provide care within the child outpatient department.
For Information
For information concerning availability of outpatient services, call (617) 855-3537, Monday through Friday. McLean Hospital accepts Medicare, Massachusetts Medicaid, Blue Cross and many other private health insurance plans. The hospital also has working arrangements with many managed-care companies. Insurance coverage may be limited for some services, especially for residential and longer-term treatment please see our policies for Financial Responsibility.