Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

Partial hospitalization can be a "step down" in care for adolescents, ages 13–18 (still in high school), who have recently been hospitalized in an inpatient psychiatry setting, or it can be a "step up" in treatment when a higher level of care than traditional outpatient therapy is needed.

Adolescents who may benefit from this program include those who:

• Can participate in therapy and engage in a group setting
• Experience significant functional impairment at home, in school or in the community, despite the efforts of their current outpatient providers
• Are affected by any of the following:
  • Consistent absence from school
  • Difficulty with problem solving, decision making or relating with family, peers and others
  • Poor self-care
• Need help addressing safety issues
• Need help managing time in a meaningful way
• Have support to manage schoolwork outside of programming hours
• Are not a danger to themselves or others

Please call (608) 775-3115 to complete a pre-screening over the phone with our adolescent treatment coordinator. Alternatively, you may fill out our short online interest form. A member of our Adolescent PHP team will reach out to discuss your needs and answer any questions within 48 hours. If your teenager meets admission requirements, we’ll take the next step by scheduling an in-person assessment for them with a licensed therapist.

A note about referrals: Any adolescent who is struggling with emotional or behavioral challenges at school, home or in the community can be referred to the program; they do not need to be a current patient to access services. In addition, anyone can make a referral, including parents, teachers, healthcare providers, teens, etc.

Our Adolescent PHP therapy team treats a wide range of mental health conditions that affect a teen's ability to participate in school, community and family life. These conditions include but are not limited to:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Family and peer conflict
• Mood disorders
• School absenteeism  
• Substance use challenges
• Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

All Adolescent PHP sessions will be billed to insurance. We recommend that you contact your insurance company directly to understand your behavioral health coverage and associated costs. If your teen is a good fit for PHP, we will put you in touch with our financial counselor to verify your benefits and answer any questions.

Meals: Lunch and snacks are provided as part of the program, at no additional cost.

Transportation: Parents and guardians are responsible for arranging transportation of their child to and from Gundersen Behavioral Health Onalaska. Off-street parking is available.

Schoolwork: Our multidisciplinary team stays in close contact with teachers and schools throughout the program; however, study time is not incorporated into our adolescent programming.

Our Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program lasts three weeks (15 days) and includes 30 hours of programming. Following the program, participants often "step down" to a lower level of behavioral health therapy for ongoing support.

The Adolescent PHP meets at Gundersen Behavioral Health Onalaska, located at 123 16th Ave. S. in Onalaska, Wis. The lower level of the building, named Kaitlin's Table Day Center, is specifically dedicated to adolescents enrolled in the program.

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Yes. Our interdisciplinary team of providers highly encourages family involvement throughout the Adolescent PHP. This team approach allows patients and their families to be active partners in their treatment plan rather than feeling alone in their struggle.