MUSC Children's Hospital

We're all about children!

Psychiatry

A child's emotional difficulties can surface in a number of areas such as school performance, home behavior, peer relations or sudden changes in physical health or appearance. From infancy through adolescence, the Youth Services division of the Institute of Psychiatry offers programs tailored to the individual needs of children and families.

Highly trained child psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and an experienced nursing staff ensure that each child receives an intensive evaluation and the most advanced treatment available. Care is provided with the least possible disruption to the lives of patients and their families. Specialized treatment of many disorders, including eating disorders, anxiety disorders, response to trauma and problem in infancy, is provided by leaders in each field.

All patients who are inpatient or part of our day treatment programs attend school and receive credit through homebound instruction.

Programs offered:

Assessment and Consultation Services: available to assist other health care providers with patient evaluation and treatment plan development.

Outpatient Services: A child's emotional difficulties can surface in a number of areas, such as school performance, home behavior and peer relations. Outpatient services offer children and families the opportunity to understand these problems and find answers. Treatment is tailored to meet the child and family's needs. Individual, family and group therapy are offered.

STAR Children's Day Treatment/Partial Hospitalization Program: The STAR program offers treatment to children and adolescents with serious behavioral and/or emotional difficulties in a structured and therapeutic environment. Children remain in the program throughout the day, receiving individual, family and group services. Learn more about this program.

Youth Inpatient Program: This 24-bed inpatient program provides comprehensive evaluation and crisis stabilization while helping patients develop new skills and understand their behavior. The program also helps parents prepare for the child's return home and treatment following hospitalization.

Innovative Models for Parent and Child Treatment (IMPACT): IMPACT offers both partial hospitalization and inpatient treatment to preschool-age children with extremely disruptive behavior at home or in daycare. Using age-appropriate activities, therapists work closely with patients to modify emotional and behavioral responses. Most treatment occurs in a school-like setting, but community outings are also used to work with the children's behavior in unfamiliar environments. Extensive work with family members and continued at-home follow-up and monitoring are important offerings of this program.

Tic and Tourette Program: Assessment and treatment for children with tics and other movement disorders are available on an outpatient basis. Assessment includes evaluation with both psychiatric and neurological examinations. Medication management and adjustment are provided by a child psychiatrist and psychopharmacist.

Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center: Family violence, physical abuse, automobile accidents and other traumatic life events can lead to a number of emotional problems for the children involved. The Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center offers specialized evaluation and treatment to children who have witnessed or been victimized by a crime or traumatic event.

Adolescent Dual Diagnosis Program: The Adolescent Dual Diagnosis Program works with adolescents ages 12 to 17 who are troubled by substance use disorders. The program also serves those with substance use plus a psychiatric disorder. This specialized program is based on an understanding of the effects each disorder has on the other, and uses a variety of interventions to end that cycle. Hospitalization is available to adolescents who need to be removed form the home to modify dangerous behaviors. A variety of outpatient services are provided including medication management, individual therapy, and family therapy.

To learn more about pediatric psychiatric services at MUSC call (843) 792-9888. If you are new patient wishing to schedule an appointment, please call MUSC Health Connection at (843) 792-1414 or toll-free at 1-800-424-MUSC.

Learn more:
Child and Adolescent Mental Health