The newly opened Dorothea Dix Adolescent Care unit has created a lifeline that’s now within reach for adolescents in the local community who need psychiatric crisis care. The facility, which held a ribbon cutting in March, has 16 inpatient beds for adolescents ages 12 to 17, and is located on Melrose Road, across from the Cape Fear Valley Behavioral Health Care Inpatient Unit. “The Dorothea Dix Care Unit is designed specifically for these patients and their families,” said Corporate Director of Behavioral Health John Bigger. “During their short-term stay, youth participate in individual, group, and/or family counseling, with a focus on evidence-based adaptive skill building as a foundation for successful reintegration into the community.” Individualized treatment plans with an emphasis on family involvement are made easier in a unit that is close to home for families who have adolescents receiving care. Before this facility opened, the nearest adolescent psychiatric treatment facility in North Carolina was 60 miles away. If a bed was not available, patients in crisis would wait in the emergency department until a bed at a facility opened up. Once placed in a facility, families would be burdened with long travel times or increased costs to stay near their child. “A secondary goal of the unit is to assist the youth and their families with accessing local support services that will continue to help the adolescent continue to improve overall functioning within their home or community setting,” Bigger said. “Having this unit in Cumberland County makes these transitions much easier for the patients and their families.” Providing mental health services for adolescents can be complicated and carries unique considerations which adult mental health services do not have. Best practices for patients in this age range include taking into account all these considerations as part of daily treatment. “Adolescents are in the phase of their life when they are trying to be independent as well as integrate into other peer groups outside of their family,” Bigger said. “But they also still need to function as part of their family. The combination of all these changing relationships can be very challenging and complicated. On top of that, adolescents are not yet fully mature, emotionally or physically. Because of all these connections, having a facility which makes family participation easier can make a huge difference in implementing a successful treatment plan for the adolescent.” Being able to include the family in an adolescent’s treatment plan can benefit other members of the family, as well. One family member’s mental illness can impact the entire family.
“Having a strong support group or support system is critical for adolescents in this stage of their life.” Before this facility opened, the nearest adolescent psychiatric treatment facility in North Carolina was 60 miles away.
“Our psychotherapists will meet with family members to not only assess functioning within the family dynamic but will also focus on developing strong aftercare plans which incorporate ongoing care of the entire family, as well,” Bigger said. “This might incorporate tools like family therapy during aftercare as well as individual and/or group therapy for the adolescent.” Though the need for this new unit was felt before the pandemic, the last two years have highlighted the importance of more such facilities across the country as mental health needs have increased. The effects of limited social interactions, isolation and increases in the usage of social media have taught mental health providers important lessons that will impact future treatment plans. “We will have more face-to-face sessions, while at the same time utilizing digital learning platforms to help guide adolescents through establishing appropriate interactions with others, both interpersonally and through social media platforms,” Bigger said. “Having a strong support group or support system is critical for adolescents in this stage of their life.”