Akron Children’s Brings Behavioral Health IOP Program to the Valley
BOARDMAN, Ohio – Akron Children’s Hospital now offers the Intensive Outpatient Program at its Boardman campus, completing the continuum of behavioral health care for children and adolescents in the Mahoning Valley.
The IOP is an after-school program for children ages 12 to 18 with a primary concern of depression and/or anxiety. It focuses on short-term stabilization to help at-risk youths improve functioning and develop healthy coping skills.
“Good candidates for this program are adolescents who are stepping down from our inpatient behavioral health unit or Partial Hospitalization Program, or those who need a higher level of care than outpatient therapy,” said Christine Curry, clinical operations supervisor for Intensive Services and Outpatient Therapy – Eastern Region. “They could be stepping down from having safety concerns – suicide ideation – or really working to integrate back into their daily functioning. Depression or anxiety might be so overpowering that it is impacting their daily functioning.”
The program is currently offered from 1:15 to 4:30 p.m., but starting in January it will be offered from 3:15 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
“IOP uses evidence-based interventions like dialectical behavioral therapy,” Curry said. “Each day, participants work on a different set of skills that may focus on anything from interpersonal communication to regulating emotions or improving distress tolerance. Sessions include yoga to focus on mindfulness and physical wellness and art and other expressive therapies to give participants various outlets for self-expression.”
Participants usually complete IOP in four to six weeks.
The addition of IOP completes the planned rollout of behavioral health programming at Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley campus.
The Mahoning Valley IOP program is located in Building E, 6614 S. Southern Blvd. Parents can request an assessment/self referral by calling 330 543 5015. They should select option 1 and say they’re calling for “Mahoning Valley IOP.”
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
