This 24-hour-a-day treatment program at the Hamden campus has long been the signature program of The Children's Center. Through the cottage system of small group living, the children enjoy a supportive, structured and safe environment.

The children are referred by a variety of sources, including the Department of Children and Families (DCF). The boys and girls range in age from 8 to 18 with an average length of stay between 9 and 15 months. The female residents have their own separate residential cottage.

The typical residential child has experienced multiple placements during his or her life, at least one of them usually being a psychiatric hospital. The youngster is likely to suffer from a psychiatric illness ranging from depression and anxiety to Attention Deficit Disorder and disorders involving psychotic features. Almost 75 percent of these children take some form of psychotropic medication.

Residential Treatment is often used as the last resort, our youngsters are likely to have experienced many failures and to be extremely untrusting. This is usually manifested by a very high degree of limit testing and oppositionality, a pervasive sense of hopelessness, poor self-esteem and anger.

The Residential children attend the on-grounds Whitney Hall School, receive medical nursing services, take all meals on campus and enjoy recreational activities. They also participate in individual and group therapy and family therapy whenever possible. The living environment is moderately structured with a behavior management level system designed to provide positive reinforcements/negative consequences for behavior. The youngster becomes part of a "Treatment Team" approach, emphasizing that Departments and staff must share equally the responsibility for the child and his or her treatment. Treatment teams meet weekly and a case conference is held every 3 months.

A Discharge Coordinator is available to all clients to ensure continuity of care upon departure from our program.

For more information about Residential Treatment, please contact
Cheryl Smith, LCSW, at (203) 248-2116 ext. 269.