Preparing for Admission

Admission Criteria

The Hospital Extended Care Program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center uses the criteria below to qualify children for extended psychiatric care.

Admission Criteria | Exclusion Criteria | Admission Meeting

Admission Criteria for the Cincinnati Children's Extended Care Program

  • Meets DSM IV criteria (diagnostic criteria) for diagnosed psychiatric illness
  • Pattern of severe impairment due to psychiatric diagnosis
  • The pattern of clinical, medical and psychiatric symptoms is not in the state of acute crisis
  • The child is in need of 24-hour supervision and treatment
  • Due to the severity of the child's condition, treatment is required in an out-of-home setting
  • There is documented evidence that residential treatment would improve the child's overall functioning
  • The child is 9 to 17 years old
  • There is a history of multiple placements
  • Experience of repeated and / or failed psychiatric treatment
  • History of self-harming, physically aggressive and / or oppositional-defiant behavior
  • IQ of 70 or above, or demonstrated developmental capabilities to respond to structured behavioral program

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Exclusionary Criteria for the Cincinnati Children's Extended Care Program

  • IQ below 70 and is unable to complete daily living skills independently and / or respond to structured programming
  • Acutely suicidal and / or homicidal
  • Actively psychotic
  • Extreme medical or physical complications that would impede full participation in program
  • A history of sexual perpetration, fire-setting, substance abuse and children needing frequent restraints will require additional evaluation to determine the child's appropriateness for the program

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Admission Meeting

  • Case will be reviewed by Admissions Committee
  • If approved for admission, child will be scheduled for admission or ranked for wait
  • If not approved for admission, the child's case will be reviewed by physician
  • Any child denied will be given other referrals

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Contact Us

The Psychiatric Intake Response Center is staffed 24 hours a day and can be reached at 513-636-4124. The center can also be reach via email at psychiatryresponse@cchmc.org.