NNews April 2024

54 April 2024 Youth Benefit from Clinical Expertise and Additional, Innovative Support Through proactive techniques and innovative programs, the Summit Oaks team creates a safe, nurturing environment that enables children and adolescents to return to their homes and schools and thrive. “Our focus is on verbal de-escalation. All staff are trained to recognize signs of behaviors that are about to escalate, such asmuttering under their breath. It’s important for asmany staff as possible to have rapport with every patient so they can check in on youth. Even minimal engagement— just saying ‘Hi, how are you?’ —can de-escalate. So, we’re often able to get ahead of situations and prevent crises,” Clores explained. “Unhealthy behaviors are better than destructive behaviors,” Hannam emphasized. To further foster progress, Summit Oaks partners with LearnWell Inc. to provide academic support. Certified teachers not only help children stay current with their education during their time at Summit Oaks, but also help ease students’ transition back to school when they are discharged from the hospital. “LearnWell works with school districts and provides us with a teacher, who gives two to four hours of schooling every day for each child patient. The kids respond well,” Hannam said. “It’s a great way to provide structure in the unit,” Clores added and explained that the children are divided into two groups by age. One group receives academic instruction in the morning and then therapy in the afternoon, and then the groups switch. Summit Oaks is implementing a new program called A Balanced Day in the adolescent unit. It is a positive reinforcement program developed by a psychologist at Universal Health Services, which owns Summit Oaks and other hospitals throughout the country. “Kids will earn coins to use at a store that we will open at the hospital. The clinical goal is to help staff focus more on positive reinforcement of positive behaviors. It’s a good tool for the staff and the kids,” Clores stated. Innovative Activities Promote Healing for Individuals of All Ages “We incorporate a variety of creative art therapies into our groups,” said Clores, who has a background in performance, as well as clinical treatment. “We reinforce that the purpose is not to perform so much as a way to organize and express thoughts in healthy ways,” she said. Performance includes music, visual art and drama, as well as scriptwriting and roleplaying. An example of therapeutic visual arts is the creation of art dedicated to the individuals’ future selves. Another much-used technique is therapeutic writing. “Journaling is huge,” Clores emphasized and explained that patients are given prompts. “We learn a lot about patients’ capabilities before asking them to read or write anything,” she noted. Though leisure awareness may be a less common focus in behavioral health care overall, it is extremely important. “When we think of leisure activities, we usually think of children, but it’s equally important for adults. We need to ensure that time is spent in healthy ways and in healthy relationships,” Clores said. She explained that psychoeducation includes talking with patients about what they find or had found to be satisfying. “Through groups, patients remember howmuch they used to enjoy music, exercise, etc. and the kick-in of dopamine and serotonin,” Clores said. She acknowledged that a lack of motivation is common; for example, individuals may want to just watch TV. “We discuss what they’d rather do and what’s healthier,” she stated. Pet therapy and yoga round out the variety of activities to maximize individuals’ potential to thrive when they leave the hospital. Kathryn Clores, MTE Director of Therapeutic Activities (continued from page 53)