Click here to skip to content

What can we help you find?

Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program for Adolescent Self-Injurious Behavior

Highland Park Hospital Launches Lake County’s First Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program for Adolescent Self-Injurious Behavior

1/9/2006 - Adolescence is a phase often marked by fluctuating emotions. While most teens express their emotions in a healthy, productive manner, some find it difficult to tolerate and turn to destructive behaviors, such as self-injury (SI), to cope with their feelings.  Highland Park Hospital recently introduced an intensive outpatient program to help teens overcome SI.  Cutting is the most common behavior, however burning, head banging and scratching are also common. Other forms include biting, skin-picking, hair pulling, hitting the body with objects.

The program is offered year-round and ranges from four to six weeks. These sessions teach adolescent patients specific skills to deal constructively with the difficult situations and overwhelming emotional states they experience.

What’s Unique about this Program?

It is the first self-injury program structured specifically for adolescents in Lake County and one of only a few in Illinois that require parent/guardian participation. Parent/Guardian participation, including family education and support, is viewed as an important component of the program because many adolescents feel disconnected from their families. The hope is that parental participation will result in a stronger relationship between parent and child as well as a resolution to self injury behaviors.

Components of the Program Include

  • Complete psychiatric evaluation by a board certified psychiatrist
  • Medicine management
  • Professionally conducted group therapy and skills training
  • Parent Support and education
  • Discharge planning

Treatment Team

Highland Park Hospital’s treatment team includes board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrists, social workers, professional counselors, recreation therapists and art therapists. For some adolescents, self-injury co-exists with other unhealthy ways of coping and staff consultations from Highland Park Hospital’s Eating Disorders program and Chemical Dependency program are available if required.

Visit the Mental Health section of our website.

Questions and Referral Information

Contact: Karen Fennell, LCSW, Care Coordinator of Adolescent Outpatient Services, 847.480.3901.