Serving Teens Who Experience Depression, Anxiety and School Issues

The end of the school year is not always greeted with enthusiasm, especially for teenagers experiencing depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. Some kids face deep concerns about summer activities and changes the next school year may bring. Presence Behavioral Health at Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center (PSMEMC) is now offering teens (ages 12-17) a structured summer program from June 22 – September 4, 2015, to help the transition from one school year to the next.

The Presence Behavioral Health Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) summer program focuses on the needs of teens including, but not limited to, preparing for changes in support systems, schools, classmates and teachers. The program runs Monday – Friday, from 1 – 5 p.m., and registered teens commit to attending three times a week.

“Summer can sometimes make it easy to ignore a problem, or it can make an issue more obvious and intense,” said Rachel Kazez, coordinator of the Adolescent IOP program at Presence Behavioral Health on the Presence Saint Elizabeth campus, where the summer program is offered. “So it is a fantastic time to really dig in and proactively work on issues like depression, anxiety and any school issues.”

Key aspects of the program include:

• Participants can attend for a few weeks or all summer
• Flexible scheduling to accommodate other commitments, interests and summer plans
• Lunch for participants
• Group-based treatment, including family support and individualized attention
• If needed, medication management with child and adolescent psychiatry specialist Dr. Mitchell Glaser
• Collaborative treatment planning with an option to transition to other services following the program’s completion

“Our clinicians are looking at mental health in a different way,” Kazez said. “Our team is constantly inspired to create new and better ways of offering therapy, and we use a proactive, positive approach to treatment for problems like depression, anxiety, self-harm and school refusal.”

The Presence Behavioral Health Adolescent IOP has a history of providing cost effective and high quality treatment to city teens. “By the time school starts, teens in our summer program will be ready to transition to low-intensity treatment (like a weekly session) to maintain progress and support during the year,” said Kazez.

Many public and private insurance plans are accepted. Referral patients can start the program within about a week of referral. For more information, contact the confidential IOP referral line at 312-491-5220.

About Presence Behavioral Health

Presence Behavioral Health provides a multitude of outpatient behavioral health services including crisis services, a 24 hour crisis line, residential, outpatient treatment throughout the city and suburbs. Presence Behavioral Health Outpatient at SMEMC provides comprehensive, client-centered mental health care for individuals, families, adults, children, and adolescents. Outpatienttreatment options include psychiatric services, individual, family, and group therapy, community support, adolescent intensive outpatient program, Misdemeanor Prosecution Deferred Program, case management, and outpatient day programs. Our hospitals also provide inpatient psychiatric care for adults (18+) and children/adolescents (3-17).

About Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center

Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center (PSMEMC) is a premier medical center on Chicago’s near northwest side and includes the Presence Saint Mary Campus, 2233 W. Division St., and Presence Saint Elizabeth Campus, 1431 N. Claremont Ave. The Presence Saint Mary Campus is certified as a Primary Stroke Center and accredited as a Chest Pain Center. The hospital specializes in behavioral health, cardiac care, digestive diseases, emergency services, neuroscience services, obstetrics and primary care. Visit our website at http://presencehealth.org/stmary-elizabeth.