Coastal Harbor Treatment Center Services - Coastal Harbor Health System | Compassion Quality Excellence

Child & Adolescent Services

We treat a variety of behavioral, psychological, emotional and mental challenges in a safe and secure environment:

• Aggressive/impulsive behaviors: Our staff is trained in verbal de-escalation, crisis intervention and therapeutic holding techniques.
• Depressive symptoms/Trauma: Our Clinical Director and more than half our staff have completed training in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to better engage clients who are traumatized. Several therapists are also trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, which teaches mood regulation and healthy thought patterns.
• Education: We are accredited through the Georgia public school system as a private school (Title 1 – GA Certified) so residents may attend school year-round. Residents are tested to determine their level of achievement in various subjects at admission and on an ongoing basis to document progress. Residents may even earn their GED while at Coastal Harbor Treatment Center.
• Family involvement: Our therapists conduct therapy sessions with families by phone when long distances make face-to-face sessions difficult. Four times a year, we will assist family members, up to two at a time, to visit their child, including providing flights and accommodations.
• Interpersonal skills: Our residents have daily, structured recreation that is monitored by a Certified Recreation Therapy Specialist and designed to meet individual treatment goals. When residents have achieved higher levels, they are eligible for outings in the community, and all residents have opportunities to participate in indoor and outdoor sports, art, and teambuilding exercises.
• Learning Disabilities or Developmental Delays: We provide specialized units for those who have developmental delays or mild to moderate mental retardation. These units are creative, expressive and hands-on and are lead by staff that is trained in how to handle behavioral issues and give instructions in an effective way.
• Level System: We provide residents with a level system that sets goals for achievement and grants increased privileges. To advance, residents must obtain signatures from each discipline and exhibit increasingly stable behaviors. Higher levels include participating in off-campus outings and activities on a weekly or bimonthly basis.
• Medication Management: We assign a contracted psychiatrist who sees each resident weekly and in monthly treatment team meetings. We meticulously monitor medications and any possible side effects to evaluate their effectiveness.
• Psychotic symptoms: Our clinical staff is expertly trained in recognizing the signs and treatment of hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. Unit staff meetings are held often to discuss interventions that might be helpful for these residents.
• Repetition of Previous Treatment: Many residents and families are concerned that a resident will be repeating what they have already learned, or that coming to Coastal Harbor means they will be “starting over.” In reality, referrals come to Coastal Harbor only when unsafe or problematic behaviors have continued in spite of other interventions and/or placements. Our goal is to continue treatment and help them achieve the emotional and behavioral stability that will allow them to transition to a less restrictive level of care.
• Self-harming/mutilation: We treat a large number of boys and girls with self-harming, self-mutilating, and suicidal behaviors. Our behavior protocols ensure that we vigilantly remove potential objects from their rooms, such as shoelaces, to keep them safe.
• Self-help and problem solving skills: We create a home-like environment by encouraging residents to clean their rooms, work together to clean common areas, and take care of their personal hygiene and laundry. Residents are also assisted with totaling up their earned points, and spending them wisely in a point store, which assists with money management skills.
• Sexually aggressive behaviors/denial: We train all our therapists, nurses and staff to address sexually aggressive behaviors. The Clinical Director and two therapists have received intensive training in the treatment of juvenile sexual offenders — one therapist works with girls and the other with boys.