Children’s of Mississippi opens adolescent acute psychiatric unit

Mississippi teens, like their peers nationwide, are facing increasing rates of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, creating a growing demand for adolescent mental health services.

To help meet that need, Children’s of Mississippi has opened a new adolescent acute psychiatric unit designed to serve teens ages 13 to 17.

During the 2023 legislative session, the Mississippi Legislature appropriated $6 million to the project. An additional $2 million came from federal funding.

“We are deeply grateful to our elected officials for recognizing the urgent need for expanded adolescent mental health services and investing in this project,” said Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. “Their support made it possible to address a critical gap in care and ensure that teens across our state have access to inpatient psychiatric treatment when they need it most.”

The new unit includes 10 acute psychiatric beds and offers individual therapy, goal-oriented group therapy, recreational group therapy, mindfulness activities, yoga, social skills training and access to a hospital-based accredited school to support continued education during treatment.

“As Mississippi’s only children’s hospital, it is our responsibility to provide world-class care to every child who comes through our doors,” said Dr. Mary Taylor, Suzan B. Thames Chair of Pediatrics and CEO of Children’s of Mississippi. “This unit allows us to deliver that same high level of specialized care to adolescents experiencing mental health crises without sending them elsewhere.”

Many adolescents seeking psychiatric treatment arrive through the emergency department following a suicide attempt, overdose or other crisis.

“Being able to admit adolescents directly from our emergency department improves continuity of care and enhances patient safety,” Dr. Mark Ladner, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at UMMC. “It allows us to begin treatment immediately in a setting designed specifically for their developmental, emotional and medical needs.”

Historically, Children’s of Mississippi had a child psychiatry unit and an adult psychiatry unit, but no dedicated inpatient space for adolescents. Teens who required hospitalization often had to be transferred to outside facilities.

“There has been a significant gap in inpatient psychiatric care for adolescents ages 13 to 17 in our region,” said Dr. Dustyn Baker, assistant professor and medical director of the Adolescent Acute Psychiatric Unit as well as program director for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at UMMC. “Until now, we have not had the ability to admit patients in this age group here. Being able to admit them directly from our emergency department improves continuity of care and enhances patient safety.”

The dedicated adolescent unit is supported by a multidisciplinary team that includes psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, mental health technicians, therapists, child life specialists, hospital school teachers and social workers who develop individualized, evidence-based treatment plans.

Hospital leaders said keeping adolescents within Children’s of Mississippi during treatment benefits families during what is often one of the most stressful times of their lives.

“Remaining here allows families to stay close to home, close to their support systems and close to their child,” said Dr. Nikki Cowan, director of nursing for the unit.  “In the past, transfers to facilities outside the community added another layer of stress. Now, families can participate in treatment planning, family meetings and discharge preparation within a familiar system and with providers they trust.”

Cowan said the newly designed unit supports both safety and healing. The space includes improved observation areas and other safeguards intended to reduce the risk of self-harm while preserving patient dignity.

“Beyond safety, the environment promotes therapeutic engagement,” Cowan said. “The unit includes calming colors, structured group spaces and areas that encourage healthy peer interaction. It allows us to provide trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate care in a setting that feels supportive rather than restrictive.”

Previously, adolescents were often cared for in mixed settings not fully designed for their developmental needs. The dedicated unit allows for age-appropriate programming and peer support among teens facing similar challenges.

“This unit represents more than additional beds,” Cowan said. “It represents an investment in access, dignity and the long-term mental health of Mississippi’s youth.”

As part of ongoing renovations in Children’s of Mississippi’s Batson Tower, a room on each inpatient floor is also being dedicated to psychiatric patients who may require medical care before transfer to the acute psychiatric unit. These rooms include enhanced safety features such as concealed cords and water valve shutoffs designed to help prevent self-harm.

Early diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions can help reduce long-term consequences, including substance use disorders and more severe psychiatric illness in adulthood, Ladner said.