What to Expect in Partial Hospitalization

At Children’s Hospital Colorado, families are at the heart of everything we do. Our team has decades of experience supporting families and children through emotional or behavioral challenges while helping them stay connected to school, friends and home. We are here to partner with you every step of the way.

Our Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) provides intensive, evidence-based care for children and teens ages 6 to 17 who are experiencing significant mental or behavioral health concerns. Our primary focus is to promote safety and stability while helping young people and their families develop the skills they need for long-term emotional well-being.

What is the Partial Hospitalization Program?

For children and teens experiencing mental health challenges, the PHP at Children’s Colorado bridges the gap between outpatient therapy and inpatient hospital care. Through a supportive and structured environment, this program serves children and teens who require a higher level of care than outpatient therapy can provide. Additionally, the program supports children transitioning from psychiatric hospitalization or facing a mental health crisis severe enough to impact everyday functioning but not severe enough to warrant 24-hour inpatient care.

The program incorporates a wide range of therapies, including family sessions, creative arts therapy, and individual and group therapy sessions. Our treatment model is an adaptation of the Unified Protocol for Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents that was specifically designed for use in our PHP. This is a proven, evidence-based approach that focuses on building emotional regulation and coping skills that help young people manage their symptoms, no matter their diagnosis.

Children and teens spend a majority of their day in group settings with peers who share similar developmental stages and lived experiences. This helps create a supportive environment where they feel understood and confident practicing new strategies together.

Our mental health care team also partners closely with families. Caregivers learn practical tools to reinforce progress at home and become advocates for their child’s ongoing recovery.

How do families participate in our Partial Hospitalization Program treatment?

In our PHP, parents and caregivers are not just participants — they are key contributors to their child’s recovery. Parents and caregivers learn strategies to address challenges, reinforce skills and continue supporting their child’s growth in the hospital and at home.

Children’s Colorado’s PHP follows a daily schedule designed to provide kids and teens with the structure and support they need throughout recovery. The care team also adjusts schedules in real-time to adapt to each family’s needs. 

Some of the activities include:

• Learning and practicing coping and emotional regulation skills in experiential groups
• Creative arts therapy (art, music and drama)
• Education support and schoolwork
• Lunch and free time

Parents and caregivers participate in group and individual sessions throughout the week.

• Daily short sessions: Parents and caregivers collaborate with behavioral health specialists in a short session to discuss updates and review the skills we'll teach that day.
• Parent and caregiver education groups: Parents and caregivers participate in two weekly psychoeducational group sessions with other parents and caregivers to learn strategies to reinforce their child’s growth at home. These include sessions focused on:
  • Internalizing symptoms like anxiety or depression
  • Externalizing behaviors like aggression or impulsivity
• Family therapy sessions: Families join at least two weekly private sessions to address family dynamics, communication and shared goals for treatment

This structured plan lays the foundation for each child’s progress while giving parents and caregivers opportunities to build their skills and leave with practical tools to support their child’s recovery at home, school and in the community.

What is the time commitment for families? 

Parents and caregivers will spend approximately three hours each week in different program areas over the course of their child’s stay, which typically lasts 12 weekdays. This includes parent and caregiver check-ins, educational groups and therapy sessions.

We understand that participation in our PHP is a commitment, and we work to make the transition as smooth as possible. Our team supports families from start to finish, offering flexible opportunities for parents and caregivers to engage. At Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus location in Aurora, families have access to the Family Resource Center, where they can work, eat and complete daily tasks. 

Why is family participation in our Partial Hospitalization Program important?

Decades of research highlight the importance of family involvement in mental health treatment. At Children’s Colorado, we embrace a family-centered approach, recognizing that parents and caregivers are key to successful recovery. Research shows that empowering families to take an active role in recovery leads to better outcomes. 

Our program teaches parents the tools to interrupt negative patterns and build confidence in managing challenges in the hospital and at home. By the time families transition out of the program and into outpatient support, parents feel confident continuing progress at home. Families also collaborate with a dedicated team member to support their child's transition back to school after completing our PHP. 

Learn more about our approach

What happens after the Partial Hospitalization Program?

Completing our PHP is an important milestone. Our team provides a detailed transition plan to ensure you have the tools and care you need beyond the program. Support after the program may include:

• Participation in outpatient therapy or an intensive outpatient program (IOP): Many children go to outpatient therapy or an IOP for several months after our PHP while they ease back into their normal routines.
• Working with the Care Transitions Team: Families receive 60 days of aftercare support, including help navigating care, case management and coordination with community providers and schools.
• Partnering with school reentry support: Our team helps families and children transition back to school and develops individualized support plans.

Our PHP is often a stepping stone between inpatient care and outpatient services, helping to ensure ongoing stability, recovery, and growth for children and families.

How is the Partial Hospitalization Program different from our Intensive Outpatient Program?

Our PHP and our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) serve different roles in children’s mental health care:

• Our PHP is a full-day, weekday-only (8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) program focused on stabilization, skill-building and care coordination.
• Our IOP is a part-day program typically offered in three-hour sessions three days a week for lower-intensity care. This is ideal for kids returning to school or transitioning from our PHP.

Additionally, our PHP is often a transition between inpatient hospitalization and outpatient care, but can also support families facing urgent, nonemergency crises.

Will insurance cover payment for our Partial Hospitalization Program? 

Many insurance policies cover mental health treatment, including our PHP. Talk to your insurance provider to find out what care is covered by your policy. 

Learn more about paying for care   

Conditions we treat  

Our PHP provides comprehensive and coordinated treatment for children and teens experiencing a range of challenges. Families often come to us when their child is struggling with symptoms including:

• Suicidal thoughts, urges or behaviors
• Anxiety and depression that interferes with daily life or causes physical discomfort
• Intense emotional distress that affects school participation, family routines or favorite activities 
• Self-harm or other high-risk behaviors
• Difficulty regulating strong emotions, including episodes of yelling or aggression
• Severe school-related anxiety or school refusal

Your care team 

You and your child will be seen by our team of mental health experts. Each team member will be responsible for different areas of your child’s care. Your child’s team will include a:

• Behavioral health clinician: Master’s level therapists lead individual and family therapy. They will meet with your child one to two times each week and with your family once a week.
• Psychiatric professional: Psychiatrist or nurse practitioners complete the initial evaluation and offer medication recommendations. They meet with your child weekly and may join family sessions.
• Psychologist: They oversee psychological assessment and treatment during the program and lead exposure-based groups, as well as caregiver coaching and support groups. 
• Behavioral health specialist: Experts oversee the therapeutic classroom and provide group-based treatment throughout the day.
• Nurse: Nurses monitor medical needs, including medication and coordinates communication with the treatment team.
• Creative arts therapists: These specialists offer additional therapy options, such as art, music and yoga. 

Contact us

To schedule an appointment, call 720-777-6200 — no referral needed. Our team will guide you through the assessment and admissions process and support you every step of the way.  

Schedule an appointment