Day Treatment Program
Children's Day Unit
The Children's Day Unit (CDU) is an outpatient day hospital program located at the New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University Medical Center. The CDU is comprised of research participants and adolescents ages 13 to 18 years from the community who require intensive outpatient care (must be enrolled in High School).
The Children’s Day Unit specializes in the treatment of:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Social phobia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- School refusal
Adolescents enrolled in the CDU receive a comprehensive evaluation before entering our structured therapeutic program. The CDU also partners with the New York City Board of Education to provide an education for our students during the academic year. At Public School P35, located on our unit, students attend class daily and are eligible to earn school credits. The CDU also provides educational support and tutoring during our 6-week summer program in July and August.
Adolescents at the CDU can expect:
- Daily academic classes with personalized tutoring
- Short-term individual and group psychotherapy
- Social skills training
- Recreational and art therapy
- Neurospychological testing when indicated
- Medication treatment when indicated
- Discharge planning for outpatient treatment and assistance with school placement
All assessment and treatment services offered at the CDU are free of charge.
If you would like to learn more about the services provided at the Children’s Day Unit, please contact Arielle Clarke at (646) 774-5793.