Solnit Children’s Center– South Campus is a state-administered Psychiatric facility for Connecticut’s children who are under the age of eighteen. The Solnit Center provides comprehensive care to children and adolescents with severe mental illness and related behavioral and emotional problems who cannot be safely assessed or treated in a less restrictive setting. The South Campus consists of four c
oed hospital units and three female adolescent psychiatric residential treatment facility cottages (PRTF). Mission and Beliefs The Solnit Center is part of the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Our Mission Statement is Caring, Healing and Teaching ----Partnering with children, families and communities to build hope and create opportunities. We are widely recognized as a center of excellence for family-centered treatment of children and youth with serious emotional disturbances. We believe that: Children and adolescents with serious emotional disorders can lead productive and satisfying lives. Children, youth and their families have the right and responsibility to participate in their treatment. No child will be refused treatment based on their ability to pay for services. Our services work best when integrated with community care. Our Care Environment At the Solnit Center, we treat our youth and each other with dignity and respect. It is in this relational, cultural and gender-sensitive surrounding that our therapeutic milieu is based. Interdisciplinary teams develop, implement and continually assess individualized treatment plans. Core Team Members include: Child / Adolescent Psychiatrist Psychologist Nurse Direct-Care Staff Social Worker Rehabilitation Therapist Teacher This team of professionals strives to support, calm and stabilize children and youth who are in a temporary state of extreme psychiatric distress, and to prepare them and their families for their return home or to placement in a less restrictive setting. Our Campus Our 67-acre campus is centrally located in Middletown, Connecticut overlooking the Connecticut River. The Solnit Center facilities support our dedication to helping youth improve their individual and social competencies. The campus includes: Two schools Indoor pool Playgrounds Ball field Two gyms Recreation Rooms Seven program-specific residential units Outdoor picnic area Our Continuum of Care Upon evaluation and admission to Solnit Center, we begin planning the youth’s treatment and discharge plan. It is our belief that placement is only one component in a continuing system of psychiatric treatment. When a youth is ready to leave Solnit Center, the core team assesses the youth’s needs and coordinates services for post-facility care. We make every effort to return the youth to his/her home at the end of treatment. When either the youth or the family is not able to make a home goal possible, our staff work with the family, DCF Area Office, and others who are actively involved in the child’s care to find the best possible solution. Options may include either a placement in a foster home, group home or residential treatment facility.
