Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital

At Prairie Care the safety of our patients and staff is our number one priority. We appreciate your help in this effort as demonstrated by your understanding of, and compliance with, the safety precautions we have established.

Valuable Item Restrictions        

• Cell phones
• Purses/wallets/Credit/Debit Cards
• Tablets/Laptops
• Headphones
• Smart watch

Any items that could be used to cause injury to others or could be used for self-harm are not allowed to be brought onto the inpatient unit. This includes but is not limited to:

Dangerous items 

• Vapes and other smoking devices
• Lighters
• Nicotine products
• Medications or Supplements
• Drug paraphernalia
• Weapons

There are additional restrictions to any belongings that are going to be given or distributed to patients on the inpatient unit. This includes but is not limited to:

Patient Hygiene Restrictions

• Items with a pump
• Q-tips
• Makeup brushes containing metal
• Mirrors – including in compact cases
• Glass makeup/lotion containers
• Shaving supplies (razors, shaving cream, Nair, electric razors)
• Aerosol cans (spray deodorant, hairspray, etc)
• Nail Clippers
• Floss
• Tweezers
• Nail polish/Nail polish remover
• Bobby pins, hair clips
• Mouthwash
• Items with a prescription must be stored in the medication room – example: facewashes, face creams, lotions

Patient Clothing/Accessory/Belonging Restrictions

• Clothing with strings
• Clothing displaying last names
• Clothing displaying violence, inappropriate references, drugs, or alcohol
• Clothing which is revealing, including low cut tops, crop tops, or tank tops
• Clothing with rips/tears/destruction (does not include bottom of pants)
• Dresses, skirts, and shorts shorter than knee length.
• Shoes with laces, boots, heavy shoes
• Headbands (elastic, plastic, cloth)
• Jewelry (rings, necklaces, long earrings, bracelets)
• Non-Religious Scarves
• Hats/Bandanas
• Sunglasses
• Belts
• Jackets
• ACE bandages
• Items with staples, wire or plastic spirals, paperclips
• Pencils, pens, markers
• Items with fabric longer than 6 in long (journal bookmarks, tie blankets)
• Plastic baggies
• Balloons
• Plants/flowers
• Outside Food

If you are unable to come, do not worry, we have everything the patient will need!

• Up to 5 sets of clothing, under garments, and socks
  • Please be thoughtful about clothing items that have identifying information (i.e. Shirts with school information), try to leave these at home.
  • Washing machines are available for patients to wash clothing during their stay
• Shoes without laces

Other items you can bring

• Protective bonnets
• Shower shoes
• Other religious or cultural items that are important to your child’s care
• We will supply all hygiene items, but if they have a specific items; face wash, deodorant, etc. that is preferred, you can bring it. Please refer to the unauthorized items list above.

• Your first point of contact from PrairieCare will be with an admissions coordinator. They will contact you to discuss program expectations, what items to bring, what items to leave at home, visitation, and can help answer any questions you may have.
• A therapist or a social worker will contact you within 24-48 hours of admission to schedule a family therapy session for you and your child.
• Your child’s psychiatrists will generally contact parents/guardians within 72 hours of admission, though this varies based on the patient and day of admission.
• Treatment teams communicate daily about the needs of your child. If you are seeking an update from the treatment team, feel free to contact your child’s social worker. If they do not answer, please leave a voice message as they are intermittently at their desks throughout the day. If you are seeking frequent updates, feel free to call the nurses station at any time to check in on your child.

Each day patients will receive a variety of treatment modalities provided by a multi-disciplinary treatment team. Patients are in programming with groups of similar aged peers. The following is an example of what a patient’s daily schedule might look like. We are happy to provide you with a copy of your child’s schedule, which does vary from day to day. 

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, we have taken several precautions to keep our patients, visitors, and employees healthy and safe. We work directly with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to ensure we are implementing best practices and preventing the spread of COVID-19.

All visitors must be on the approved visit list and follow the below outline.

• Visiting hours are 9:00am – 7:00pm.
• Please note that on the day of admission, you can visit at any time, even if your child is admitted after visiting hours.
• This includes parents, step-parents and siblings. As usual, all visitors must be on the call/visit list in order to visit.
• A valid picture ID must be presented to the receptionist upon arrival for all visitors 16 and older. If a visitor does not have a picture ID, two forms of alternative identification is acceptable. Proof of ID must be shown upon each visit.
• Individuals under the age of 18 must be always accompanied by an adult when visiting with a patient. The accompanying adult must be on the approved visit list.
• To ensure safety, all visitors are subjected to a metal detecting wand or walk-through metal detector to identify potential contraband:
• Items such as car keys and cell phones will be secured in a locker prior to entering the unit.
• Purses, scarves, coats, cell phones, MP3 players, and any other electronic devices are prohibited from being brought onto the unit.
• Visitors are encouraged to leave personal items in their car.
• Following the visit, the visitor can retrieve these items.
• All items brought to the unit are subjected to search by a security officer.

While participating in school at PrairieCare, your child will be able to examine school related stressors or perceptions which may relate to their mental health struggles. This model of integrated treatment has received commendation across the state from stakeholders which includes other school districts, psychiatrists, community providers, and of course the parents and patients who have seen this model of care work for them. The unique treatment aspects of our classrooms include, but are not limited to:

• A focus on Social Emotional Learning, which has transferrable benefits to the home school environment.
• Social Emotional Learning provides students the opportunity to practice stress tolerance and symptom management skills in smaller classroom settings.
• Teachers coach students around effective communication and self-advocacy within the classroom setting.
• There is individualized attention given to each student around motivation and engagement.
• Curriculum in content-area teachings (social studies, literacy and history) to enhance students’ vocabulary and comprehension skills.
• Due to small class size, teachers can provide interventions that help build self-confidence in vulnerable areas specific to your child.

See education guidance letter linked below for more information

Patients and their parent(s)/guardian(s) meet with their Social Worker and develop a master treatment plan within three days of admission. The treatment team reviews treatment plans every week and modifies as needed. Patients and their parent(s)/guardian(s) are involved in the development of treatment plan goals.

YOUR TREATMENT TEAM MAY INCLUDE:

Psychiatrists

The psychiatrist’s job is to provide direction for the patient’s treatment. They will discuss the patient’s symptoms, consider medication options, and oversee all medical care.

Therapists

Therapist’s will provide individual and family therapy while the patient is at PrairieCare. The therapist will support the patient and family in understanding and navigating the areas of concern that have contributed to the patient being admitted to the hospital.

Social Workers

Social workers work with the family and the rest of the treatment team to facilitate discharge options for the patient. They arrange discharge plans, communicate with programs in the community, and help provide resources for you following the hospitalization. They also facilitate groups during the patient’s stay.

Nurses

Nurses will administer medications, check with the patient about their mental health symptoms, and also talk with the patient about any physical concerns they are experiencing.

Psych Techs

Psych Techs will work with the nurses to support the unit and the patient’s care. They will check with the patient regularly about their mental health symptoms and assist with daily activities.

INPATIENT STAFF

Group Therapists

Group therapists lead daily therapeutic groups to support the exploration of feelings and experiences.

Recreation Therapists

Recreation therapists are trained in using systematic processes that utilize activities to facilitate healing and improvement.

Primary Care Consultants

Primary care consultants are advanced practice nurses or certified physician assistants who address physical health concerns that you may have.

The inpatient hospital program provides active and intensive therapeutic services in a coordinated and structured environment. This is an acute care setting focused on the stabilization of your child’s psychiatric needs related to the crisis which preceded their need for inpatient hospitalization. Mental health stabilization provides short-term intensive mental health care to individuals experiencing an acute psychiatric crisis. The goal is to stabilize the mental health symptoms in a safe environment, while developing treatment goals and plans for care after discharge. Our average length of stay is 7-10 days. In addition to assessing and treating your child’s presenting needs, we will also identify goals of treatment, identify discharge recommendations, and create a discharge plan.

• Process Group:is group therapy in which patients are invited to talk about how they are feeling and what they are experiencing. They are also able to ask for support and provide support to their peers. Patients have process group six days a week. Patients are expected to attend and participate in process group to the best of their ability. Parents are encouraged to visit at times outside of their child’s process group.
• Family therapy: typically involves a patient and their parents/guardians and is facilitated by a therapist. Family therapy sessions focus on communication, family system dynamics, and safety planning to support the family and patient in navigating their present situation and preparing for discharge and transition from the hospital. Family therapy sessions are one hour and typically occur weekly, though this is dependent on clinical need.
• Discharge Planning:Following admission to the inpatient hospital, the inpatient treatment team will review the current mental health and health care services your child had in place prior to their admission. We may ask for the parent/guardian’s consent to connect with the established providers working with your family to further coordinate care. The treatment team will provide a recommendation on the next level of care that will be most appropriate and effective in treating your child. The social worker will call the parent/guardian to discuss the recommended level of care, agencies that may provide the indicated treatment, and with your consent, offer referrals. It is our general recommendation that every child has a primary care appointment with their pediatrician following their hospitalization as a medical follow up.Prior to discharge, it will be important to prepare the home for your child’s return We recommend locking up all sharp objects and medications (including over the counter medications), and removing access to weapons (including firearms and ammunition).Your child will be medically ready for discharge based on their progress in treatment, having safety supports in place, and their risk assessed for a return home by the attending psychiatrist. The social worker will contact the parent/guardian to schedule the discharge time, which is preferably scheduled between the hours of 9am and 12pm. On the day of discharge, the parent/guardian should check in at reception, please be sure to bring photo identification. The social worker will meet with the parent/guardian to review the safety plan, discharge plan, and answer any questions. Following, your child and their nurse will meet you in the discharge room to review medications and instructions for ongoing medical care. Your child will be all packed up and their belongings will be safely returned. The discharge process is about 30 minutes. A copy of the safety plan with crisis phone numbers, discharge plan, appointments, medication list, and instructions will be provided.

The average stay at our inpatient hospital is 7-10 days, if your appointment falls within that window, you will need to reschedule. We can provide an ROI for the provider to be notified about your child’s stay and d/c plans.

PrairieCare has 71 beds available in our inpatient facility. The units are broken into groups of 8-10 patients. The groups are mixed gender and divided by age; 12 and under are grouped together and 12+ are grouped together.

We have a pharmacy onsite, so in most cases you will not need to bring your child’s medications. Talk to your child’s care team about their specific medications.

We are able to accommodate all dietary needs and food allergies. We are an entirely nut free facility. Talk to your child’s care team about their dietary needs.

Most of our patient rooms are double occupancy, so your child is likely to have a roommate. We pair our roommates based on clinical appropriateness, age, and gender.

The welcome packet you received will have the direct phone number for your child’s unit. You can call the unit and request to talk to your child at any time. Patients are limited to calls during break and can only be for 15 minutes.

Mental health stabilization provides short-term intensive mental health care to individuals experiencing an acute psychiatric crisis. The goal is to stabilize the mental health symptoms in a safe environment, while developing treatment goals and plans for care after discharge.