“The mission of the Mental Health Division is to promote recovery and safety.”
Answers to Questions Frequently Asked Child Study and Treatment Center
What is the Child Study and Treatment Center (CSTC)?
The Department of Social and Health Services operates one psychiatric hospital that serves children and youth 6-17 years of age who are severely mentally ill and can't be maintained in a less restrictive setting in the community. Child Study and Treatment Center is a licensed and accredited hospital, which complies with the requirements of the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
What services are offered through Child Study and Treatment Center?
Inpatient Care and Treatment
The inpatient programs have the capacity to serve 16 children age 6-12 years old and 31 adolescents, age 12-17 years. Patients live in one of three cottages with individual rooms. Each child and his/her family are assigned to a treatment team. The treatment team works with both the child and family on a regular basis. Participation by parents or parent substitutes is strongly encouraged. In addition, the treatment team encourages involvement of community agencies to assist the child in developing the skills and support system necessary to return successfully to the community.
Clinical Staff
Child Study and Treatment Center contracts with the University of Washington Department of Psychiatry for the services of a medical director and a half-time Psychiatrist for each of the three cottages and the Medical Director.
Each cottage staff includes a Psychologist, Program Director, a Social Worker, a Cottage Supervisor, Registered Nurses, Psychiatric Childcare Counselors, a cook, a cottage custodian, and an administrative support staff person. Recreational therapists work closely with these professional teams.
Who qualifies for services through the Child Study and Treatment Center?
The general criteria for inpatient admission to the Child Study and Treatment Center includes children between the ages of 6 and 17 having a psychiatric diagnosis, exhibiting behaviors that require 24-hour supervision, and in need of more intensive treatment than what can be provided in an outpatient setting. Behaviors meeting the criteria for admission include:
- Severe disturbances of cognition: confused illogical thinking, impaired judgment.
- Severe disturbances of mood/affect: depression, bipolar and anxiety states.
- Dangerous behavior to self or others.
How is a child admitted to the Child Study and Treatment Center?
Families cannot admit a child directly. If a child needs inpatient mental health services, he/she will be referred from the Children's Long Term In-Patient (CLIP) committee, following authorization by the Regional Support Network (RSN) that serves the county in which the legal guardian resides.
Some children are committed to Child Study and Treatment Center through a court order by the Juvenile Justice system. These children are admitted for evaluation to determine competency in criminal matters.
What is a CLIP referral?
If long-term inpatient care is needed for a child under age 18, the Regional Support Network that serves the county where the child's guardian resides, can authorize placement in a Children's Long Term In-Patient (CLIP) facility. The CLIP committee is a team of mental health professionals that meet to discuss each potential referral, before the referral is made.
There are four CLIP facilities in community settings around Washington (Spokane, Tacoma, Bellingham, and Seattle), and one state-owned psychiatric hospital, the Child Study and Treatment Center, in Lakewood, Washington.
CLIP facilities provide 24-hour residential treatment, 24-hour supervision, psychiatric services, individual/family/group therapy, social work and case management services, routine medical care, recreational therapy, nursing services, dietary services and parent support.
Other services provided may include sexual deviancy assessment, special sexual deviancy treatment, drug and alcohol assessment, specialty chemical/dependency treatment, and interpreter services. Learn more about CLIP Administration.
What if I don't agree with a decision about receiving mental health services for my child through the Child Study and Treatment Center?
Contact the Parent Advocate at Child Study and Treatment Center. The Parent Advocate is an independent service to receive complaints and resolve grievances from the parents of children receiving care through the Child Study and Treatment Center. The Parent Advocate telephone number is (253) 756- 2504 extension 3123.
Contact your local Mental Health Ombudsman. The Ombuds is an independent service created by Washington State law to receive complaints, resolve grievances, and protect the rights of individuals that receive mental health services through an RSN. You may request a fair hearing if you don't agree with the decision, but you must do so within the time frame shown in the decision letter.
How can I find out more about the Child Study and Treatment Center?
Contact the RSN that serves the county where you live, or the Executive Officer for the Child Study and Treatment Center. The telephone number is (253) 756-2504.
Where is the Child Study and Treatment Center located?
The Child Study and Treatment Center is located in Lakewood, which is ten miles southwest of Tacoma, Washington and one-half mile from the town of Steilacoom (map with driving directions). The street address and main telephone number are:
Child Study and Treatment Center
8805 Steilacoom Blvd. SW
Lakewood, Washington 98498-4771
(253) 756-2504
Hours of operation are Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
The campus consists of a 5-building complex located on the east side of the Western State Hospital campus. One large building provides administrative and professional offices, conference rooms, an elementary school (Oak Grove) and a gymnasium. Another building houses the middle school and senior high school (Firwood). The remaining three buildings are 16-bed residential cottages.
Will my child be able to continue school while admitted to the Child Study and Treatment Center?
The Clover Park School District provides teachers, classroom aides and a principal for the two schools located on the Child Study and Treatment Center campus. School programming is offered year round in small classes of approximately 8 students.
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For more ways to get in touch with the Department of Mental Health Services, go to the DSHS Contact Information Web page. Mental Health Related Questions Contact:
