Inpatient care for adolescents with behavioral challenges and co-occurring medical needs.
Helping teens reach new heights through integrated, hospital-level care.
Young people with complex psychiatric conditions, particularly those who also have medical needs, often face significant barriers to integrated care. Most mental health facilities aren’t equipped to provide medical treatment, while many general hospitals lack the resources to manage psychiatric complexities.
Within a highly structured hospital-level care setting, the True North Program at Nexus Children’s Hospital provides 24/7 medical management, evidence-based pychiatric care, and structured therapeutic programming. Our interdisciplinary team develops individualized treatment plans focused on stabilization, functional improvement, and safe transition to a lower level of care — whether that’s home, foster placement, or another supportive setting.
We are committed to equipping teens with the tools they need for long-term success, because we’re compassionately mending minds.
A personalized approach to inpatient complex care.
Every young person’s needs are different — and so is their care in the True North Program. We carefully consider each patient’s psychiatric, behavioral, and medical needs, then build a treatment plan that reflects their unique strengths and challenges. With an experienced interdisciplinary team and a deeply personalized approach, we help teens move forward with confidence and support.
it’s time to find your true north.
Our program coordinators will help you find the right setting based on individual needs.
Evidence-based psychiatric and medical treatment in a secure, hospital setting.
Our care model is grounded in evidence-based practices and focused on creating a safe, structured, and therapeutic environment where adolescents can work toward their goals. Integrating family medicine, pediatrics, physical medicine, psychiatry, psychotherapy, rehabilitation, and skilled therapies, our interdisciplinary teams provide comprehensive, integrated care.
Common diagnoses:
- Acute infection
- Anxiety disorders
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Autoimmune or inflammatory diseases
- Bipolar disorder
- Cardiovascular conditions
- Disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders
- Eating disorders
- Gastrointestinal conditions
- Genitourinary conditions
- Major depressive disorder
- Musculoskeletal conditions
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Neurological conditions
- Personality disorders
- Physical deconditioning
- Post-transplant care
- Psychiatric symptoms that impact the patient’s ability to manage co-occurring medical conditions
- Pulmonary conditions
- Schizophrenia
- Somatic symptom and related disorders
- Trauma and PTSD
- Wounds care and skin conditions
Admission criteria:
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Admitting ages 11 up to 18
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Co-occurring medical diagnosis that requires daily physician oversight and 24-hour nursing care, or a medical diagnosis that presents a barrier to admission at an inpatient psychiatric facility
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Significant, co-occurring maladaptive behaviors that are unable to be safely addressed in a less restrictive environment
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Co-occurring behavioral challenges interfere with significant life domains, such as school, community, and recreational/vocational activities
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Ability to respond to clinical services within a structured setting, engage in therapeutic programming, and participate in individual and group psychotherapy
Program features:
- Daily medical evaluations by physicians and nurse practitioners to assess and manage acute or chronic physical health conditions
- Regular psychiatric evaluations to assess status, monitor treatment response, manage medications, and evaluate safety
- Continuous onsite, around-the-clock nursing care
- 24/7 on-call psychiatric and medical provider coverage
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Evidence-based individual, family, and group psychotherapies tailored to patient needs and functioning
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Skilled therapies, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy
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Support for activities of daily living (ADLs), such as hygiene, feeding, dressing, and mobility, with a focus on improving functional independence
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Trauma-informed behavioral health interventions provided by licensed clinicians and trained direct care staff
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Structured behavioral programming based on a positive reinforcement model, including a token economy used to reinforce healthy behaviors and encourage participation
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Discharge and transition planning, coordinated with guardians and community providers, that begins upon admission
- Concurrent, TEA-accredited school enrollment
Why is it so difficult to find inpatient psychiatric, behavioral, and medical healthcare?
Accessing inpatient care for complex medical, behavioral, and mental health needs can feel overwhelming. The challenge lies in the fragmented nature of care systems. Many facilities specialize in only one area — medical, behavioral, or psychiatric care — leaving patients with co-occurring conditions struggling to find comprehensive treatment. Limited bed availability, strict admission criteria, and a national shortage of specialized providers further complicate the process. For families and caregivers, navigating this maze is exhausting, especially when time-sensitive care is critical. Bridging these gaps requires integrated programs that offer comprehensive, interdisciplinary support in a single, seamless environment.
Learn more about the importance of integrated care for medically complex patients.
True North Hospital Care services
