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Insight
Matters
Winter 2005
Ohio Psychiatric Association Position
Statement:
Inpatient
Lengths of Stay for Children and Adolescents
As
approved by OPA Council on January 30, 2005
The
Ohio Psychiatric Association believes that inpatient psychiatric
lengths of stay for children and adolescents should be longer
than the present three to five day average. It takes longer
for children and adolescents to stabilize due to lack of maturity
and life experience, disordered family relationships and brain
growth and development. Children are often much more impulsive
than adults. It can take up to two weeks or more for medications
to stabilize behavior. Additionally, lack of available outpatient
psychiatric care in patients' home communities limits the safety
of early discharge. The Ohio Psychiatric Association recommends
that insurers voluntarily allow hospitalizations of sufficient
length to ensure patient safety. The OPA will work with legislators,
the insurance commissioner, members, and the public to promote
regulations which fulfill this policy.
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