MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS

Caron Treatment Centers

The Berks County Intermediate Unit provides basic instruction to students who have been placed in a Caron treatment center program due to chemical and/or alcohol dependency. This short-term educational program prepares students for re-entry into their regular school environment while they are engaged in residential treatment for recovery from addiction. Also, it allows them to maintain skills and get school credit while in treatment.

For more information on the Caron Treatment Centers, visit their Web site at www.caron.org.

Reading Hospital

Spruce Pavilion (Inpatient Treatment Program)

This program is meant to serve as a short-term, stabilization placement. While in the inpatient program at Spruce, students receive one hour of instruction per day, similar to a student who might be homebound for a long-term illness. A BCIU teacher meets with the students from 8:00 - 9:00 each morning. The instructional program is coordinated with each student's school district.

Partners Partial Hospital Program

The Partners Program at The Reading Hospital and Medical Center is a short-term therapeutic program for students in need of mental health services. Psychiatric evaluation and a significant or intensive counseling component work hand in hand with the educational curriculum. The program is operated in conjunction with the Reading Hospital Center for Mental Health and the Berks County Intermediate Unit.

Transitions Psycho-Educational Program

In cooperation with the Reading Hospital, the BCIU opened the Transitions Psycho-Educational Program for students who may have been hospitalized or who are having mental health issues. BCIU teaching staff provide on-site academic instruction, while hospital personnel deliver a strong counseling component. Students benefit from these dual supports as they gain the skills needed to re-enter their home districts.

For more information on the Reading Hospital's services, contact Tom Adil at 610-988-5843 or visit the hospital's Web site at www.readinghospital.org.