Psychiatry Updates Winter 2024

In the face of a rising tide of youth mental health crises, the L-SPARC Intervention Clinic stands as a beacon of hope and vital support. Established just one year ago, this groundbreaking program was born from the vision of Dr. Aron Janssen and Dr. Anthony Vesco, who refused to accept the escalating challenges facing young people in suicidal distress.

Designed for 10–17-year-olds who do not require inpatient psychiatric care but are at elevated risk, the L-SPARC Clinic offers a lifeline of personalized, evidence-based care. Within one week of stabilization and release from the emergency department, patients are enrolled in a tailored regimen of 6-8 outpatient sessions, each lasting 60-90 minutes.

At the heart of the L-SPARC approach is the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) framework, a suicide-focused therapeutic model that allows clinicians to systematically assess and address the root drivers of suicidal ideation. Under the guidance of a licensed psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, and a multidisciplinary team, patients embark on a transformative journey.

Through interventions rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy, the L-SPARC Clinic empowers youth to cultivate emotional awareness, build essential coping mechanisms, and develop cognitive flexibility. By teaching social problem-solving and assertive communication strategies, the program equips young people with the skills to navigate life’s challenges with resilience.

In its inaugural year, the L-SPARC Clinic has already made a profound impact, providing critical support to over 50 young lives in the midst of crisis. And with an unwavering commitment to expansion, this beacon of hope aspires to reach ever more of those who have been shrouded in the shadows of despair.

For the families who have found solace within these walls, the L-SPARC Clinic represents far more than just a medical intervention – it is a lifeline, a sanctuary, and a testament to the transformative power of compassionate, evidence-based care. In the face of a mental health crisis that threatens to define a generation, this clinic stands as a resolute defender of our children’s limitless potential.

As the mental health crisis among our nation’s children and adolescents reaches unprecedented heights, Lurie Children’s is rising to meet this pivotal challenge head-on. With unwavering determination, the hospital is forging ahead with bold plans to dramatically expand its capacity to provide vital psychiatric care and emergency services.

Lurie Children’s stands as the leading provider of behavioral health support across Illinois. In the last fiscal year alone, the hospital extended its compassionate embrace to over 37,000 young patients insured by Medicaid – a testament to its steadfast commitment to ensuring access to life-changing care for the whole of our community.

Now, through strategic enhancements to its emergency room facilities, Lurie Children’s is poised to amplify its impact even further. By increasing inpatient psychiatric bed capacity and implementing cutting-edge safety measures, the hospital is building an environment of healing – a sanctuary where vulnerable youth can find the refuge, treatment, and support they so desperately need. This model transforms the ED from a triage unit into an psychiatric treatment center. The proposed upgrades to the ED will include the modification of eight rooms to allow for safer management of patients with aggression who will also be monitored by an electronic security system.  Other measures being taken is the installation of unbreakable glass, changing the ceiling from tiles to drywall to decrease ligature and elopement risk and upgrading the nursing stations to be more secure and provide more storage areas to address safety and access issues. In addition, the bathrooms will also undergo a renovation with an anti-ligature standard and the installation of a shower for those longer observation periods.

The end goal is to stabilize children and work towards behavior de-escalation so children can return home with an established plan of care. These improvements could reduce need for psychiatric hospitalization by up to 40%.

Through this transformative initiative, led by Drs. Moshe Bitterman and Jonathon Wanta, the hospital is not simply upgrading its infrastructure, but investing in the limitless potential of the children and families of Illinois. With each new bed, each enhanced safety protocol, Lurie Children’s is declaring that no child face mental health challenges without a champion in their corner.