What to Expect from CIEBS

Children's Intensive Emotional and Behavioral Services (CIEBS) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) offers two separate but integrated programs that provide comprehensive psychiatric partial hospital services in a trauma-informed, behaviorally based therapeutic setting for children ages 5-13 years old. Our programs are offered year-round.

Your child can attend one of two programs designed to meet the varying needs of each individual child and their family:

Children’s Intensive Emotional and Behavioral Program

Full-day psychiatric partial hospital program
Six hours per day, five days a week
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Children’s Extended Day Hospital Program

Extended day psychiatric partial hospital program
Four hours per day, 2-4 days a week

Your child's length of participation in CIEBS is based on their individual needs and insurance authorization and approval.

Our therapeutic approach

CIEBS uses an interdisciplinary approach that includes psychiatrists, physicians, mental health therapists, nurses and other behavioral health professionals to provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment that incorporates your child, family and the community.

Each child is placed in a developmentally appropriate treatment room – the setting for therapy. Within this safe, predictable, therapeutic environment, children receive trauma-informed, behaviorally focused treatment, which focuses on the development of safe adaptive behaviors, emotional regulation and positive social skills as building blocks to foster academic learning potential.

Our therapeutic interventions come from state-of-the-art behavior modification techniques and applied behavior analysis, stressing safety and unconditional positive regard. Children are further supported by individual, group and family psychotherapy, simulated classroom activities and, if needed, medication. The weaving together of these interventions — under the guidance of the treatment team in a setting like a school classroom — helps children reach their behavioral, emotional, social and learning potential so they can return to and stay in their school district and community.

Family participation

Your engagement and participation are essential to the treatment process. Family members are expected to engage with the treatment team for at least one mandatory family meeting each week. There are a variety of opportunities for these meetings, including:

Observations
Family therapy sessions
Individual parent management training
Weekly parent groups
Collaborative team meetings
Medication monitoring meetings with our psychiatry team

Your family will also receive a variety of information to help with:

Parent management strategies
Behavioral techniques
Understanding your child’s diagnosis and how it will impact their life
Medication to assist in supporting and generalizing continued progress with your child and family in multiple settings

Program admission

To access potential admission into CIEBS, families or caregivers must contact CIEBS directly to complete a screening. During the screening call, our specialists will gather information and assess whether your child qualifies for an intake appointment. Our specialists will also provide you with additional resources. If it is determined that your child may be an appropriate fit for CIEBS, you will schedule an intake appointment.

During an intake appointment, you will complete a comprehensive social history, and your child will undergo a thorough evaluation. If we determine that your child will benefit from CIEBS, they will be scheduled for a medical clearance appointment. Once medically cleared, your child will be scheduled for admission to the program. There may be a waiting list for admission, and your child will be admitted as soon as a spot becomes available.

Insurance information

CIEBS accepts most commercial insurances and Medicaid. CHOP insurance specialists will assess your insurance provider and financial details to make sure you receive this information before your child is admitted to our program.