Apalachee Center launches new program dedicated to helping youth

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - A new virtual treatment program is now available for children and adolescents in need throughout the State of Florida.

Bradley REACH@Apalachee Center offers programs designed to address anxiety, depression and emotional and relationship issues.

Clinicians with the program said this program comes after a surge in the need for behavioral health treatments in adolescents during COVID-19.

The department offers two different levels of care.

Nicole Chaudhrey with Bradley REACH explained that the partial hospital program is an intensive treatment program offered to students throughout the school day.

We run Monday through Friday from 8 am to 2:30 pm and we really kind of service any adolescent that is struggling with significant mental health issues. We can serve as a program for kids who maybe are currently in outpatient and may need a little bit more than what outpatient can provide,” said Nicole Chaudhrey with Bradley REACH. “We also serve as a hospital diversion program. So if a child goes to an emergency room for a psychiatric eval, but safety wise is sort of well enough that we might be able to service them without having to go inpatient.”

Child and adolescents psychologist with Bradley REACH, Liz Frazier described the intensive outpatient program as a program that is offered three hours out of the school day.

“We often get kids dealing with depression, anxiety, maybe a history of trauma, difficulty in relationships with family or peers difficulty with school,” said Liz Frazier with Bradley REACH. “We see a wide range of challenging issues that teens are dealing with and in the intensive outpatient program, kids are with us three hours a day, Monday through Friday, there’s a morning program option and an afternoon program option.”