Mendota Mental Health Institute
Children's
Assessment and Treatment Unit
Background
The Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, Wisconsin operates
the Children’s Assessment and Treatment Unit. This unit provides specialized treatment for
emotionally disturbed children age 12 and younger.
Visiting Rules
The Children’s Assessment and Treatment Unit staff encourage visitations with resident
children. The visiting rules outlined below apply to all visitors to the Children's
Assessment and Treatment Unit.
Anyone visiting residents at CATU must be on the
approved visitors’ list. The treatment team determines who is on the visitors’
list.
Approved visitors need to plan visitations that do not
interrupt a child’s scheduled therapy sessions. Please call before visiting the unit.
Visiting hours on CATU are from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Visiting Guidelines
The total number of visits and phone calls per week is set for a child during family
therapy. You may contact children on the unit during the following hours:
CATU between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
During on-grounds visits, institute and unit safety
procedures need to be followed by all family members:
- No wading in the lake.
- No tree climbing.
- No chasing animals.
- No visiting in the parking lots.
To facilitate confidentiality and prevent injury, we
encourage siblings to refrain from going into other patients’ rooms and using other
patients’ toys. We require that the family unit stays together during visits and that
parents supervise their visiting children.
Home Visits
Please arrange your departure and return times with staff. If you are unable to arrive on
the unit at the scheduled time, please call the unit to minimize the effect on programming
for other children.
We suggest returning from home visits no later than 7:00
p.m.. Make sure the child has had a bath or shower if returning to the unit after hours,
and say your good-byes at the unit doorway. Please inform staff how the home visit went
before leaving the unit.
If the child receives medication, tell the RN on duty
before leaving on home visit. The Pharmacy needs two to three days notice for setting up
medications.
Parents should carry out the individual treatment programs
developed for their child. Staff discourage children contacting other patients while on
home visit.
Property
Do not bring radios, stereos or electronic games to the unit if you consider them
valuable. If a child receives a radio with recording capabilities, the staff will have to
disconnect the recorder to meet confidentiality rules at Mendota.
Children may bring bedspreads, quilts, posters, etc., to
personalize and decorate their rooms. Please limit the number of toys your child brings to
the unit. Children may bring their own bicycle, roller blades, softball glove, etc. to the
unit.
Be careful not to send potentially harmful or toxic items
such as: glass, sharp objects, play guns, glue, or ropes with your child.
Food
We discourage parents or guardians and children from bringing food, snacks or gum to the
unit unless they intend to share it with all the children on the unit. Sometimes staff use
food items as reinforcers in programs and so private stashes of food can undermine a
child’s treatment program.
Clothing
Each child needs a one week supply of appropriate seasonal clothing, including a swimsuit.
Staff will mark all clothing with the child’s name. Please alert staff of any new
clothing items brought to the unit so they can be marked accordingly.
Money
Up to $5.00 in cash can be left with the nursing staff on the unit to purchase treats and
admission to community outings for the child.
Questions/Comments
If we can be of assistance to you, please call us at the following phone numbers:
CATU (608) 301-1170 / 301-1171
DIRECTIONS
TO MENDOTA
Mendota
Mental Health Institute
301
Troy Drive, Madison, WI 53704
Phone:
(608) 301-1000 Fax:
(608) 301-1358
Last Revised:
October 24, 2008 |
