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Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), Cambridge, MA, celebrated Sept. 8 the reopening of CHA's award-winning Child Assessment Unit (CAU), which was closed this summer for facility improvements. Nearly 100 people attended the event, including state Department of Mental Health Commissioner Barbara Leadholm, MBA, MS, and representatives from many local agencies.
 Unlike traditional inpatient psychiatric settings for children, which use restrictions and seclusion as a way to manage difficult behaviors, CAU staff members have created a revolutionary new way to help patients, many of whom suffer from acute emotional and behavioral problems resulting from trauma.
Since 2001, the CAU has piloted and refined an Open Arms approach that employs collaborative problem solving and trauma-informed care. Led by nurse manager Kathy Regan, RN, and new medical director Elizabeth Ross, MD, staff focus on "Hugs not Holds" and "Listening not Lecturing," demonstrating to children they are cherished.
This shift has transformed the unit into a family-centered setting.
Earlier this year, Regan received the Award for Innovation from the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. Other accolades garnered by the CAU include the American Psychiatric Association Gold Award, the NAPH Safety Net Award, and the MA Department of Mental Health's Distinguished Service Award. Additionally, institutions from across the country regularly visit the CAU, located at CHA's Cambridge Hospital campus, to learn how best to implement this new standard of care.
The recent renovation enhances the unit's physical space, as a bright new paint job, retooled lighting, and new carpets greet patients, their families, and staff. The facility also boasts new treatment and sensory rooms and aesthetic touches including refinished bookshelves and beds, all of which improve the environment of care and help children work with staff to find solutions to improve their lives.
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