New Center for ambulatory crisis treatment for teens established by the HUG thanks to Children action Foundation

Geneva, April 1st, 2008 – Destined to welcome young people aged 16 to 21, the Centre for Ambulatory intensive Treatment (CATI) was launched today at 20 ave Beau-Séjour, thanks to a major financial contribution from Children Action Foundation. Rounding out Geneva's facilities for the prevention ans hospital treatment of crises associated with suicidal tendencies for teens, this new servie will provide urgent ambulatory care as well as follow up support for 8 to 12 weeks. Offering an alternative to hospitalisation, the center enables the pursuit of educational or professional activities during the treatment period.
Open 7 days a week and equipped to monitor up to 30 teenagers at a time, the centre for ambulatory intensive treatment aims to round out facilities for the prevention and hospital treatment of suicide which have existed in Geneva for 10 years, namely :

·     the Centre for the study and Prevention Suicide (CEPS), focused on clinical and research activities, which makes available to patients, relatives and professionals a 24x7 help line 
·       a specialised unit ( UCA), located 57 boulevard de la Cluse, catering for hospitalised management of suicidal adolescents. A total of 2348 patients have been evaluated by the UCA, of which 1220 were hospitalised and the remaining 1128 referred to the children's and adolescents psychiatric service for ambulatory follow-up.        

What intensive treatments to suggest at the end of a hospital stay? How to convince a young person refusing hospitalisation to adhere to a specific medium to long -term management plan?The new Centre addresses these two quandaries by offering, on a voluntary undertaking basis, an intensive ambulatory management plan comprising exchanges with medical/ nursing professionals, group activities, individual coporal mediation, art therapy and psychotherapy. Other options include spending a maximum of two nights at the Centre and the avaibility of patient support or family level management plans.

For more infos:

 Therese Legerer, responsable presse et relations publiques, HUG, tél. 022 372 60 06

 Stéphanie Kolly, Fondation CHILDREN ACTION, tél. 022 736 61 00