Acute Support Unit (ASU)
The Acute Support Unit (ASU) is a secure psychiatric inpatient unit that provides emergency admission for psychiatric treatment for Ontario children and youth aged 10–18 years old (17 years and 364 days). The mandate for this program is established by the Ontario Child and Youth Family Services Act (CYFSA) and children and youth must meet legislated criteria to be admitted to the ASU.
Admission is on an involuntary basis, for clients who are at imminent risk of harming themselves or others, or who are experiencing a severe disturbance of emotions, thought or cognition. Generally they will have been admitted to other hospital services and utilized a range of other services in the community before coming to Youthdale.
The goal of admission is stabilization, comprehensive assessment and diagnostic clarity. The ASU provides a structured and safe therapeutic environment, an integrative, diagnostic assessment of the young person and their support systems, an appropriate medication regimen as indicated, individual, group, and family therapy, on-site day treatment program, and support for the young person, their parents or guardians, and professionals to plan for the young person’s continuing care in the community.
Our team is comprised of psychiatrists, child and youth counsellors, social workers, nurses, psychologists, and an occupational and art therapist. Emergency admissions to the ASU are a maximum 30 day treatment term and court-ordered admissions can be up to 6 months with opportunities for extension.
Children and youth served by ASU are generally discharged to a less intensive setting such as back home or to a live-in treatment program.