HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital Launches
Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program
Fort Walton Beach, Fla. – HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital has launched its first adolescent intensive outpatient program (IOP) offering behavioral health services to teens between the ages of 12 and 17.
The S.A.I.L. (Seeking an Incredible Life) adolescent IOP provides evidence-based treatment consisting of group therapy sessions as well as individual visits with a therapist and psychiatrist. Group sessions are led by a licensed therapist trained in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and psychoeducation.
Studies from the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine show that an estimated 13-20% of children in the U.S. experience some sort of mental disorder each year, and among adolescents, suicide is a leading cause of death.
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, cases of adolescent depression have more than doubled, with the suicide rate increasing 10%.
“There is an urgent need for behavioral health services for adolescents in Okaloosa County,” said HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Eric Schuck. “Currently, children and teens in dire need of help are not able to receive needed and timely care because there are so few options available in our community.”
S.A.I.L. IOP is intended for youth struggling with:
- Crisis management
- Symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder and/or anxiety
- Non-suicidal self-injurious behavior
- Self-esteem and body image
- Gender identity and expression
- Family conflict
The S.A.I.L. IOP aims to give parents the tools to better understand and support their teen in order to address dynamics within the family and provide appropriate treatment.
Participants attend three-hour after-school sessions Monday through Thursday from 3:30-6:30 p.m.
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital’s Behavioral Health Clinic is located at 1020 Titan Court, Suite 100, Fort Walton Beach.
For more information or to schedule a free assessment, call 850.315.8009.
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About HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital is a 309-bed full-service hospital and is the only Level II Trauma Center in the Tri-County area, with over 300 highly respected and qualified physicians. For women’s and children’s services, we have 24/7 neonatologists available and one of the area’s only Level II NICUs. Our expanded emergency services include a dedicated pediatric ER, 24/7 HCA Florida Destin Emergency, 24/7 HCA Florida Navarre Emergency and full-service 24/7 HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Emergency. HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital is the only acute care hospital in the Tri-County area that offers open heart surgery, an Accredited Advanced Primary Stroke Center, an Accredited Chest Pain Center, and a Cancer Care Center that is accredited by the Commission on Cancer and an Associate of the UAB Birmingham Health System Cancer Community Network. HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital also has the only inpatient acute care rehab facility in the Tri-County area – The Rehabilitation Institute of Northwest Florida, located in Destin.
About HCA Florida Healthcare
HCA Florida Healthcare, a part of HCA Healthcare, is a family of more than 570 affiliated sites of care, including hospitals, physician practices, freestanding emergency rooms and urgent care centers. United as a statewide network in 2021, HCA Florida Healthcare includes approximately 11,000 experienced doctors and 77,000 colleagues working together to deliver advanced, collaborative care to more than 6.4 million patients each year. HCA Florida Healthcare is committed to improving more lives in more ways and giving back to the communities it serves. The network provided nearly $836.6 million in uncompensated care and invested significantly in innovative technologies and facilities across Florida, including the new $360 million state-of-the-art, multi-specialty HCA Florida University Hospital in Davie, Fla. A strong advocate for the next generation of healthcare professionals, HCA Florida Healthcare is also a major supporter of university-based healthcare programs and residencies and fellowships throughout the Sunshine State. For more information, please visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com.
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