Albert Einstein Medical Center to Offer a Behavioral Health Program at Its Teen Center

Philadelphia, PA, August 26, 2004 – In a collaborative effort with Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment, Albert Einstein Medical Center will offer a new service called the Therapeutic Bridge Program at the Teen Health Center, located on the main campus of Einstein, 5501 Old York Road. The new program will operate as a “bridge” between medical and behavioral health services and is designed to help teens and their families access and benefit from behavioral health care. The new Therapeutic Bridge Program will be offered thanks to a two-year grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts.

“The Therapeutic Bridge Team will be on staff at the Teen Health Center to coordinate community-based support services and outpatient behavioral healthcare for patients with depression, substance abuse and other behavioral health conditions,” says Alexis Lieberman, MD, Associate Medical Director of Adolescent Medicine at Albert Einstein Medical Center. A number of the teens that utilize the Center for medical reasons also have behavioral health illnesses. “The Bridge Team will work closely with these teens and their families to help make sure they get the services they need and learn about the benefits and importance of behavioral healthcare,” says Michael DeStefano, PhD, Director of Child and Adolescent Services at Belmont.

The successful Therapeutic Bridge Program started three years ago at Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment (part of the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network) and is now being expanded to serve the Teen Health Center. Belmont’s program helps young behavioral health inpatients who are leaving the hospital make the transition back to home, school and community behavioral health services, serving as a “bridge” between inpatient and outpatient care.

It is anticipated that several hundred adolescents will participate in the Therapeutic Bridge Program at Einstein over the two-year grant period. The Program will be fully operational by late November 2004.

Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, a member of the Jefferson Health System, provides healthcare services through Albert Einstein Medical Center, Germantown Community Health Services, Willow Terrace (a nursing home), Einstein at Elkins Park, MossRehab, Willowcrest (a center for subacute care), Belmont Behavioral Health and a number of outpatient and satellite locations. Einstein also operates a primary care network, Einstein Neighborhood Healthcare. For more information, visit www.einstein.edu or call 1-800-EINSTEIN.

The Pew Charitable Trusts serves the public interest by providing information, policy solutions and support for civic life. Based in Philadelphia, with an office in Washington, D.C., the Trusts makes investments to provide organizations and citizens with fact-based research and practical solutions for challenging issues. In 2003, with approximately $4.1 billion in dedicated assets, the Trusts committed more than $143 million to 151 nonprofit organizations.

Publish date: August 26, 2004