Laurel Oaks Hospital operates a 16-bed adolescent male unit for ages 12 to 18 licensed by the Alabama Department of Youth Services (DYS). Each youth has a delinquency charge, psychiatric diagnosis with intellectual disabilities or learning disorders, are in need of a highly structured setting and have a mental health diagnosis. This program focuses on accountability to self and others.

Admission Criteria

1. The male youth is between the ages of 12 and 18 years of age and has been diagnosed with a primary psychiatric disorder that requires residential treatment
2. Youth has received a needs assessment and been deemed appropriate
3. Youth will exhibit a combination of the following criteria to the extent that treatment in a less restrictive environment is unsafe or unlikely to be effective, but NOT to the extent that inpatient psychiatric hospitalization is medically necessary:
   • Impaired contact with reality as manifested by hallucinations, delusions, ideas of reference, etc.
   • Adaptive functioning that requires increased or more intensive staff supervision
   • Pronounced social or emotional deficits than is typical of their age grouping
   • Moderate to severe disabling depression, anxiety and/or somatic symptoms
   • Poor social and/or interpersonal skills
   • Impaired cognitive and social deficits from environment deprivation
   • Poor compliance with prescribed medications
   • Inappropriate attention seeking behaviors and/or inadequate problem solving skills
4. In need of 24 hour protective supervision and oversight on a day-to-day basis with security monitoring for elopement
5. IQ of 45 or above
6. No sex offender status

Laurel Oaks Behavioral Health Center in Dothan, Alabama schedules no-cost, confidential assessments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If a child or teen you know may be in need of treatment at a psychiatric hospital and residential treatment center, please call us today at 334-794-7373.