Psychiatry assessment and treatment unit (PATU)
The Psychiatry Assessment and Treatment Unit (PATU) is an interdisciplinary, specialized care program for children and adolescents with major mood disorders, psychotic disorders, severe anxiety disorders, suicide attempts, or risk of suicide related to mental illness. Additional co-morbid psychiatric conditions are not uncommon.
PATU provides structured, family-centred care, with 4 - 6 spaces for our day hospital program and 3 - 4 beds for inpatient care.
Our comprehensive care involves:
- thorough assessments of children or adolescents with their families
- education about mental health and psychiatric disorders
- implementation of pharmacological and psychosocial interventions.
- accessing community and school resources
- transition of care back to family doctors, paediatricians and mental health practitioners.
Our interdisciplinary team includes:
- nurses
- social workers
- child and youth counsellors
- staff of the Toronto District School Board
This section includes information on:
PATU Day Hospital:
The day hospital program is designed for children with major psychiatric illness who are stable enough to benefit from care on an outpatient basis. Support of the family or guardian is integral to the program to ensure that the child stays involved and continues to attend.
We also need the referring physician and/or treatment centre to remain involved in order to provide ongoing care when the child is discharged from the PATU program or if the program does not prove suitable for the child after the initial assessment period.
Specific criteria for this program:
- Ages generally between 6 and 13 years
- Diagnoses of major mood disorders (especially major depressive disorder and bipolar disorders), psychotic disorders or severe anxiety disorders (primarily obsessive compulsive disorder).
The program is not suitable for children with significant aggression or disruptive behaviour.
PATU Inpatient Program:
The inpatient program is suitable for children or adolescents with severe psychiatric illness that cannot be adequately managed or investigated on an outpatient basis.
PATU prioritizes patients with the following three presentations:
- psychosis
- major mood disorders (depressive or manic)
- suicide or homicide risk resulting from mental illness.
Children are referred to our inpatient program primarily through these other services at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids):
- Psychiatry Emergency Services
- Urgent Care Clinic
- Medical Psychiatry Team
Before we can consider a transfer to PATU from other inpatient programs at SickKids, a consultation with the Medical Psychiatry Team is required.
PATU also requires that:
- Inpatient care will be of foreseeable benefit to the patient.
- We have expertise available for the presenting problems.
- Patients are voluntary.
- Patients receive medical clearance prior to admission. For example, patients should be assessed for medical conditions or substances causing or contributing to the psychiatric presentation.
- Patients with underlying medical concerns need to be medically stable in order to receive treatment for severe psychiatric symptoms on the psychiatric unit. If these patients are to be transferred from another unit, the attending team, the medical psychiatry team and the PATU team should all be involved. Such transfers should occur during regular working hours when all care teams involved are available.
- Children and adolescents are not presenting with significant disruptive behaviour disorders or pervasive developmental disorders. The unit is not designed or resourced for such populations.
If there is need for involuntary care:
Children or adolescents who must be treated on an involuntary basis require the services of a hospital listed as Schedule 1 under the Mental Health Act of Ontario.
In Toronto, these include:
- Humber River Regional Hospital
- North York General Hospital
- Rouge Valley Health System
- St. Joseph’s Health Centre
- Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Sciences Centre.
How to make a referral
Exchange of clinical information will require a completed and signed Form 14 (Consent to the Disclosure, Transmittal or Examination of a Clinical Record under Subsection 35(3) of the Mental Health Act). These forms are available from the Government of Ontario website.
We report consultation results to the referring physician, to support ongoing care by the physician. Responsibility for treatment remains with the referring physician.
In addition, please see general information on referring patients to SickKids.
Contact us
Contact our Intake Coordinator:
Elaine Walker
Phone: 416-813-7005
Fax: 416-813-7785
e-mail: elaine.walker@sickkids.ca
PATU is located in Unit 7A, 7th floor, 555 University Avenue.
Professional education
PATU provides education opportunities in psychiatry, medicine, nursing, child and youth counselling, social work, and other allied health professions.
For further information on medical education in psychiatry, contact:
Tammy Chong
Administrative Assistant, Education
Department of Psychiatry,
The Hospital for Sick Children
e-mail: tammy.chong@sickkids.ca
Phone: 416-813-1856
Fax: 416-813-5326
Students training in other health care professions, please contact the appropriate department at SickKids for more information.