UNM Children's Psychiatric Center (CPC) provides intensive psychiatric treatment to children and adolescents through the age of 17, without regard to the family's financial resources.   Care, including acute inpatient, residential and partial (day) hospital, is provided in various settings on the CPC campus.  Treatment includes family education which increases families' understanding and capacity to manage their children.  Clinical services are under the direction of the UNM School of Medicine faculty and include comprehensive evaluation and assessment, treatment planning, individual, group and family therapy, psychopharmacology, speech, art, recreational and occupational therapy.  An integral part of treatment is the development of a strong working relationship with the patient's home community.  This treatment is accomplished in residential settings or in a day-hospital facility.  The special education school program provides a structured learning environment and psycho educational assessment.  CPC is also a teaching and training site for students from the UNM Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, Pediatrics, Family Medicine, Special Education, and Colleges of Nursing and Pharmacy.

UNM Children's Psychiatric Center is the only such facility in New Mexico

We shall:

• Provide quality psychiatric treatment to seriously emotionally disturbed children without regard to the families ability to pay.
• Include family education and treatment to strengthen understanding of, and capacity to manage, their children.
• Encourage the integrity of the family as an important social system.
• Work with families, community agencies, and schools to facilitate the child's successful return to family and community.
• Provide continuing involvement among CPC staff, community agencies, and schools to enhance continuity of patient care.
• Provide on-site training for child psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, special educators, and other child mental health professionals.
• Conduct research concerning effective treatment methods and follow-up care of the patients.