Behavioral Health and Crisis Center

There are times when a child or teen needs help with a mental or behavioral health issue that can’t wait or needs treatment beyond outpatient appointments. The Behavioral Health and Crisis Center was created to serve children with these acute needs and to provide hope and healing in a supportive environment.

The Crisis Response Center is a 24/7 walk-in facility that evaluates children 5 to 17 years old with immediate mental health needs and provides short-term therapy so the youth is safe to return home and move into outpatient therapy for follow-up care. Within the Crisis Response Center is a three-bed Crisis Stabilization Unit for youth who need additional time and treatment to be safe.

The Crisis Response Center strives to build resilience in individuals and families by empowering and equipping patients with the skills and strategies needed to safely return to their family and friends.

The inpatient (hospital) care is located on two of the upper floors for youth 7 to 17 years old who need more intensive treatment. Therapy uses a strengths-based model that builds on each child’s positive qualities to help them develop appropriate coping skills, improve social functioning and decrease maladaptive behavior so they can safely return to their homes and communities and continue care in an outpatient setting.

The Crisis Response Center and the inpatient units are staffed with psychiatrists, psychologists, a clinical pharmacist, social workers, psychiatric nurses and psychiatric technicians — all who are specially trained to work with children and adolescents. Family members are an important part of treatment and are involved in their child’s care.

Parking & Directions

There is a parking garage for patient families with an entrance off of S. 54 St. near the Larchwood Avenue intersection. To enter the Behavioral Health and Crisis Center, exit the garage at the street level and walk approximately 90 yards south to the CHOP entrance. You will see a large CH indicating the CHOP entrance; enter through the glass doors to the right. Do not enter the Penn Medicine Emergency Department entrance to access CHOP mental health services.

Once inside, you will be greeted by CHOP security and directed to the Crisis Center or escorted to the inpatient floors.

For those taking public transportation:

Three SEPTA bus routes have stops near the Behavioral Health and Crisis Center. Check SEPTA.org for schedules.

• The Route 42 bus stops at Spruce St. and S. 54th St.
• The Route G bus stops at S. 57th St. and Larchwood Ave.
• The Routh 52 bus stops at S. 52th and Cedar Ave.