Dedicated, sensory-friendly space will provide specialized 24/7 behavioral health care for children experiencing a mental health crisis
New Haven, Conn. (July 21, 2026) — Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital today unveiled its new Children’s Crisis Intervention Center, a dedicated behavioral health treatment space within the Children’s Emergency Department that will begin caring for patients in August. Designed for children up to age 15 experiencing a behavioral health crisis, the Center provides a calm, therapeutic environment where young patients can receive rapid evaluation, stabilization and connection to ongoing services.
The newly renovated Center offers 24/7 care from a specialized team of physicians, nurses, social workers and milieu counselors trained in pediatric behavioral health. The Center is designed to support children experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, depression, anxiety, substance misuse and other mental health crises.
“Today marks an important step forward for children and families across Connecticut,” said Pamela Sutton-Wallace, acting CEO, Yale New Haven Health. “The need for timely, accessible behavioral health services has never been greater, and far too many young people in crisis continue to face barriers to getting the care they need when they need it. This new Children’s Crisis Intervention Center reflects what is possible when we work together with a shared purpose: ensuring that every child has access to the right care, at the right time and in the right setting.”
The Center incorporates the Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing (EMPATH) model, which provides a specialized, therapeutic approach for patients experiencing behavioral health emergencies.
“When we think about caring for children in crisis, we must ask not only what care we provide, but how we provide it,” said Beth Heinz, senior vice president, Women’s and Children’s Services, Yale New Haven Hospital. “Traditional emergency departments are designed to deliver rapid stabilization, but for children experiencing behavioral health challenges, they can sometimes intensify distress rather than relieve it. The EMPATH model represents a transformative approach, providing a calm, healing environment centered on dignity, compassion and recovery. Children in crisis deserve not only access to care, but the right environment, the right expertise and the right support to heal.”
Kate Heilpern, MD, president, Yale New Haven Hospital, said the Center addresses a growing need for pediatric behavioral health services.
“When a child is in crisis, families need more than a place to go,” said Dr. Heilpern. “They need reassurance, expertise and compassionate care that meets them where they are and helps them take crucial next steps toward recovery. The need for behavioral health support is critical, and this Center was created to help stabilize crises, support families and connect young people to the care they need to heal, grow and thrive.”
Linda Mayes, MD, chair, Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, said the new Center reflects the importance of specialized care environments for behavioral health emergencies.
“Children experiencing a behavioral health crisis require care that recognizes both their developmental needs and the complexity of their circumstances,” Dr. Mayes said. “This Center creates an environment where evidence-based care, family support and timely intervention come together to improve outcomes for children and adolescents during some of their most vulnerable moments.”
The Children’s Crisis Intervention Center was made possible through support from the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Timken Foundation, whose generosity funded the Center’s group therapy room.
Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital (YNHCH) offers Connecticut’s largest and most comprehensive array of pediatric services. With 208 licensed beds, YNHCH includes two neonatal intensive care units, a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit, a pediatric intensive care unit, a pediatric psychiatry unit, an adolescent psychiatry unit, 24-hour Level 1 Pediatric Emergency Trauma Center and a pediatric surgery center. YNHCH, with campuses in New Haven and Bridgeport, is part of the nationally recognized Yale New Haven Hospital, a 1,541-bed not-for-profit teaching hospital affiliated with Yale School of Medicine. The Yale New Haven Hospital campuses and associated ambulatory sites are Magnet-designated by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. In addition to its inpatient units, YNHCH has three Pediatric Specialty Centers in New Haven and others in Greenwich, New London, Norwalk, Old Saybrook and Trumbull to provide specialty care to children closer to their communities. www.ynhch.org
