Program/Unit Descriptions

Adult Partial Hospitalization Program At the URMC Adult Partial Hospitalization Program, we strive to provide transformative experiences for our patients, strengthen our community through service, and inspire a world where the restorative power of hope, compassion, and kindness is known. We provide care that is strengths-based, person-centered, and trauma-informed to adults experiencing acute psychiatric crises, empowering them to stabilize their symptoms, enhance their safety, develop coping skills, and achieve their personal goals. Upholding our ICARE values, we honor the dignity and capacity of each person we serve, in an environment that is safe and inclusive, where evidence-based treatments and skill development empower individuals to achieve lasting wellness.

We serve a diverse population of individuals experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms who require structured, intensive treatment but do not need inpatient hospitalization. Because the program operates with rolling admissions, new participants may enter on any day, creating a dynamic environment in which patients are at varying stages of their recovery. The typical length of stay is 1 to 3 weeks, giving students exposure to a wide range of clinical issues and patient presentations.

Our patient population often has complex clinical needs, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma-related conditions, personality-related challenges, and co-occurring psychosocial stressors. This diversity in background, diagnosis, severity, and life experience creates a rich therapeutic setting where interventions are tailored to meet a broad spectrum of mental health needs. Students learn from and collaborate with our multidisciplinary team, which includes mental health counselors, a credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, social workers, nurses, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and our psychiatrist.

Our primary treatment modality is group therapy. Students have the opportunity to learn to co-facilitate groups focused on skills acquisition, process-oriented discussion, behavioral skill-building, and managing group dynamics. Students also gain experience in individual therapy by observing and conducting one-on-one sessions centered on treatment planning, progress monitoring, safety planning, and discharge preparation. In addition, students develop competence in conducting intake assessments, including mental status exams, risk assessments, diagnostic formulation, and documentation that informs the treatment plan.

Adult PHP is located at The Brighton Health Center in Henrietta, across the street from Jay’s Diner. We have rolling census of 36 patients and 20 total team members. We welcome students because they help us grow and be Ever Better. We believe that our students are with us to learn, not support our staffing, so they are treated as students first and foremost.

CPEP The clinical area location is Strong Memorial Hospital, CPEP, which serves a population of all ages, typically 5 and older, and provides care for individuals in psychiatric crisis. This 24/7 locked unit is the largest and only CPEP in Monroe County. During this rotation, students can expect to learn about the overview of acute services available across URMC and Monroe County, as well as the general functioning and workflow of CPEP, including Mental Health Hygiene Law, levels of care, and legal thresholds for services such as CPEP, Inpatient, and EOB. Additional learning includes conducting thorough psychosocial assessments—such as risk formulation and history of presenting illness—collaborating across disciplines for case consultation, and developing familiarity with SPMI, Chemical Dependency, Personality Disorders, and Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders, including symptomatology, clinical presentations, and familial involvement. Students will also gain experience in crisis intervention and de-escalation, case management, care coordination, safety planning, and discharge planning.

Mobile Crisis Team The Mobile Crisis Team (MCT), established in 1994, operates as a component of both the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) – Strong Hospital’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) and the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC).

The goal of MCT is to prevent unnecessary emergency room visits, when possible, by providing immediate services to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis in the community. MCT takes a collaborative approach to meet an individual’s needs, often working with other providers and services both within and outside of URMC, and, when possible, collaborating with an individual’s natural and community supports. MCT services are designed to help divert individuals from the county’s psychiatric emergency departments, are available to individuals of all ages residing or located within Monroe County, and are provided by a multidisciplinary team of professionals in community settings such as homes, workplaces, schools, or other locations.

MCT will afford students the opportunity to gain perspective and understanding by visiting individuals in their home, place of employment, school, or community, observing how they function in their natural environment, and noting how they interact with natural and community supports. MCT interventions include conducting psychiatric assessments to identify symptoms and contributing stressors, identifying needs and recommending or referring to appropriate services and levels of care, providing psychoeducation and assisting with safety planning, and initiating a Mental Hygiene Transport when further psychiatric or medical assessment is required. Practicum students at MCT will observe and practice, under direct supervision, tasks such as providing telephonic triage and follow-up services, conducting comprehensive psychiatric assessments using the Biopsychosocial Model, assessing risk using tools such as the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS), Data to Inform Risk Assessment (DIRA), and the SafeSide Framework for Suicide Prevention, diagnosing in accordance with the DSM-5-TR, developing and using case formulation to guide treatment planning, creating and reviewing safety plans using the Stanley Brown Safety Plan and SafeSide Framework, disseminating psychoeducation, collaborating with others on care coordination, and navigating and documenting all services within an electronic medical record.