Incarnation Childrens Center

Programs: Incarnation children's center (icc) is new york city's only skilled nursing facility exclusively providing specialized residential care exclusively to children living with hiv/aids. Icc is licensed by the new york state department of health with a certified capacity of 21 beds. Many of the children and adolescents are dually diagnosed with complex hiv disease and significant mental illness, which compounds the complexity of their medical and behavioral management. Because of the unique and complex needs of these children, placement in other settings is not a viable option. The program is designed to help children become medically stable and/or await discharge to an appropriate placement while preparing them for healthy living and eventual independence. However, not only do these children face complicated medical needs and a lifetime of treatment, they have also been faced with the deaths of family and friends, as well as a plethora of psychosocial issues such as trauma, abuse and neglect. In addition to their hiv/aids illness, most of the children have one or more psychiatric diagnoses that significantly impact their ability to function in their daily lives. Therefore, in addition to their complex medical care, our interdisciplinary clinical team provides therapeutic milieu treatment to address the emotional needs of these children in order to foster optimal developmental and psychological growth. A primary element of the mission is its specialized medical, nursing and mental health care which focuses on medication adherence with the hiv/aids population. This is an integral component of the program because non-adherence leads to immunological disease progression and high uncontrolled hiv levels; severe immunosuppression and an increased the risk for aids-defining opportunistic infections and in some cases, death. - a life skills program helps residents prepare for the day they are discharged into the world on their own. Small groups of 2-4 residents address a needed skill, such as budgeting, shopping, meal preparation, hygiene and/or travel training,. By progressing from lecture to an informational review with field trips to exercise the newly learned skill, the residents can gain the skills they need in preparation for their discharge into the community residents can learn from this program as well. - our art therapy program integrates the fields of human development, visual art, and the creative process with models of counseling and psychotherapy. For the residents at icc, art therapy is a perfect modality as it allows each resident to express themselves, while working out issues related to their illness and treatment, as well as addressing developmental milestones and life traumas. As art is a non-threatening medium, children and adolescents are more likely to engage with this medium, as well as with the clinician/art therapist, to address complex emotional issues. When working in a clinical environment, an art therapist may be able to help an individual express current concerns which can be helpful to overall treatment and the clinical team. Each child at incarnation children's center has a particular interest in, and need for, self expression through art. Art is a way for them to understand who they are as well as share their experiences and personalities with others. An art therapist works with 100% of residents, in both group and individual formats in order to help each child to build on his/her strengths and find the best means for self-expression. An annual children and teens art show serves as both documentation of the work created within the art therapy program, as well as an opportunity to share this work and mission with others. In 2014, icc provided 7,715 days of care to 30 patients.