Inpatient behavioral health unit provides vital care for kids ages 5-12 

Feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among young people in the U.S. have increased by about 40% over the past decade, according to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. The academic disruption and social isolation of the pandemic accelerated and expanded the crisis in a short time frame, particularly for younger kids. Between 2019 and 2020, hospitals nationwide saw a 24% increase in visits to hospital Emergency Departments by kids ages 5-12 in a mental health crisis.

Here in the Valley, while Banner Behavioral Health Hospital and other hospitals are licensed to care for patients over age 13, few options exist for kids under age 12 in need of inpatient mental health care. This shortage means young kids might spend hours or even days waiting for care in the Emergency Department—often the first stop for parents with a young child in crisis. The CDC says that about one in five young children in the U.S. have a diagnosed mental health disorder, yet only about 20% receive the specialized care they need, per the American Hospital Association.

To improve access to care for these vulnerable kids, Banner Thunderbird Medical Center opened a 12-bed inpatient behavioral health unit specifically to treat kids ages 5-12. Since opening its doors in 2021, nearly 800 children have received care, helping to alleviate the strain on hospital Emergency Departments and delivering the expert care kids need. Construction and furnishings were funded by charitable gifts to the Banner Health Foundation from generous donors who saw the great need for more care options.

Conditions frequently treated on the unit include anxiety, depression, adjustment disorder, suicidal or homicidal ideation, mood disorders, and ADHD. The expert team at Banner Thunderbird also manages additional medical complexities among patients like diabetes, autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, IBS and Crohn’s disease—often discovering and diagnosing an unknown medical condition during the child’s stay.

Veeda Days, RN Director of Behavioral Health Services at Banner Thunderbird, says the heart of the unit is a reward-based stoplight level system. “Children earn stars by completing daily tasks, attending groups, and following unit rules. These stars can be redeemed for various prizes,” she says. “This approach teaches our young patients a valuable life lesson: doing the work, using coping skills, and doing the right thing earns them valuable privileges and rewards. The system has truly become the language of our unit, creating structure, accountability, and motivation.”

Days says there are benefits for kids and families beyond the 9-10 days they spend in the hospital. “My team is able to connect families to resources they never knew existed, help place children in safe step-down options when needed, and ensure every child has the coping tools they need to self-regulate when change becomes overwhelming.”

The need for this type of specialized care is expected to continue growing. “Since opening this unit, we're seeing younger kids with higher acuity, but my team is rising to meet that challenge every single day with innovation, heart, and determination,” says Days. “The work happening on this unit is truly life changing. I couldn't be prouder of what we're accomplishing for these kids and their families.”