Ensuring a Secure Environment for Your Child’s Mental Health
Here at Rady Children’s Hospital- San Diego, you and your family are very important to us. We value every opportunity to partner with you to ensure a safe environment. On this page, we have outlined the safety measures that are taken while your child is in our care. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to connect with a member of your child’s care team.
Safety and Processes
The Psychiatric Emergency Department is a secured behavioral health unit. The team consists of nurses, a psychiatrist, behavioral health assistants and a social worker who will work with you and your child on a plan of care. Your child will remain in the unit until discharge home or transfer to an appropriate facility for ongoing care.
We adhere to the following to protect your child, other patients, and our staff:
- When your child arrives to the unit, we will do a thorough safety check including person, clothing and belongings to ensure there are no items that can harm your child or others.
- There are no visiting hours. To speak with your child by phone, you will be given a three-digit code to verify your identity. We cannot connect you without this code.
- Once your child has been evaluated by the team and a plan has been created to discharge home, we will work with you to schedule a time for pick up. Upon arrival, please check in with security at the main entrance to receive a visitor badge. You will wait in the main rotunda/lobby for a staff member to bring you onto the unit.
- Due to being a secured unit, personal items such as backpacks, purses and phones should be left in your car or secured in our provided lockers. Staff at the main rotunda lobby or any psychiatric ED staff can direct you to the lockers.
To reach the Copley Psychiatric Emergency Department, please call 858-966-8393. To speak to your child, you will need the three-digit code for your child provided by our team.