Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit

The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit (CAPU) is a six-bed, provincial-based, inpatient psychiatric unit at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital.

The unit provides specialized services in the areas of diagnosis clarification, assessment, and treatment for youth who require a concentrated and comprehensive service as recommended by their mental health treatment team.

The unit provides services to youth aged 9 to 17 (less one day) and is staffed by registered nurses, youth care workers, a psychologist, a social worker, and a clinical coordinator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Youth aged 9 to just under 17.

Requires a referral reviewed monthly by an admissions committee. Admission depends on priority, unit capacity, and the youth’s placement plan. Approved referrals are added to a waitlist.

Longer stays for complex needs, with in-depth assessments and care planning./

What to Expect During a Stay

  • Care teams include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, human service counsellors, nurses, licensed practical nurse (LNSs), recreational therapists, occupational therapists, and district schoolteachers.
  • Youth take part in morning therapy groups, recreational activities, coping skill sessions, and school support. Most ongoing therapy happens in the community after discharge.
  • Seclusion rooms are used only when there is a risk of harm to self or others.
  • Substance use concerns are referred to specialized services.
  • The unit is locked for patient safety.
  • The unit is not an interim placement option or for the sole purpose of detainment.
  • Full psychoeducational assessments are not completed on this unit.
  • Involvement of each team member is based on individual care plans, this may mean that services such as psychology, for example, may not be involved.
  • School attendance, while admitted to the unit, will be discussed with the psychiatrist.