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The Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Communication Disorder Program provides unique and innovative psychiatric inpatient hospitalization at the Maryville Scott Nolan Center in Des Plaines, IL. Those eligible for services include children (3-11), adolescents (12-17), and young adults (18-21) who are deaf or hard of hearing and experience emotional or behavioral disorders. Some patients may have other learning disabilities, visual impairments or cognitive delays in addition to their hearing loss. Children who experience other communication challenges, such as those associated with autism, may also be accepted. We are the only program in the State of Illinois serving this population, staffed by psychiatric technicians who can communicate in sign language, some of whom are deaf or hard of hearing themselves. Most patients in the program can best understand, communicate and make progress therapeutically within a total communication setting.
 Evaluation and treatment
As experts and specialists in the field of deafness and mental health, families often look to us to provide extensive diagnostic evaluations which may include psychological, neuropsychological, educational, psychiatric and other components. We are often able to provide answers about the diagnosis and treatment of the multiple problem/complex child. Moreover, as a leader in treating individuals with special communication and learning needs, we are a teaching program that is mentoring the next generation of specialists in the field.
Over the past several years at least 50% of the population of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children have displayed a very complex set of learning, emotional, behavioral and social problems. Because this is a change in the population there are few professionals trained to meet the needs of these children. For this reason, our patients come from all over the country and present with a wide range of problems, disorders and syndromes, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorders, psychotic disorders, Executive Function Disorders, pervasive developmental disorders, to name a few. Traditional therapy modes (individual, group and family) may be coupled with expressive treatment - art, play, drama and dance. This enables patients with fluent language skills, as well as those with more modest communicative ability, to express their thoughts and feelings clearly in an appropriate fashion. The unit is technically equipped to serve our population and is installing a video relay system to support long distance family therapy and regular communication with families who live too far from the hospital to come in for regular family meetings.
Our Staff
Our highly skilled treatment team includes a psychiatrist, psychologists, educational experts, and an experienced milieu staff who sign. In addition to on-site doctors and nurses, we access nearby hospitals and consultants for added medical services, such as neurological assessment. We work with families, schools, social service agencies, courts and other providers and are well versed in accessing community resources to provide our discharged patients and their families with aftercare.
Program Accreditation
The Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Scott Nolan Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and accepts most private insurance or Medicaid. Because we are the only Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program serving children and adolescents in the state, insurance companies will frequently authorize in-network rates even if the hospital is not in their network.
For further information, please contact the Director of Admissions at (847)509-8260 ext. 224 or the Clinical Director at (847)212-0672.
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