It gave me trauma any time some said hospital i get scared I was there November 10th 2025 it was really bad you couldn't even have a picture with you at all times of your parents now I have a dog parents said never sending me back do not recommend this prison but I highly re ...
About Southwood Psychiatric Hospital
Southwood Psychiatric Hospital is a bright, colorful and modern facility located on Boyce Plaza in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They primarily focus on providing mental health services, through education, health care and residential services for children with mental health disorders. However, they provide assessment services if your child is seeking additional care for substance use disorder treatment and mental health issues.
Supports Wellness for Youth and Their Families
If your child is struggling with behavioral issues at school, home or in their community, Southwood provides clients with professional care to recognize their actions and teach them coping skills to control their behavior.
Medication is also featured to assist in this process in order to help in stabilizing their behavior patterns that may be negatively impacting both their lives and their health.
Thirty Years of Services in Behavioral Health
With over 30 years of treatment experience, a big part of their program is focused on education. They teach children and their families how to change their patterns of behavior as they relate to relationships in their lives, whether it be fellow classmates, teachers, caregivers or immediate family members. By receiving the right tools to families, you and your child can safely work towards healing.
Provides Advanced Therapy for Unique Conditions
Some of the conditions they treat are based on behavioral issues that involve your child acting out, managing their anger and making compulsive and impulsive decisions that can harm them and those around them. Their approach to therapy provides lasting results and utilizes reality theories that promote emotional growth and healing within your child.
When it comes to children, they recognize the immense need for family involvement in their healing process and encourage full participation from their families.
Recreation is also vital for youths suffering from instability; therefore, Southwood offers many programs that provide inner healing through yoga, music and art therapy, as well as physical activity both indoors and outside with sports and competitive games. Mayview Park also isn’t that far away.
Facility Overview
32 Number of Available Beds
Latest Reviews
My 13yo just left Southwood inpatient and I recognize that it is not the most desirable environment but I have to point out the incredible level of dedication, commitment, and going above and beyond to get him the help he needed from two specific people. Ms. Athena and Dr. Keener were tremendously helpful, communicative, and obviously cared very deeply about my kiddo and his situation, and despite the challenges they have to deal with every day they remained helpful and upbeat. I can't thank them enough and hopefully they'll get recognized by the hospital for the great work they did
Response from the owner2 months ago
Receiving this feedback truly made our day. It means so much that you'd take the time to share this with us. Thank you so much!
This post is specifically about one staff member at this facility, and she deserves 10 stars if I could give it. Athena is a social worker at Southwood, and she is one of the sole reasons for my sanity and my son’s mental health during his 8 day stay in the older boys teen unit. She was in contact consistently, and I was always kept up to date through her. She helped us navigate making my son as comfortable as possible. My son’s psychiatrist at the facility was not very helpful and not very communicative. He did not have a good rapport with my son, either. Athena had an amazing rapport with my son! She helped communication between me, my son, and the psychiatrist. Above all, she had my son’s back and his best interests in mind, and she pushed until what my son needed (and I agreed with) was accomplished. If it wasn’t for Athena, my son’s stay would’ve been so much worse and possibly not helpful at all. I cannot recommend Athena enough. She was a total God send for us!!!
Response from the owner2 months ago
We're so grateful for your feedback! Our goal is to make a lasting impact by providing quality care and expert support.
This place isn’t that bad. I was on girls a an I had a good experience. I only really like one staff members, I think her name was ms. Aerial (I don’t know if I spelled it right). The patients were really the only problem. I heard about the violence on girls b, thankfully there wasn’t a fight on my unit while I was there. The only problem I had with this place was the communication to my parents and the doctor I had. I didn’t really care about the communication because it wasn’t something I was involved with. I think it was dr. Keerar or something that talked to me every single day about how I was feeling and if the medication was working but he was TERRIBLE. He lied about my discharge date and lied to me about why I was there. Other than that I had a great experience. I managed to make friends and learn healthy coping skills. The only time patients had to be restrained was when they were violent or causing problems with others patients. Don’t recommend though.
Response from the owner2 months ago
We're grateful to receive this feedback! Thank you for taking this time to share your thoughts as we strive to maintain our high standards of industry-leading treatment. 
Rehab Score
Our Methodology
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5.9 / 10
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Other Forms of Payment
Private insurance refers to any kind of healthcare coverage that isn't from the state or federal government. This includes individual and family plans offered by an employer or purchased from the Insurance Marketplace. Every plan will have different requirements and out of pocket costs so be sure to get the full details before you start treatment.
Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.
Financial aid can take many forms. Centers may have grants or scholarships available to clients who meet eligibility requirements. Programs that receive SAMHSA grants may have financial aid available for those who need treatment as well. Grants and scholarships can help you pai for treatment without having to repay.
Military members, veterans, and eligible dependents have access to specific insurance programs that help them get the care they need. TRICARE and VA insurance can help you access low cost or no cost addiction and mental health treatment. Programs that accept military insurance often have targeted treatment focused on the unique challenges military members, veterans, and their families face.
Medicaid is a state based program that helps lower-income individuals and families pay for healthcare. Medicaid covers addiction treatment so those enrolled can use their coverage to pay for rehab. When a program accepts Medicaid the client often pays very little or nothing out of their own pocket.
Addiction Treatments
Levels of Care
Residential treatment programs are those that offer housing and meals in addition to substance abuse treatment. Rehab facilities that offer residential treatment allow patients to focus solely on recovery, in an environment totally separate from their lives. Some rehab centers specialize in short-term residential treatment (a few days to a week or two), while others solely provide treatment on a long-term basis (several weeks to months). Some offer both, and tailor treatment to the patient's individual requirements.
Because the severity of withdrawal symptoms can fluctuate, constant monitoring under 24-hour clinical care in Pennsylvania is recommended for early recovery. As you undergo detox, medical staff will supervise your health and ensure severe symptoms do not develop or threaten your life. Professional counselors will also be available to treat mental and emotional health needs.
Clients receiving services from a rehab aftercare program are usually stable and in the maintenance phase of recovery, having completed detox and/or intensive inpatient treatment. Rehab aftercare services can vary widely based on clients' individual and evolving needs, but often include peer coaching, relapse prevention support, 12 step program induction, and medical, mental health, and social service referrals. Individual care plans are typically developed by the client in partnership with their case manager and care team.
Treatments
Many of those suffering from addiction also suffer from mental or emotional illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders. Rehab and other substance abuse facilities treating those with a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder administer psychiatric treatment to address the person's mental health issue in addition to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
Mental health rehabs focus on helping individuals recover from mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, clinical depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and more. Mental health professionals at these facilities are trained to understand and treat mental health issues, both in individual and group settings.
Clinical Services
Creativity is inherently healing, and can help those in recovery express thoughts or feelings they might not otherwise be able to. Creative arts therapy can include music, poetry/writing, painting, sculpting, dance, theater, sandplay, and more. Unlike traditional art, the final product matters far less than the experience of creation and expression itself.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modified form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a treatment designed to help people understand and ultimately affect the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. DBT is often used for individuals who struggle with self-harm behaviors, such as self-mutilation (cutting) and suicidal thoughts, urges, or attempts. It has been proven clinically effective for those who struggle with out-of-control emotions and mental health illnesses like Borderline Personality Disorder.
Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.
Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.
In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.
Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.
Amenities
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Private Setting -
Yoga Studio -
Gym
Staff & Accreditations
Staff
Kim Lira, MS
CEO
Dominic Granito, BSN
Director of Nursing
Michelle Auer, BS
Director of Business Development, Marketing & RTF Coordinator
Thera Gallaway, MA
Director of Admissions
Michele Marian Kuhn, LCSW
Director of Clinical Services
Brittany Boehm, MS, RHIA
Director of Quality Management
Accreditations
The Joint Commission, formerly known as JCAHO, is a nonprofit organization that accredits rehab organizations and programs. Founded in 1951, the Joint Commision's mission is to improve the quality of patient care and demonstrating the quality of patient care.
Joint Commission Accreditation: Yes
Accreditation Number: 1048
Rehab.com regularly reviews this listing for accuracy but changes may occur between updates. For the most up-to-date information, please contact Southwood Psychiatric Hospital.
Contact Information
2575 Boyce Plaza Road
Pittsburgh PA, 15241
Get Help Now - 412-729-2267
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