The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 11% of children ages 3 to 17 have an anxiety disorder diagnosis. When we looked at our region, we found limited treatment options for children under 11 who need more intensive support than weekly outpatient therapy. We created our Child and Parent Anxiety Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) to address this gap.
What makes this program distinct is the daily family component. Children and parents attend together each morning, and parents receive structured treatment as part of the program. This daily involvement allows families to practice new patterns together and build skills in real time.
Why this developmental window matters
Elementary age represents an important treatment opportunity. Children at this stage can learn and apply concrete coping skills while anxiety patterns are still developing. As peer relationships form and academic demands increase, untreated anxiety can create compounding challenges across school, social and family functioning.
How we approach treatment
Our IOP runs Monday through Friday, 8 am to 11 am. The program treats the whole family system because sustainable change requires everyone to learn new patterns together.
Children and parents attend together for the first hour each day. This time functions as core treatment for the family. We teach behavioral frameworks using dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) principles. Parents learn to build positive reinforcement cultures at home, to establish clear and enforceable house rules and to apply decision trees when their child is in distress. We address accommodation patterns directly and work toward a fundamental shift in how the family responds to anxiety.
The next two hours focus on the children in group format, with a maximum of seven per group. We combine skill building with graduated exposure therapy. Children learn concrete DBT and ACT strategies, then practice them in situations that progressively challenge their anxiety. We move slowly and based on their willingness level.
A psychiatric provider meets with each child at least weekly to address medical concerns and medication management if desired. This aligns with evidence-based recommendations that behavioral therapy and medication management together produce the strongest outcomes.
The program has open enrollment, so children can join when clinically appropriate rather than waiting for a cohort to form. Most families participate for four to five weeks, though we individualize based on treatment response.
What changes by discharge
We measure success by what families can do differently. At discharge, we are hoping parents have a behavioral plan they're implementing consistently. They have their house rules set and know how to enforce them without enabling or reinforcing unhelpful behaviors. They have a decision framework for managing distress that doesn't default to accommodation.
Children leave with a personalized anxiety ladder and a skills list they can reference. More importantly, they've practiced tolerating discomfort in a supported environment. They've learned that anxiety is uncomfortable but not dangerous and that they can function even when they feel anxious.
We coordinate closely with schools. Our team develops individualized accommodation plans, preferred intervention lists and anxiety ladders that teachers can use. We've found that when schools understand our school action plan and the specific strategies a child has been practicing, they're more effective at supporting skill generalization and better equipped to avoid reinforcing the child's anxiety.
We also stay connected with you. We communicate at admission and discharge, sharing the skills we've taught and the progress we've observed. If you're continuing outpatient work during the IOP, we coordinate to avoid mixed messages and reinforce consistent approaches.
Who benefits most
This program serves children in grades 3 through 6 experiencing moderate to severe anxiety that's impacting functioning. When assessing whether mental health concerns affect a child's functioning, consider factors such as sleeping and eating habits, executive functioning, social interactions and school performance. We see school avoidance, panic attacks, separation anxiety and somatic complaints. Anxiety doesn't need to be the primary diagnosis.
This program serves children in grades 3 through 6 experiencing moderate to severe anxiety that's impacting functioning. When assessing whether mental health concerns are affecting a child's functioning, consider factors such as sleeping and eating habits, executive functioning, social interactions and school performance. We see school avoidance, panic attacks, separation anxiety and somatic complaints. Anxiety doesn't need to be the primary diagnosis.
As we've grown, we've increasingly served children with comorbid executive functioning challenges and behavioral dysregulation, and we've adapted our curriculum accordingly.
The essential criterion beyond diagnosis and age is parent availability. A parent or guardian must attend daily for the first hour. This attendance is central to how the program works. We need families who are ready to make changes, who can learn to accept discomfort as part of growth and are willing to learn a culture of positive reinforcement.
Making a referral
When you have a patient who might benefit, call our Assessment and Referral Center at (847) 432-5464. The center is available 24/7 and will schedule an initial assessment to determine fit, clarify goals and establish baseline functioning.
We're located at Endeavor Health Center – Naperville Behavioral Health. The program runs weekday mornings, which allows children to maintain some school connection and families to preserve afternoon routines.
