About the Facility
Whitaker Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF), located in Butner, NC, is a secure, non-acute treatment program for children ages 13-17. Whitaker’s mission is to provide comprehensive, evidenced-based, and trauma-informed services to North Carolina youth who have emotional and behavioral challenges and need secure residential care. Whitaker PRTF aims to be a safe environment that uses evidenced-based and trauma-informed interventions, education, and community integrations to provide quality clinical and behavioral care. Our goal is to coordinate with community-based resources so the youth can return to successful, productive lives in their home communities.
Whitaker PRTF seeks to build a network of services that meets each resident’s needs and guides the youth to create positive relationships among peers. Residents receive individualized treatment to increase their academic, social, and behavioral skills, to help them be successful in less restrictive environments.
Our Values:
- People Focused: Our focus is on the individuals we serve, providing quality treatment and making a positive impact on their lives, as well as the lives of our staff and the communities we serve.
- Teamwork: We are all one team working towards one goal of improving the health, safety, and wellbeing of the individuals we serve, in collaboration with our community partners.
- Proactive Communication: We maintain an open and trusting environment for collaboration and continuous improvement with our team, stakeholders, and the individuals we serve.
- Belonging: We intentionally promote an inclusive and equitable environment for our staff and the individuals we serve. We ensure everyone feels a sense of belonging, and our diverse backgrounds and experiences are valued and recognized as strengths.
- Transparency: We share our expertise, information, and honest feedback at all levels within the PRTF and among those we serve.
- Joy: We create joy and balance at work in order to be our best for our team and the individuals we serve.
- Stewardship: We strive to be good stewards of our resources and time to create a positive impact to those we serve.
Services
Treatment plans are individualized to ensure residents receive the most appropriate services. The Interdisciplinary Treatment Team reviews progress with the resident and their family/guardian monthly, and modifies the treatment plan as needed. Residents participate in 480 minutes of therapy services per week.
| Services | Description |
|---|---|
| Psychiatric Services & Medication Management | Weekly or more as needed |
| Individual Therapy | Individual therapy sessions include, but are not limited to, the following treatment modalities:
|
| Family Therapy | Family therapy occurs minimally two times per month, unless otherwise indicated. |
| School | On-site academic setting |
| Group Therapies |
|
| Structured Milieu | The milieu setting is co-ed and supports a healthy and positive peer culture. The daily structure supports youth with opportunities to practice skills and effective communication aimed to assist with achieving the youth’s individual treatment and personal goals. |
Admission Information
Eligibility
Admission is appropriate for individuals ages 13 to 17 who:
- Have psychiatric diagnoses linked to problematic behavior that requires out of home placement
- Have a history of trauma, aggressive, and/or self-injurious behavior
- Have failed less restrictive forms of treatment or are currently placed in a secure residential setting (i.e., psychiatric hospital or detention) with no expectation of improvement in the current setting
- Have a Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) of 70 and a Verbal IQ of 75
- Is capable of reasonable communication with peers
- Demonstrates a reasonable expectation of benefiting from the Whitaker PRTF program
- Have access to a community treatment partner (i.e., community-based professional, paraprofessional, or peer who supports individuals managing mental/behavioral health conditions and their family)
The following diagnoses exclude individuals from admission as they exceed the capabilities of Whitaker PRTF to safely manage.
- Problematic Sexual Behavior
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Primary Substance Use Disorder
Referrals
Referrals to Whitaker Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility are made through community providers or Local Management Entities/Managed Care Organizations (LME/MCO). If the patient does not have a community provider, the LME/MCO for their county can assist with scheduling an initial appointment with a provider in their area. Please reference the LME/MCO Directory to find the appropriate LME/MCO.
Providers can download the digital Referral Packet (docx) to complete electronically or the print-friendly Referral Packet (docx) to complete manually.
The referral packet must include the following documentation:
- Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (CCA) and CCA Addendum when applicable
- School Records (Transcript/IEP/504 Plan)
- Psychological Evaluation including IQ scores if applicable
Completed referrals can be emailed to Whitaker.Admissions@dhhs.nc.gov or faxed to 919-575-7489.
Cost & Financial Arrangements
Private health insurance or Medicaid coverage can be applied. Ability to pay does not contribute to admission decisions. Financial details are addressed during the admission process.
Visitation
All visits must be scheduled in advance and guests are required to check-in with Whitaker staff upon arrival. Contact Whitaker PRTF at 919-575-7927 to arrange your visit.
Human Rights Committee
The Human Rights Committee (HRC) provides additional safeguards for protecting the human, civil, legal and treatment rights of residents and is composed of five members knowledgeable about mental health and nursing care issues; none of whom are currently employed by the Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities. Committee members are appointed by the Secretary of the NC Department of Health and Human Services. The HRC meeting schedule is below.
If interested in becoming a member of the HRC, please contact the Advocacy Department for more information.
Phone: 919-575-7927
| Meeting Method | Date/Time | To Join the Meeting |
|---|---|---|
| In-Person | 12 p.m. on the 4th Thursday in January, March, May, July, and September 12 p.m. on the 3rd Thursday in November | Check in at the Main Entrance |
Employment Opportunities
Interested in a career with Whitaker Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility? View our current employment opportunities.
Contact
Whitaker Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility
1003 12th Street
Butner, N.C. 27509
Directions to Whitaker PRTF
Phone: 919-575-7927
Cynthia Woodard, Facility Director
Adeline Williams, Admissions Coordinator
Phone: 919-575-7927
Email: Whitaker.Admissions@dhhs.nc.gov
Consumer Advocate (for all concerns and grievances)
Phone: 919-575-7800
Forms & Documents
DMA Certification of Need for Medicaid Inpatient Psychiatric Services
Whitaker PRTF Notice of Privacy Practices
Whitaker PRTF Notice of Privacy Practices Acknowledgement Form