Refer a Client

camber admissions and referrals


At Camber Children’s Mental Health, we make meaningful connections to help every child live a balanced, healthy and resilient life. Our inpatient hospitals and residential treatment facilities are open 24/7 and always staffed with experts who provide compassionate, trauma-informed treatment for youth ages 6 to 18.

camber children's mental healthThrough our regional network of treatment locations, we help children and teens who are struggling with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, the impacts of trauma, and many other mental health conditions. If you are working with or supporting a child or teen who needs our help, we welcome your referral.

To make a referral, complete the online form below or contact our Admissions team directly at (913) 890-7468 or admissions@cambermh.org. We also encourage you to visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.

Refer a Patient Online

Please Note: If a child in your care is experiencing a mental health emergency that requires immediate attention, go to your local emergency department or community mental health center right away, or call 911. You can also call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

If you are a parent/guardian, please visit our Parents and Guardians page for more information.

Our Commitment to You

camber admissions and referralsCamber is the region’s premier source and leading provider of children’s mental healthcare, and for 30 years we have been proud pioneers of innovative care models for lifesaving intervention. Our network of nonprofit hospitals and residential treatment centers located in Kansas City, Wichita, and Hays accepts admissions 24/7 to ensure these critical services are available and easily accessible when families need them.

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Commonly Asked Questions

Camber provides two types of mental health treatment: inpatient hospitalization and residential treatment. Both programs serve youth ages 6 to 18 who need intensive mental health services. More information about the disorders and conditions we most commonly treat is available here.

Inpatient hospitalization serves youth who are actively experiencing a mental health emergency. For example, they have a plan to attempt suicide, harm themself or harm others. It is critical that they receive therapeutic services immediately to stabilize the crisis they are experiencing and identify what led to the challenging behaviors or emotions. Our goal is to help each client discharge as soon as safely possible, with an average stay of four to seven days, so they can continue treatment in their community in an outpatient setting.

Residential treatment serves youth who are not actively in a mental health emergency but are experiencing ongoing challenges with their behavioral or mental health. Typically, a child entering residential treatment has engaged in outpatient services in the community but has not experienced improvement. This involves a longer-term stay, averaging 60 to 90 days, and the goal is to teach the client emotion regulation and coping skills and give them opportunities to practice those skills before they discharge and return home.

For inpatient hospitalization – which is for youth in an active emergency – a child’s guardian can call us directly to admit their child, or a referral can be made by a primary physician, community mental health center, school counselor, hospital emergency department, case manager, or another person involved in a child’s wellbeing. Guardian consent is always required for admission.

For residential treatment, admission typically begins with a referral from the child’s insurance company or community mental health center. Often there is a waitlist for residential treatment for children in Kansas and a child is added to the waitlist until a bed becomes available. Guardian consent is always required for admission to a residential treatment center.

Click here for more details about treatment options, or call our Admissions department at (913) 890-7468. Additional information for families and patients is available here.

Our mental health treatment programs for children and teens are available in these locations:

Click here for more location details.

We accept most private insurance plans for Kansas and Missouri, including Medicaid. Our Hays and Kansas City treatment centers also accept Colorado Medicaid. To verify coverage, call the insurance carrier directly. If uninsured or for other questions, contact our Admissions team at (913) 890-7468.

If we have the completed parent/guardian consent paperwork, we can complete the admission process without a parent/guardian present. If a parent/guardian has questions about admitting their child for treatment, please direct them to call our Admissions team at (913) 890-7468.