The Barry Robinson Center

Surrounding a 20-acre campus on the border of Norfolk and Virginia Beach, adolescents ages 11 to 17 from military-connected families receive residential treatment for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and ADHD. Youth are admitted following a pre-screening process to confirm program fit, live in supervised dorms, and attend an on-site accredited K-12 school during an average 6-month stay, while staff trained in military family dynamics coordinate therapy, school requirements, and discharge planning steps from admission through transition home.

Trauma-Based Treatment and Team Coordination

Care is delivered through individualized plans where residents receive 1-to-1 therapy twice weekly, daily group sessions, and weekly family therapy with active parent participation. Therapists apply trauma-informed cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) within models such as Risking Connection and the Restorative Approach, while psychiatrists meet residents weekly to assess symptoms and adjust medications. Interdisciplinary teams including therapists, teachers, nurses, and residential staff meet weekly, with staffing ratios of approximately 1:3 for direct care and 1:6 for therapists, to review behaviors and coordinate care.

Monitored Daily Flow and Activities

Residents attend classes, participate in group sessions, and complete individual therapy while staff accompany and monitor movement between dorms, school, meals, and activities across campus. Youth take part in equine-assisted sessions, rock wall climbing, scouting, gardening, and team sports such as basketball and volleyball, with staff guiding participation and behavior during each activity. Residents follow structured routines that include scheduled evening calls with approved contacts, overnight checks every 15 minutes, and access to on-site medical care with nearby hospital support when needed.