Upstate New York teenager remains in emergency departments without a suitable home
A 17-year-old in upstate New York has been living in hospital emergency departments since August, after being discharged from inpatient care without a suitable place to go. Her caregiver barred her from returning home under a stay-away order, and her lawyer says the case highlights the difficulty of protecting the person named as a victim while also securing support for the teenager.
The teenager has moved through four homes and four facilities in Jefferson County and does not qualify for further voluntary or involuntary inpatient treatment. Her lawyer says she is not receiving one-to-one mental health care while waiting in an emergency department and has asked a court to declare her legally destitute, which could place her in the county Department of Social Services’ custody. State figures cited in the article say 52 children faced delayed hospital discharge over three months in 2025, resulting in 5,100 days of inpatient stays.
- A 17-year-old has been staying in hospitals since August.
- Her lawyer is seeking legal status that could secure county support.
- New York recorded 52 delayed discharges over three months in 2025.
New here? Start with this
In New York, hospitals may discharge a young person once they no longer meet the criteria for inpatient treatment, even if finding a safe place to live remains difficult. For children who cannot return to a caregiver’s home, local social services may need to help arrange care and accommodation.
A stay-away order can prevent someone from returning to a home where another person is being protected. This can leave officials balancing that person’s safety with the young person’s need for housing and support.
When no suitable placement is available, a child may remain in hospital while agencies and the courts consider what should happen next. Delayed discharges can also take up hospital beds, and state figures cited in the report show the problem has affected other children.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “New York child is living in hospitals because there is nowhere else for her to go”.