Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital ranks among the best in the nation for pediatric and adolescent behavioral health care
Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s best hospitals for pediatric and adolescent behavioral health in the 2026-2027 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings.
Golisano Children’s Hospital offers a comprehensive continuum of behavioral health care, including the region’s only integrated eating disorders program, which provides inpatient, partial hospitalization and outpatient services for patients ages 10 to 24. It also provides specialized, multidisciplinary care for children and adolescents with a range of chronic and complex behavioral health conditions, including autism spectrum disorder, eating disorders, ADHD, sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders and psychosis. The hospital is also home to nationally recognized research programs in a range of fields including sleep, autism, adolescent development, the epidemiology of mental health treatment services and ADHD.
“This ranking reflects the dedication of our multidisciplinary team members who provide compassionate, evidence-based care to children, adolescents and families every day,” said Dr. James Waxmonsky, chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. “We are committed to meeting the growing behavioral health needs of young people across central Pennsylvania and beyond.”
Golisano Children’s Hospital is actively expanding access to pediatric and adolescent behavioral health services across the region. A new child and adolescent inpatient mental health unit recently opened at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center, adding 21 specialty behavioral health beds in a modern, therapeutic environment designed to support recovery through increased natural light, enhanced medical services and expanded space for group-based treatment. Penn State Health also recently completed a comprehensive renovation of its child and adolescent partial hospitalization program in downtown Harrisburg, the only program of its kind serving Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties. The renovations enhance the quality of the care environment while expanding the program’s capacity to serve more patients.
For the 2026-2027 rankings, U.S. News, together with RTI International, a North Carolina-based research firm, collected and analyzed data from 114 children’s hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists. Children’s hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, compliance with established best practices, and level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care.
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