It might not be very easy to choose from some therapeutic boarding schools or residential treatment centers for youth, especially when you look at all the options that you have. Before choosing an ideal facility, you have to research properly. Don’t just go for the closest or the one that you consider the most affordable. Remember that these centers are not the same. You should, therefore, come up with a few factors to consider when looking for the best treatment center for your loved one.
Like most parents whose teenage kids might be troubled for one reason or the other, your primary concern would be finding a treatment center that would suit their needs. There are some important questions that you need to address before you narrow down on the ideal treatment center. You also have to have an open and candid discussion with the administration counselor before you decide whether the facility is the right one or not. Remember that this is not just about the patient, but it concerns the whole family.
- Location
Location matters a lot when it comes to choosing the best residential treatment center. The reason for this is because different states have different legislation that governs the way these institutions are operated. Some might be lenient, while others might be very strict. Given that these facilities might have different reputations in each state, it would be good to choose one that’s in a state where the chances of meeting and surpassing the legal requirements are higher.
- Cost
Whichever facility you choose, the fact remains that these institutions are never cheap. In fact, for most parents, the cost of admission and keeping your child in the facility is usually of major concern. Depending on the scholarships, grants, and financial aid packages that you have access to, the cost of tuition might also vary from one institution to the other. The idea is to find a school that’s within your budget and can also help you find reasonable financial aid packages. In case you cannot afford the treatment center that you want, you can simply look for another that falls within your budget range. Perhaps the best thing about this is that there’s a wide range of such facilities all over the country from where you can make a choice.
- Staff Members
There are different people who are employed in these facilities, from nurses to doctors, therapists, and custodians. You should make sure that these people have the right qualifications, licenses, and academic degrees. This is particularly important for doctors and counselors who will be interacting with your teen every single day. You can also ask the treatment center about the process of hiring their staff. What procedures do they follow before they hire someone? Do they conduct background checks?
- Interaction with Other Parents
One of the best ways of finding out more about the facility would be to talk to some of the parents who have had their children enrolled in the facility. A reputable facility would have lots of reviews from parents whose children left better than they came in. By talking to other parents, you have a better chance at learning more about the facility from the eyes of people who have interacted with it longer than you have.
When meeting the parents, ask them anything that might concern you. Find out about some of the social activities that the institution offers to the children, and more importantly, how the facility handles emergencies if there has ever been such a case.
You would also want to know about some of their best experiences or least favorite occurrences about the facility, and how they would rate the facility and the treatment services that their kids receive from there. This is useful information that you would only be able to find from parents who have had first-hand experience with the facility.
It doesn’t matter what your child is suffering from, you can rest assured that there’s always a treatment center somewhere that can take care of them and make sure that they will feel and be better when they leave. From depression to anxiety, substance abuse, etc., there’s always a facility that can help, and within your budget.
Why Choose a Residential Treatment Center?
One thing that parents are certain of is that teenagers will at some point find themselves in some kind of trouble. Bad behavior is pretty much a phase they live through. Teenage years can be very challenging, from dealing with the normal pressures of life to handling rushing hormones, anxiety and confusion about their futures, peer pressure, etc. All these come together to make life relatively challenging for most teenagers.
As the trouble persists, these issues eventually become more challenging for the teenagers and the people around them. Dealing with behavioral concerns like these might be difficult, and as the issues persist, your child will be at a greater risk of danger. It becomes challenging for the parent to deal with such issues, and at some point, you can feel like you have tried all you possibly can and made no progress whatsoever. This is the point at which you need to consider extensive therapy for your child.
A residential treatment center is a program that’s specifically designed to provide 24/7 attention to your teen, help them and create a conducive and safe environment for them. Whatever mental concerns your child might be struggling with, they can get help from a residential treatment center. Some of the possible reasons why you might need to consider admission into these facilities include attachment disorders, truancy, criminal behavior, substance abuse, impulse control challenges, anger, aggression, mental disorder, personality disorder, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, etc.
Residential Treatment Programs Statistics
Inpatient treatment programs have been very effective for people of different ages for a very long time. According to recent studies in the effectiveness of these programs, there are short and long-term benefits which can help the patient rejoin the society as a better person than they were when they were first admitted.
One of these studies attempted to identify the effectiveness of this form of intervention for teenagers. By the end of the study, the researchers had determined that both the parents and the teenagers reported improved behavior, and the teenagers were more positive about their outlook on life. Therefore, psychotherapy in a residential setting can help patients who are struggling with different behavioral concerns.
Another study was conducted to identify the correlation between the duration of treatment in a residential setting and the possibility of successful recovery for patients who struggle with substance abuse. Even though this study was conducted against the backdrop of a variety of age groups, the focus was primarily on teenagers. The study revealed that most of the best programs run for up to a year, and some patients have even reported effective results in less than three months.
Residential Treatment Centers Benefits for Troubled Teens
There are several benefits that a troubled teenager stands to gain from a residential treatment center that they probably wouldn’t find anywhere else. Among other things, they find intensive therapy, socialization, academic tutors, and a routine, all bundled in one package. The institutions are run by trained experts who bring combined decades of experience in dealing with troubled teenagers with different struggles. From administrators, activity coordinators, medical personnel, psychologists, tutors and so forth, there are a lot of experts in these facilities who work round the clock to make sure the teenagers get the help they need.
In a good treatment center, your child has the benefit of interacting with teachers who will ensure your teen gets back on track with school activities, and even exceed set expectations. The coordinators are there to encourage the teenagers to pick up new hobbies that can be useful for them to deal with stress and emotional turmoil. The role of counselors is to help the child understand what makes them behave as they do and provide them with the necessary tools to move on with their lives.
More importantly, however, is security. These facilities employ some of the best security services to make sure that at all times, you are aware of the whereabouts of your child. The staff is properly trained and capable of handling anything that might be thrown at them. This also goes a long way in alleviating the sense of anxiety that your child might feel when they are at home.
The Transition from the Treatment Center to the House
Getting back to normal life from the treatment center is not always an easy process, not just for the patient but for everyone else in their environment. As a parent, you will struggle with the uncertainty that follows. You might deal with a lot, from fear, sadness to guilt. As the days go by and your teen gets closer to coming back home to you, it’s understandable that you might go through the same emotional turmoil again. You will be full of anticipation, relief, excitement, hope, pride, and many other emotions.
It’s normal to experience these feelings, but it’s equally important that you know how to manage them well. Things might also not be as easy as they sound, so there’s still a lot of work to be done.
As a family, you had made a huge step when you decided to admit your child into a residential treatment facility. This is not one of the easiest things to do, and for that, you should commend yourselves. The thrill of their imminent return is expected.
Successfully completing a treatment program is also not easy. Therefore, you need to take things one day at a time. Other than the happy and positive feelings, there’s also the risk of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear, given that you will be trying to make sure the environment at home is conducive for your child and to make sure that they don’t relapse.
These reactions are natural and shouldn’t worry you too much. The fear of the unknown is obvious. When your child was at the treatment center, you probably knew where they were and what they were up to each day. They are now coming back home, and a lot of work is back in your corner. This can be challenging, and most parents actually need help learning how to deal with this situation.
Remember that readmission into the society is sometimes very difficult. Everyone who’s involved in the teenager’s life needs to learn how to handle this properly, so the child doesn’t feel out of place and ends up struggling to cope with life after the treatment center. As you proceed with this phase of recovery, it’s important to understand that things might not happen as fast as you want them to, so you have to be patient.
The Aftercare Plan
This new step in your lives is a very delicate situation. Recovery truly begins at the end of the treatment process. This is also a big test, given that your child has to learn how to use the knowledge and skills that they have learned to get back into society and become an active member of it. Of course, as a parent, you will still have to worry about things like unsupervised down-time, peer pressure and the ever-looming risk of relapse. With proper management, however, you can handle this just fine.
The anxiety you are feeling is understandable, especially when you consider the high rate of relapse for substance abuse and alcohol use. About 85% of patients relapse after they are done with treatment while 60% relapse within the first month. 81% of patients no longer attend their AA meetings a month after they check out of the residential treatment centers, and close to 90% don’t attend the meetings after three months.
While these statistics do paint a dark picture, you shouldn’t freak out or give up altogether. There are two reasons for this. First, those who relapse very early after treatment usually lack a good aftercare plan, or if they have one, they don’t follow it. Second, never make the mistake of concluding that relapse is a failure.
What Next?
Well, let's begin by highlighting the point we mentioned above. Relapse is not a failure. The path to complete recovery is never an easy one. What you need to do is follow the aftercare plan to the latter. It might not be easy, but you can do it.
Ensure your teen consumes healthy food, sleeps well and gets regular exercise. You should also try to make sure that they attend their meetings and keep their appointments with their therapist. There will be bumps along the way, setbacks are normal, so prepare yourself. The only thing you should not do is give up altogether.
In the event of a relapse, simply take a step back and look at what caused the relapse, address it, make adjustments where possible, and get back on the plan. Remember that recovery, for most people, is a process that goes on for the rest of their lives.
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