Over the past few decades, troubled teen facilities have gotten a bad reputation. There are debates about whether they’re effective and whether they’re safe. There are a lot of different youth facilities out there. When considering a residential treatment center for your teen, choosing a facility that’s a good fit for your family is crucial.
There are several specific aspects to a treatment facility that determine its effectiveness. Most importantly, the policies and procedures at the facility should be designed with the kids’ best interests in mind. When a residential treatment center has a child-centered approach, they are more likely to have quality staff who are trained to do their jobs well.
What is a teen residential treatment center?
Teen residential treatment centers provide in-patient treatment for troubled teens. Most students who live at an in-patient facility are struggling with mental health problems beyond what can be treated at home. Parental and family involvement are still vital components of the program, but the students receive holistic treatment throughout their stay at the facility.
The overall goal for quality teen treatment facilities is student wellness. Teens enter the program with a range of problems. From substance abuse and anger management issues to depression and anxiety, teen treatment centers are there to help. Teenage mental health is of the utmost importance, and good residential treatment centers focus on improving their students’ overall wellbeing.
How do troubled teen facilities help their students?
Residential treatment centers help teens in several ways. Most facilities for troubled teens utilize a variety of therapeutic practices, including:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
- Life skills training
- Extracurricular activities
- Scholastic classes
Students work with trained therapists to create personalized treatment plans to address their issues. They work with their therapists one-on-one, in a group setting, and with their families. Since students will be returning home to their families at the end of the program, family involvement must be included in the students’ treatment plan. Residential treatment centers help teens, and their families develop new strategies that can work back home.
While in the program, students still attend classes to complete their regular schoolwork. For some students, this just helps them keep up, so they don’t fall behind while receiving the treatment they need. For others, it gives them a chance to make up for missed classwork and recoup from failing grades in their traditional schools.
Skill-building to help teens
Quality teen residential treatment centers will also include life skills training and various extracurricular activities. Many treatment centers and boot camps fail their teens by teaching them only to follow directions. Those students learn to do what authority tells them to do, but they don’t understand how to find solutions independently.
Teenagers need to have new skills to avoid old, troublesome patterns and work towards their real goals. Teens who struggle with mental health problems need to learn how to acknowledge the root of their pain and address hazardous situations when they arise. No matter the teen’s issues, they will come back up when the teen returns home.
Finding a quality teen treatment facility
When you start shopping around for a residential treatment center for your teenager, there are several questions you should ask.
– What qualifications do the staff at this facility hold?
– What styles of therapy will my teen receive?
– How often will I be able to see and communicate with my teen?
– What is the day-to-day routine like?
– What sort of extracurricular activities are offered at this facility?
– How does your staff address defiance or negative behavior?
Don’t settle on the first treatment center you see. You might return to that one, but check out a few more before deciding on the right one. Make sure you find a place to address your son’s issues while providing a new direction for him.
For more information about the practices and standards at Sundance Canyon Academy, call us at 866-225-3708.
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