What is a Teen Residential Treatment Center?

Has your teen’s therapist suggested that a residential treatment center is a good next step for your teen? You may have questions about what a teen residential treatment center is and how it can possibly help your teen through the difficult stage he’s in right now. Learning as much as possible about these types of facilities can help you feel confident about sending your teen to one.

A definition of a teen residential treatment center

Just what is a teen residential treatment center? When it comes to your teen’s health and overall well-being, you will take any path that can help keep him safe and focused on a healthy future. When your teen is in crisis or is out of control, you may feel a bit out of your depths. There may come a point where taking him to a pediatrician or therapist is not going to be enough to help your teen with the struggles that he is faced with.

It’s often at this point that parents start to look into alternative options to help their struggling teens. A residential treatment center can prove to be the right choice for many teens. A residential treatment center is an inpatient program that has been designed to provide focused, intensive support to teens who are struggling with behavioral, emotional, and mental health concerns. These troubled teens are often at risk of getting into further trouble if they continue to stay at home, and they’ve often failed to see positive results from outpatient treatment programs.

When your teen is living in a residential treatment center, he will be supervised and monitored by a team of professionals who have the training and experience to help him through his struggles. Each treatment plan is individualized so that your teen can get the right type of treatment he needs. A one-size solution is rarely effective when it comes to mental wellness.

Other treatments your teen may get could include the following.

•       Psychiatric care, which may or may not include medications. Not every teen responds well to medications, so it’s important that you trust the professionals caring for your teen to make the right decision for him.
•       Thorough evaluations so that each of your teen’s needs can be assessed. This may include educational, behavioral, medical, social, and emotional needs.
•       Individual, group, and family therapy sessions.
•       Support for emotional and behavioral issues using proven methods.

Remember that your teen’s support and programs will be based on his needs. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss his treatment plan when he arrives at the residential treatment center so that you can get answers to your questions.

How can a residential treatment center help your teen?

You may wonder how an inpatient treatment center can help your teen. After all, many of the treatment programs he’ll get in the facility can be done on an outpatient basis. The truth is that while outpatient programs can be very effective for some, your teen may find more benefits from the focused and intensive treatment programs he’ll get in inpatient treatment.

Some of the ways that a teen residential treatment center can help include the following.

•       It’s not always easy or possible for a teen to recover and heal at home and while still going to the same school where he may have experienced problems. A residential treatment center offers him a fresh start in an environment that’s far removed from negative influences and sources of stress.
•       If your teen is self-harming or struggling with other destructive behavior, it may not be possible for him to get the supervision and monitoring he needs while he heals and recovers if he’s at home.
•       In a residential treatment center, your teen can meet and connect with others who have struggled just as much as he has. These opportunities to connect can help him to feel less alone as he struggles to cope and heal.
•       Many residential treatment centers focus on healing the individual as a whole. This means meeting his mental wellness, emotional wellness, and physical needs. Your teen may even enjoy participating in sports and other outdoor activities.
•       Residential treatment centers offer highly structured programs that can handle the needs of troubled teens, and some may even offer opportunities for your teen to keep up with his schoolwork.

Once you come to the conclusion that your teen can benefit from a residential treatment center, it will be important that you take the right steps to find the right program for him.

Is there anything to be concerned about?

It’s understandable to have concerns about sending your teen to a facility that’s potentially out of town or even out of state. This is why it’s so important that you feel comfortable about asking questions about the facilities that you are considering. Not every teen residential treatment center is created the same. 

Some may have excellent ratings but simply don’t offer the right type of programs and services to meet the needs of your teen. If your teen is struggling with drug abuse and addiction, as an example, it’s important that the facility he goes to has experience with treating teens struggling with addiction. The facility should be secure and safe and be able to meet each of the needs of the teen in crisis.

If your teen struggles with unresolved trauma, the facility should be able to handle each of his needs as are related to the trauma. Don’t hesitate to ask your questions, and don’t stop until you get the answers you are looking for.

Not every teen residential treatment center is going to be the right choice for your teen. Some may offer more outdoor programs than your teen needs, or your teen may thrive in these types of programs.

Also, be wary of facilities that do not encourage open communication between teens and parents during their time at the residential treatment center. Your teen should be able to communicate with you when he needs to, as it will help you to both work on and rebuild your relationship with one another. 

Are you looking to learn more about your options for a residential treatment center for your teen? Call HelpYourTeenNow to find out how we can provide you and your family with the guidance and resources that you’re looking for.