If you have been online searching for wilderness programs or wilderness therapy for your troubled teen, you have quickly realized the costs are staggering. They can now start at $600 to $800 daily and that doesn’t include your transportation or your equipment. Why exactly are wilderness programs for troubled teens expensive?

One wilderness program, that has had two teen deaths, explains the costs on their site:

The cost of wilderness therapy programs can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the length of the program, the location, and the type of services provided. Typically, the enrollment fee covers food, lodging, transportation, and equipment.

This program charged around $715 per day. The majority of wilderness programs are populated by referrals (families) from Educational Consultants that are members of the IECA and NATSAP. Parents hire these professionals since they are unaware of what direction to take when dealing with their troubled teenager.

Overall the cost of therapeutic boarding schools and residential treatment can be an expensive journey, adding the additional cost of wilderness can be more than most can afford and very rarely (if ever) covered by insurance.

Parents will use their 401K, IRA’s, college funds, borrow money from relatives, take out educational loans or even borrow against their home if they are able — to find ways to finance mental health help for their teenager.

It’s imperative you make educated decisions before spending your money.

Most parents are unaware of the fact that these short-term programs will likely yield short-term results and in the majority of these cases, their teen will be referred to a long-term therapeutic boarding school (TBS) in order to achieve long-lasting behavioral changes. That means — new start-up fees, transportation (again), and the most troubling concern; your teen becoming deflated thinking they were going home only to discover now they have to all start over again in a new program.

Some (if not most) IECA Educational Consultants will tell you that your teen needs to be broken down first and wilderness can do that.

In reality, any quality RTC/TBS is designed to help with these types of teens. Some of these RTC’s and TBS programs actually have the first 21-30 days that are like a wilderness however your teen is working with the same team of counselors they will be working with for the next 6-9-12 months.

Another words – it’s one program without changing staff or campuses, and you won’t be paying second fees.

Understanding the Myths of Teen Wilderness Programs

Myth: Many parents are led to believe that the majority of quality residential programs won’t accept a teen that hasn’t completed a wilderness program. That simply is not true. 

Myth: Any teen that is using drugs needs to do a wilderness first. This is absolutely not true.

Myth: All teens do wilderness first, if not they won’t succeed. My educational consultant said so. Again, absolutely not true.

Realizing the Facts of Wilderness Therapy

Fact: Wilderness programs are not necessary to enter a many quality therapeutic boarding schools and residential treatment centers.

Fact: Wilderness programs are an expensive band-aid. They will cost a family from $500-800 per day and the duration is about 4-9 weeks. The fact is — long lasting behavioral changes can’t take place in short-term programs. This is why the majority of students that attend wilderness programs transition on to a residential boarding school.

Consider this, it didn’t take 4-9 weeks to get to where you are today, it’s certainly not going to take 4-9 weeks to reverse that behavior – and have it stick!

In interviewing parents, since 2001, that have used wilderness programs – the feedback has been consistent. Although many students have good experiences – it was never enough to change behavior. If they had it to do over – they would opt-out and go straight to residential therapy.

Fact: Teens need consistency. Program hopping is not beneficial to anyone (except the programs that are being paid – and the professional you are paying). Finding the one residential setting that can offer your teen long-lasting changes is likely best for the entire family. In many cases, they also have parenting workshops that bring the entire family back-together.

Be an educated parent, you will make wiser and better financial decisions for your family and teenager.

Also read:

5 Tips to Searching Online for Teen Help

The Success Rates of Teen Help Programs

5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens

The post Why the High Cost of Wilderness Programs for Teens? first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Wilderness therapy is an experiential form of therapy that combines outdoor experiences and therapy sessions. If you hired an educational consultant that you paid thousands of dollars for, they likely referred you to a wilderness program for your troubled teenager.

Although the wilderness therapy industry (OBH – Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare) has tried for several decades to fill research gaps to bolster its case of effectiveness and reduce the need for legislative intervention, science still does not support wilderness therapy.

Therapeutic wilderness programs have no outcome data to support the effectiveness of these programs, and particularly the long-term effects of these interventions.

Is your teenager:

-Defiant, disrespectful, rude?
-Vaping, doing drugs, drinking?
-Addicted to their smartphone, video-gaming?
-Refusing to go to school, skipping classes?
-Smart, but failing in school?
–Withdrawing from favorite interests?
-Struggling with depression or anxiety?

If you’re experiencing a few of these teen behavior issues, know you’re not alone. 

In 2019 OBH did it’s own research to say that wilderness therapy was effective and less expensive than traditional treatment such as short-term hospital stay or out-patient services. Although in this research the results claim it to be effective — it doesn’t mean it’s the solution, and as the research revealed, the average cost of the wilderness treatment is $27,426 (which is likely higher now) — not including the cost of equipment. Interestingly this study was partially funded by National Association for Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP), which collects fees for membership from wilderness programs, as well as other teen help schools that want their logo on their websites and also partially funded by Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council (OBHC).

Another words, short-term program, short-term results. Many parents struggle with financing a residential treatment program without the added expense of the approximate $30K-$50K wilderness program, which many will label as the band-aid. The other factor here is many have already done the hospital stay or out-patient route, in many cases their insurance will cover these types of placements. Health insurance, rarely – if ever, covers wilderness therapy.

What is true with both the traditional treatment of either out-patient or short-term hospital stay and/or if you decided to go the wilderness route — if you have been struggling with your teen for over a year, it’s unlikely these 30-90 day programs will create long lasting behavioral changes.

This is not to say there are many quality wilderness therapy programs in our country. Our organization is about educating parents. Since 2001 we’ve been sharing feedback with families about therapeutic boarding schools and resources for struggling teens across the country. Talking to mothers and fathers that have used wilderness therapy – some that were extremely disappointed and some that had a great experience, however were unaware they had to take another step for success. 

As we explain to parents, it likely didn’t take 4-9 weeks to get to where you are today with your teen’s behavior, it certainly won’t take this amount of time to turn it around.

Quality residential therapy programs (RTC/TBS) are trained to accept teens that are extremely defiant, addicted to their screens, smoking pot or other substances and behavioral issues. There are definitely some situations where wilderness therapy might be a viable option, however typically an RTC will recommend one if they believe your teen is not able to settle into their surroundings.

Wilderness Therapy for the Summer

Are you considering a summer boost for your teen? Wilderness therapy might be right for your teen. If you haven’t had long-term problems with your child, (and have the finances), an outdoor experience could be a way to help your teen gain self-confidence, motivation and time away from their screens. Outward Bound Intercept is a great cost-effective alternative for families — the only difference is kids need to be willing to attend. Whereas in most wilderness programs for troubled teens, they can be professionally transported.

Read: Success Rates for Therapeutic Boarding Schools.

Read: 5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.

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Learn more about the myths and facts of wilderness therapy. Contact us for a free consultation if you are considering wilderness or any type of residential treatment. For over two decades we’ve been educating parents on quality and safe teen help resources.

The post What Is Wilderness Therapy? first appeared on Help Your Teens.