One big question parents want to know is, what is the goal of therapeutic boarding schools and why is it any different than getting help at home?

When you place your teenager into a therapeutic boarding school or residential treatment center, these environments provide intense help for students with emotional and behavioral problems. When they are struggling with emotional issues, it also impacts their schooling and especially their grade. Their ability to focus as severly diminished.

In most cases, the family has already exhausted their local resources — their teen has not responded to outpatient treatment, the school setting is not working, a short-term hospital stay was unsuccessful, and it is now time to consider residential treatment.

Do any of these sound familar:

-Is your teen doing drugs? Vaping?
-Are they depressed, withdrawn?
–Addicted to their cell-phone, video gaming?
-Are they self-harming, suicide ideation?
-Smart, but failing in school?
-Skipping classes, school refusal?
-Suspended or facing expulsion?
-Changed friends, negative peer group?
–Loss of interest in activities or hobbies?
-Explosive, destructive? (Especially when you remove their devices)
–Stealing, legal issues?
-Angry, rage, violent?
-Struggling with ADHD, RAD, Bipolar?

If you’re experiencing several of these characteristics and your teen is refusing to get help, it’s likely you’re home has become extremely hostile.

Once you locate a quality residential treatment program, your teenager will temporarily live outside of their home and in a facility (therapeutic boarding school) where they can be supervised and monitored by trained staff.

5 Goals of Therapeutic Boarding Schools for Teens

1. Evaluation.  Your teen (once removed from their home environment and peer influences) will likely have a comprehensive evaluation to assess emotional, behavioral, medical, and social needs, and support these needs accordingly and safely.

2. Treatment plan. Determining the right residential treatment program for your teen includes finding one that can meet his/her individual needs. Residential programs will design an individualized treatment plan that puts into place interventions that help your teen attain their goals.

3. Therapy. When your child was at home, it is likely he/she either refused to attend counseling, maybe manipulated the therapist, or possibly simply didn’t engage with them. While in residential treatment, your child will be attending both individual and group therapy to help them through their healing process.

Now that your teen is in a therapeutic setting, it is more difficult for them to keep up their walls. These therapists are trained to work with youth that are difficult to breakthrough.

4. Family involvement “peacefully”. Well-rounded residential programs encourage and provide opportunities for family therapy and contact through on-site visits, home passes (when the time comes), telephone calls and other modes of communication. Trained staff is always available to help navigate issues of concern for both the parents and when/if the teenager gets upset from meetings or letters.

Most residential treatment programs and therapeutic boarding schools also offer parenting and family workshops. These can be extremely beneficial in making the transition back home.

5. Builds self-worth. Residential treatment programs not only offer clinical teams to help your teen emotionally, most provide additional behavioral therapy through enrichment programs. These are designed to help your teen develop coping skills as well as building self-esteem to make better choices in life.

Examples of enrichment programs that therapeutic boarding schools offer:

–Art Therapy
–Animal Assisted Therapy
–Sports Therapy
–Horticultural (Gardening) Therapy
–Music Therapy

Emotional growth is the primary goal for therapeutic schools; however, they incorporate your teen’s academics to be sure they are kept on track — and in some situations, they will exceed their pace since they are now feeling more confident and focused. It is a win-win in all areas of their life.

Also read:

5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens

 What Is the Success Rate of Therapeutic Boarding Schools?

Where to Send My Troubled Teen

The post How the Goals of Therapeutic Schools Help Your Teen first appeared on Help Your Teens.

A simple online search of “therapeutic boarding schools“ yields over 3 million results! Since 2001 we’ve been helping parents navigate this troubled teen industry and find safe and qualified therapeutic boarding schools for teens struggling with depression, anxiety, self-harm, cell-phone addiction, suicide ideation and more. We are now facing a mental health crisis with adolescents — this is beyond typical teenage behavior.

Choosing the best therapeutic boarding school for your teenager shouldn’t not be based on location, it should be in accordance to your child’s emotional needs and what the school offers.

Most parents search for therapeutic boarding schools close to home, without realizing that it may not be the best fit for their teen’s needs — if especially if their child is a flight risk, it causing them to constantly be tempted to elope from the program rather than focus on recovery and healing.

Where are the best therapeutic boarding schools for my teenager?

We have educated parents since 2001 about using the A.C.E. factor to determine the best therapeutic boarding school for their child. This is not about location, as it is about what is going to be most beneficial for their emotional and academic needs.

A.  Accredited academics.  Whatever school/program you are interviewing, be sure they are accredited academically. Many of these teens entering these programs are typically very smart students yet underachieving in school. It’s important they continue their education. Although we share with parents that their emotional growth is priority in these schools, academics is still important. You can ask to see a copy of their accreditation.

C. Credentialed clinical team.  Teenage mental health is a priority. Placing a distressed young teenager into a therapeutic boarding school is hard for the entire family, although therapy typically didn’t work at home, when placed into a new environment, removed from the stressors and triggers of home (as well as peer influences and devices) — the student is able to focus on themselves through both individual and group therapy. Check the credentials of the clinical team, this is also imperative if you are using your insurance. If they are not credentialed, insurance likely won’t cover it.

E. Enrichment programs. These programs are so important to help troubled teens. Enrichment programs are designed to stimulate your child in a positive direction, build self-worth to make better choices and develop coping skills. All of these extra behavior therapy programs can help teens that struggle with anger, rage, depression, anxiety and stress.

Examples of enrichment programs:

–Art Therapy
–Animal Assisted Therapy
–Sports Therapy
–Horticultural (Gardening) Therapy
–Music Therapy

Finally, when you did your online search you may have stumbled on sites and reviews that gave you pause. You thought you found a program — until you read some troubling reviews or fearmongering websites about the troubled teen industry. Take a moment to learn how to analyze the troubled teen industry negative reviews. 

There are safe therapeutic boarding schools to help your troubled teen. Don’t allow a few bad apples to prevent your teen from getting the help they need.

Also read:

How to Interview Schools and Programs

How to Interview Parent References

What Happens When Your Teen Graduates a Therapeutic Program

The post Where Are the Best Therapeutic Boarding Schools? first appeared on Help Your Teens.

One big question we always are asked: “How do you decide if we need a therapeutic boarding school or a residential treatment center?“

1. What is the difference between a therapeutic boarding school (TBS) and residential treatment center (RTC) and what does my teen need?

The short answer is it depends on the state and how the state licenses residential programming.  There is no national standard and each of our fifty states have the responsibility to set their own licensure requirements for private-pay residential programming; many states divide up the enforcement between numerous governmental departments and some states do not even regulate private-pay residential care.

The scope and specifics of state regulations vary greatly, and some states do not require independent licensure at all.  Therefore, parents must do their diligence when researching residential placement – knowing that the program does have state licensing is important.

What these programs all have in common is that they are all addressing physical, emotional, behavioral, familial, social, and intellectual/academic development; it is how that is addressed which differentiates between the TBS or RTC.

RTC’s typically have more clinical care than a TBS, however we have also seen emotional growth programs that have a strong clinical foundation. We suggest you interview the program/school that you believe best fits your teen’s emotional needs, which includes their enrichment therapies such as animal, art, music therapy and more. It is important to find a setting that will stimulate your child in a positive direction.

More Tips to Untangle the Troubled Teen Industry Terminology

2. “My teen needs a Military school to teach them a lesson!” WRONG.

Military schools are a privilege and honor to attend, they are not for defiant, drug-using, depressed, or other behavioral issues students.

They do not provide mental health services – and if your teen is using drugs, drinking, or vaping now – by attending an open campus, it is likely s/he will consider the use again.

However, this time when he is caught (typically three strike you are out) and the parents will forfeit their tuition. This is the same for any of the behavioral issues they are asked to leave or expelled for – you will be risking your tuition as well as setting your child up for failure.

3. “My teen needs a wilderness program to appreciate what they have at home.” WRONG.

Wilderness programs are short-term programs will typically short-term results. It usually did not take 4-6 weeks to get to where you are right now, it will not take 4-6 (or 9 for that matter) to turn it around or have long-lasting behavioral results. Parents are usually guided (or misguided) into wilderness therapy by educational consultants that understand these programs come with step two.

Step two is moving on to a therapeutic boarding school (which you could have started with). We educate parents to find step one initially so your teen has consistency without program hopping. This not only helps your teenager from bouncing to therapists, staff, and environments – it can be most cost effective to the family.

Since 2001 we have consistently heard many misconceptions about wilderness programs – and parents need to separate fact from the myths.

Myths and Facts of Wilderness Therapy:

Myth: Many parents are led to believe that most quality residential programs will not accept a teen that has not completed a wilderness program. That simply is not true. 

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

Myth: All teens do wilderness first, if not they will not succeed. Again, not true.

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

Fact: Wilderness programs are an expensive band-aid. They will cost a family from $450-800+ per day and the duration is about 4-9 weeks. The fact is — long lasting behavioral changes cannot take place in short-term programs. Therefore, most students that attend wilderness programs transition on to a residential boarding school.

There is likely a need for wilderness therapy for some students, but to state that all teens need wilderness prior to treatment or will not be successful without it — is simply untrue.

You will stumble on programs that will tell you they won’t accept a student unless they have attended a wilderness program first — in our opinion, it likely not the program for you. Most therapeutic boarding schools or residential treatment facilities (schools for troubled teens) are trained to care for behavioral issues — it is likely they are either a transitional program or part of a bigger concern in this industry — politics (number 5).

Some programs use wilderness as a last resort, if after 90 days in a therapeutic boarding school your teen is not settling down or has become extremely defiant and aggressive – they may then refer you to this type of program. It does not need to be your first step.

4. What is CARF and JCAHO accreditations? Are they necessary in choosing residential treatment?

CARF is Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities is an organization that oversees programs for behavioral health. If a program/school is CARF accredited, in some cases you may have a more insurance coverage. CARF accreditation can be considered a quality standard of care.

JCAHO is The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations which is the seal of approval for hospitals, and some residential treatment centers have acquired this accreditation. JCAHO is a higher level of care, although many residential treatment centers are not JCAHO accredited, they will adhere by their standards. Being JCAHO accredited will help your insurance coverage.

More and more therapeutic programs are becoming CARF accredited not only to provide more safety and oversight for their staff and students, but to offer more reimbursement for insurance claims.

JCAHO is typically found in higher level of care facilities, although some residential treatment centers have that extra level of accreditation.

Both these accreditations are important; however, they are not necessary. For years residential treatment has been operating without them and have been successful. These are voluntary accreditations.

5. What is NATSAP and IECA seals of approval that are some programs sites? 

NATSAP is the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. This is a self-made organization that was reprimanded in a congressional hearing in 2007 for their lack of oversight of their members. Participating programs and schools pay a fee to be members to have their seal of approval on their sites.

More concerning is some parents are under the illusion that unless a program is NATSAP approved, it is not a quality program. That is simply not true. Not all schools and programs feel the need to be a member of this club, nor do they have to. Unlike CARF or JCAHO, it (NATSAP) does not offer much in benefits.

IECA are the Independent Educational Consultants of America, and their members are known as Educational Consultants that pay the fees to belong to this self-made organization. Like with NATSAP, they have their own circle of schools and programs they support and unlikely to consider those that do not want to participate (pay) to belong to private clubs.

There are many excellent schools and programs in our country today that have been around for decades that have never been involved in private organizations (clubs) and have succeeded on their reputation. It is important for parents not to be dissuaded by the politics of the troubled teen industry.

Also read:

Success in Therapeutic Boarding Schools

Finding Safe Therapeutic Schools

Goals of Therapeutic Boarding Schools

The post How To Decide What Type of Therapeutic School Our Teen Needs first appeared on Help Your Teens.

It is completely normal for parents to be apprehensive about their teen coming home, however this journey has involved the entire family. During this time there has been trial runs with home visits, family therapy, a transitional home plan that has been prepared and discussed many times for everyone to fully understand. Another words, you are not alone in this process.

5 Core Components to Home Aftercare Treatment Plan

Keep in mind, this experience from the very start has had peaks and valleys, and it is likely aftercare will have some bumps too. Most schools for troubled teens equip you with an aftercare transitional plan as well as follow-up care. You will have the tools to handle these rocky spots and come out stronger.

1. Family engagement. It is imperative that family involvement does not stop because the program ended. Set-up a routine to regularly check-in with each other, such as breakfast, dinner or driving your teen to school or their activities. Stay interested and involved in their daily lives and especially their digital ones. Remember, short chats can build strong relationships.

2. Therapeutic support. Before your teen leaves treatment, have a therapeutic support plan in place that is part of coming home. This can include a therapist, school counselor and if your child requires ongoing medication, possibly a psychiatrist. The first appointments should be arranged for when they get home. You may also want to consider a mentor or teen coach.

3. Back to school. Another particularly important part of the transitional plan is to determine your teen’s educational path. Will they go back to their same school or switch schools (if so, have you enrolled him/her already) or have you signed them up for virtual schooling? (Do not panic, these are all issues that are thoroughly discussed in your transitional home plan with the program therapist and educational staff that know your child’s needs) prior leaving the therapeutic boarding school.

4. Consistent structure. Helping your teen maintain a balanced and consistent daily schedule with their daily life — such as school and their activities is imperative. This includes sleep patterns, recreational hobbies (sports, dance, etc.), exercise, limited screen-time, jobs, social life, and other areas in life, will lead them to a healthier lifestyle at home.

5. Relapse plan. No one is perfect, there will be bumps, but the positive side is the likely will not be as bad as it was before. Your teen has learned coping skills, it is likely they will be angrier at themselves for slipping up. Be prepared by having your boundaries and consequences outlined in your home plan. If drugs or alcohol were involved prior your teen’s treatment, create a plan to avoid the people, places and moods that accompany the substance use. 

Bonus tip: Most of these teens entered treatment with the love of their cellphone or video gaming. During the transitional plan, it is time to create your screen time agreement for the entire family.

This time from start to finish has affected the entire family, it can be hard, frustrating and there will be ups and downs, however it is an opportunity to reset some things that weren’t working in your family life — and start the road to healing to a healthy family. 

Also read:

5 Benefits to Therapeutic Boarding Schools

Success in Therapeutic Boarding Schools

Treatment for Teen Behavioral Issues

The post How to Handle Home Life After Therapeutic School first appeared on Help Your Teens.

The founder of P.U.R.E., Sue Scheff, was a major factor in the closure of these horrific programs by taking them to trial in 2004 and exposing their neglect and abuse to children, as well as fraud and deceit to the parents. She was the first one to bring this giant corporation to a jury trial and WIN.

Fortunately for parents today, we have learned so much since the closure of the WWASP (World Wide Association of Specialty Programs) which the Academy of Ivy Ridge was affiliated with. Ivy Ridge was one of nearly 22 programs that WWASP ran that not only enticed (conned) parents with their slick marketing and sales people, they also ran outrageous cult-like seminars that were designed to keep parents busy while “the program” was destroying their child emotionally — and possibly physically. The constant mantra was “trust the program.”

These programs were shut down or closed between 2000-2010, which is over two decades ago for some of them.

Teenage Mental Health

Over half of adolescents today struggle with mental health concerns — the rate of teenage depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide ideation is soaring, with many experts pointing to social media and technology addiction as part of the cause.

It is now a different world from when two decades ago, in 2009-2010 social media began taking off for young people and no one knew the ramifications it would have on their emotional lives.

The teenage mental health crisis is real and parents are at their wit’s end searching for help for their child that has become out-of-control or possibly isolated to their bedroom. Some have stopped going to school, smart – but now failing academically, glued to their screens, have zero social skills, the level of defiance is beyond typical teen behavior — as well as the rate of entitlement and lack of respect for authority.

Like it was 20 years ago, there is not a parent out there that wants to send a child to a therapeutic boarding school, however when you have exhausted all your local resources and your teen is spiraling into a very dark place, as a responsible parent — it’s time to search for help.

Qualified Therapeutic Boarding Schools

The troubled teen industry is a big business, no one will argue that. This is why parents need to be educated in teen help terminology. An online search for therapeutic boarding schools yields nearly 5 million results! A quick online search for schools for troubled teens and it’s well over 14 million choices!

There will always be bad apples in every industry, but when searching for a qualified therapeutic boarding school or residential treatment center for your troubled teen, it must be done carefully and cautiously.

Do your due diligence and homework, researching, staying clear of these slick marketing arms, fancy websites and sales people (placement specialists) that tell you everything you want to hear, yet not what your child really needs — is crucial. This is a major emotional and financial decision for the entire family, you must take your time to learn more about it — choosing the right therapeutic setting can help get your teenager on the right path back to a healthy and happy life.

Teen Transport

Hearing about young people being kidnapped is downright scary — especially in a world of human trafficking. Thankfully assisted teen admissions (transport) have professionals that safely and compassionately help parents take one of the first difficult steps into their teen’s recovery.

It’s imperative to hire a licensed and insured professional to transport your teen from your home to their therapeutic boarding school — a team that has excellent references, and will stay in touch with you from start to finish.

Again, this is not an easy decision and (like two decades ago) there is not a parent today that would imagine doing this, however as you start your research you will find there are qualified professionals today — that not only have excellent references, but are still friendly with the teens they transported. YES – they are still in communication with the families and the teenagers. They form a bond with their clients — this is not kidnapping.

The Program

The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping told the story that is all too similar to the founder of Parents’ Universal Resource Experts (P.U.R.E.) — and is the reason why this website was created, to help educate parents to find safe and qualified resources for their good teens making bad choices — and not to fall prey to these vultures. As a matter of fact, in episode 3 of this docuseries on Netflix, they used video depostion snippets of the founder (Robert Lichfield) and director (Ken Kay) that were obtained from the litigation between WWASP and P.U.R.E./Sue Scheff — which P.U.R.E./Scheff won.

Sue Scheff’s (founder of P.U.R.E.) daughter was at Carolina Springs Academy, which was a sister program to Ivy Ridge — “the program” featured in the docuseries. Scheff is too familiar with the abuse, neglect and harm that her daughter endured — as well as the insane cult-like seminars she had attended. Thankfully it’s decades ago and the fact that this website has helped thousands of families find safe alternatives (including her own family) makes the horrific journey worth it.

It was her lawsuit in 2004-2006 that was the slow demise of the WWASP corporation.

If you are considering therapeutic boarding school for your teenager, there are safe options in this country, don’t allow fearmongering from 10-20 years ago prevent you from getting your family help. Do your homework — you are your child’s advocate.

Also read:

How to Analzye Bad Press for Teen Help Programs

Why Therapeutic Boarding Schools Work When Therapy Fails

What is the Success Rate of Therapeutic Schools?

The post How to Find Help In the Troubled Teen Industry? first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Did you know one online search for “teen help schools” can yield millions of results? It can be overwhelming and daunting to any parent trying to decipher what is best for their struggling teenager.

5 Things Parents Need to Know Before Searching for Teen Help Schools Online

1. “My teen needs a Military school to teach them a lesson!” WRONG.

Military schools are a privilege and honor to attend, they are not for defiant, drug-using, depressed, or other behavioral issues students.

They do not provide mental health services – and if your teen is using drugs, drinking, or vaping now – by attending an open campus, it is likely s/he will consider the use again.

However, this time when he is caught (typically three strike you are out) and the parents will forfeit their tuition. This is the same for any of the behavioral issues they are asked to leave or expelled for – you will be risking your tuition as well as setting your child up for failure.

2. “My teen needs a wilderness program to appreciate what they have at home.” WRONG.

Wilderness programs are short-term programs will typically short-term results. It usually did not take 4-6 weeks to get to where you are right now, it will not take 4-6 (or 9 for that matter) to turn it around or have long-lasting behavioral results. Parents are usually guided (or misguided) into wilderness therapy by educational consultants that understand these programs come with step two.

Step two is moving on to a therapeutic boarding school (which you could have started with). We educate parents to find step one initially so your teen has consistency without program hopping. This not only helps your teenager from bouncing to therapists, staff, and environments – it can be most cost effective to the family.

Since 2001 we have consistently heard many misconceptions about wilderness programs – and parents need to separate fact from the myths.

Myths and Facts of Wilderness Therapy:

Myth: Many parents are led to believe that most quality residential programs will not accept a teen that has not completed a wilderness program. That simply is not true. 

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

Myth: All teens do wilderness first, if not they will not succeed. Again, not true.

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

Fact: Wilderness programs are an expensive band-aid. They will cost a family from $450-700+ per day and the duration is about 4-9 weeks. The fact is — long lasting behavioral changes cannot take place in short-term programs. Therefore, most students that attend wilderness programs transition on to a residential boarding school.

There is likely a need for wilderness therapy for some students, but to state that all teens need wilderness prior to treatment or will not be successful without it — is simply untrue.

You will stumble on programs that will tell you they won’t accept a student unless they have attended a wilderness program first — in our opinion, it likely not the program for you. Most therapeutic boarding schools or residential treatment facilities (schools for troubled teens) are trained to care for behavioral issues — it is likely they are either a transitional program or part of a bigger concern in this industry — politics (number 5).

Some programs use wilderness as a last resort, if after 90 days in a therapeutic boarding school your teen is not settling down or has become extremely defiant and aggressive – they may then refer you to this type of program. It does not need to be your first step.

3. What is the difference between a therapeutic boarding school (TBS) and residential treatment center (RTC) and what does my teen need?

The short answer is it depends on the state and how the state licenses residential programming.  There is no national standard and each of our fifty states have the responsibility to set their own licensure requirements for private-pay residential programming; many states divide up the enforcement between numerous governmental departments and some states do not even regulate private-pay residential care. The scope and specifics of state regulations vary greatly, and some states do not require independent licensure at all.  Therefore, parents must do their diligence when researching residential placement – knowing that the program does have state licensing is important.

What these programs all have in common is that they are all addressing physical, emotional, behavioral, familial, social, and intellectual/academic development; it is how that is addressed which differentiates between the TBS or RTC.

RTC’s typically have more clinical care than a TBS, however we have also seen emotional growth programs that have a strong clinical foundation. We suggest you interview the program/school that you believe best fits your teen’s emotional needs, which includes their enrichment therapies such as animal, art, music therapy and more. It is important to find a setting that will stimulate your child in a positive direction.

4. What is CARF and JCAHO accreditations? Are they necessary in choosing residential treatment?

CARF is Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities is an organization that oversees programs for behavioral health. If a program/school is CARF accredited, in some cases you may have a more insurance coverage. CARF accreditation can be considered a quality standard of care.

JCAHO is The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations which is the seal of approval for hospitals, and some residential treatment centers have acquired this accreditation. JCAHO is a higher level of care, although many residential treatment centers are not JCAHO accredited, they will adhere by their standards. Being JCAHO accredited will help your insurance coverage.

More and more therapeutic programs are becoming CARF accredited not only to provide more safety and oversight for their staff and students, but to offer more reimbursement for insurance claims.

JCAHO is typically found in higher level of care facilities, although some residential treatment centers have that extra level of accreditation.

Both these accreditations are important; however, they are not necessary. For years residential treatment has been operating without them and have been successful. These are voluntary accreditations.

5. What is NATSAP and IECA seals of approval that are some programs sites? 

NATSAP is the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. This is a self-made organization that was reprimanded in a congressional hearing in 2007 for their lack of oversight of their members. Participating programs and schools pay a fee to be members to have their seal of approval on their sites.

More concerning is some parents are under the illusion that unless a program is NATSAP approved, it is not a quality program. That is simply not true. Not all schools and programs feel the need to be a member of this club, nor do they have to. Unlike CARF or JCAHO, it (NATSAP) does not offer much in benefits.

IECA are the Independent Educational Consultants of America, and their members are known as Educational Consultants that pay the fees to belong to this self-made organization. Like with NATSAP, they have their own circle of schools and programs they support and unlikely to consider those that do not want to participate (pay) to belong to private clubs.

There are many excellent schools and programs in our country today that have been around for decades that have never been involved in private organizations (clubs) and have succeeded on their reputation. It is important for parents not to be dissuaded by the politics of the troubled teen industry.

Also read:

Success in Therapeutic Boarding Schools

Finding Safe Therapeutic Schools

How to Decipher Bad Press for Teen Help

The post How to Search for Teen Help Schools Online first appeared on Help Your Teens.

The post 7 Questions Parents Ask About Therapeutic Schools first appeared on Help Your Teens.

One of the most common questions and concerns for parents is, how do you find a quality therapeutic boarding school close to your home?

First you are bombarded with websites, marketing and new terminology that can be confusing and overwhelming especially when you are stressed out and exhausted by your teen’s behavior.

After decades of helping families that are searching for the right behavioral boarding school for their struggling teen or young adult, we complied the top 5 most asked questions and answers by parents.

Staying near to your home is not recommended for several reasons.

5 Questions Parents Ask About Teen Therapeutic Boarding Schools:

1. “We want a program close to home so we can visit frequently.”

Almost every parent has the same response, they want a program close to home. It’s probably one of the most common mistakes a family can make in selecting the right therapeutic boarding school for your troubled teen.

This is a major emotional (and sometimes) financial decision — in our decades of experience, we urge parents to choose a program that fits your child’s needs (emotionally, physically and academically), rather than geographically. Of course, this is within reason. Since the pandemic, it’s understandable that some don’t want to travel to the other side of the country, however you can be more reasonable when it comes to choosing residential treatment. It’s always wise to find a program outside of your state — without going to the other side of the country.

This helps remove your teen’s temptation to runaway since they are less familiar with the area. We’ve seen parents choose local programs or places their family is familiar with — the teen will run, and this sets their progress back. When this happens, it prolongs their stay at the school and you have to hit the reset button again. There are no winners.

If you’re concerned about family therapy, you will have virtual sessions and parenting workshops which are typically every other month or every 90 days. Check with the program.

2. “Should our teen help us choose the therapeutic boarding program?”

Absolutely, positively not. Up until this point of their life, they have not been making the best choices, what would convince you that they would make the right one now?

Again, with decades of experience, parents have attempted to work with their teens in hopes they would be excited about a school or a program, getting a new start – or possibly the animals or sports that the program offers, however what happens next can be anything but excitement. 

Your child will start doing their own research online, telling their friends, and realizing they will not be able to take their phones, talk to friends, they will be on a schedule and life will not be the rainbows and unicorns they have been used to. In some situations, they might even miss holidays or birthdays.

If your teen is a flight risk, you are giving them time to better map out their surroundings by telling them where they will be going – or even where you are considering sending them. It is never wise for a parent to threaten a child that they will be sent away, this only starts the program off with a sense of negativity.

It is the child’s behavior that has prompted you to make this decision, no parent simply wants to send a child to residential for no reason. Every parent has their child’s wellness in the forefront.

This is a time for parents to be the parents, make the adult decision for the child that needs help. If you are placing a young adult, it is different. At 18+ years old they do have to be willing to attend. In most of these young adults’ programs your child can speak with the director and other students and get a full understanding of the program. Some young adults know they need this extra boost.

3. “My teen won’t attend a program; how do we get him/her there?”

This is probably one of the most common questions parents ask and are concerned about. Assisted transport is how most parents have successfully and safely brought their teen to residential treatment.

It is especially important to choose qualified and credentialed professionals. The transport service should be licensed and insured to transport teens and have various degrees and/or background in education, psychology, behavioral science, mental health, or other related fields.

It is natural for parents to be apprehensive about this, however after speaking with other parents that have taken this road, you will realize that many of these teens ended up becoming friends with their transports and it is not the nightmare they are imagining — or you are reading about *online. They may initially be angry, but deep down your teen understands they do need help.

*We caution parents frequently about the fearmongering that some forums have posted online, although we don’t diminish a person’s experience, we encourage you to employ qualified professionals and do your diligences in speaking with references. There are overwhelmingly number of successful transport of young people to have a bright future.

4. “I fear my teen will hate me forever if I send them to a therapeutic boarding school.”

Again, another quite common concern of parents, especially parents of adopted children that fear that they will exasperate abandonment issues, is will their teen hate them forever if they are sent to a therapeutic boarding school?

Initially your teen may enter the program and not like you very much (it may feel like hate to you and them) but — they will grow from their fear and anger.

Your teen will likely fear the new situation and may also promise to “do better at home” however you know that you have already heard all these promises and spent a long time trying. It is time to be the adult, be the parent and do what is best for your child.

It is at this time that talking to other parents can be incredibly supportive for you — parents that have taken this journey before you, maybe from the same program you have selected for your teen.

As the program progresses, family therapy and workshops continue to reunite all of you and work through the conflict that tore you apart. Eventually your teen will be able to understand and have gratitude for this experience.

5. “Don’t these programs have bad kids; my child isn’t that bad?”

If no one had troubled teens or young adults, there would not be any need residential treatment facilities. Most schools for troubled teens are enrolled with good kids that come from good families, possibly had a good foundation, however, took a wrong turn.

The increase of technology has not helped this generation, screen-addiction, social media – they are not only facing peer pressure at school, but it is also in the palm of their hands 24/7/365.

Doing your due diligence in researching boarding schools helps you to be sure you are placing your teen in the most appropriate setting. Your teen will be with kids like themselves – and their families are like you, begging for help to get their child back to happiness and a functioning adult.

Also read:

How to Interview Schools for Troubled Teens

5 Benefits to a Therapeutic Boarding School

The post How to Find Therapeutic Boarding Schools Close to Home first appeared on Help Your Teens.

This can be frustrating to parents, especially when they are at your wits end and desperately seeking help. Many are dealing with an out-of-control teenager that is creating havoc in their home.

Once you realize you need a therapeutic boarding school and start your search, one of the top 3 steps in the process is money and financing.

Starting your search within your budget is priority — as you stumble on programs that seem like the perfect match for your child, you realize most do not list tuition or fees.

Getting help for adolescent mental health for behavioral issues can be costly, however there are options to offset some of the fees such as medical insurance.

Many parents initially have the sticker-shock and feel hopeless. It can seem overwhelming when you are in crisis with your troubled teenager.

The average cost of therapeutic boarding schools will start at about $9000 a month and up. The duration your child is there, depends on your teen, but the average stay is 6-9-12 months. As we share with parents — it didn’t take 4-6 weeks for your teen’s behavior to get to where it is at, it won’t take a short-term program to turn it around. You will need at least 6 months to change behavior for long-lasting results.

If you find programs/schools that cost a lot less in tuition (under $5000), you may want to double check the credentials of the staff – such as the therapists and teachers.

Some parents believe that a short-term wilderness program will fix their teen since they aren’t that bad — keep in mind, unless this behavior just started, a short-term program will likely give you short-term results. Most wilderness programs don’t list their costs which typically start at $450 a day up to $650 daily and usually doesn’t include the equipment you have to purchase.

Average stay for wilderness therapy is about 6-9 weeks. Most will then suggest you move on to a therapeutic boarding school.  The question is, why don’t you simply start at the therapeutic boarding school or residential treatment center?

Why are therapeutic boarding schools so expensive?

Residential treatment in general for adolescents can be costly for a variety of reasons.

Inside a therapeutic boarding school/residential treatment program:

–Quality care (safe and positive environment), credentialed staff
–Education, accredited academics
–Enrichment programs, extra-curriculum designed to encourage change (such as animal, art, music, gardening, therapies and more).
–Parent involvement, workshops and family therapy

Boarding schools for troubled teens provide 24/7/365 care for your child that includes around-the-clock medical and mental health support as well as their education.

Most teens enter these programs as smart kids but were falling behind in school (underachieving); now that they are in a consistent school environment, they can focus and get back on track academically — some will surpass where they need to be in residential treatment.

Schools for troubled teens also provide healthy food and eating habits as well as a positive environment for emotional growth, better sleep and overall physical wellness provided by a supportive staff.

Therapeutic boarding schools continue to incorporate talk and group therapy, as well as other behavior therapies — and most importantly is family therapy and providing workshops and transitional home plans.

Why are wilderness programs so expensive?

We don’t have that answer. They have a therapist visit them in nature, you purchase the equipment. Most do not include academics. Your teen will likely gain self-worth, learn to build a fire — but unless you are moving into a long-term program, it will likely yield short-term behavioral results.

Paying for Therapeutic Boarding Schools

Although not every family can afford behavioral boarding schools such as therapeutic boarding schools, there are financial options such as educational loans. If a family has a college fund for their troubled teen or young adult, it might be time to consider using it. Once their teen is back on track emotionally, there are many great community colleges as well as college scholarships available.

Many PPO insurance plans include out-of-network coverage which helps pay for a portion of the clinical component of the program. Most schools will provide a courtesy verification of benefits (VOB) to give you a determination of coverage. Some programs will file the insurance for you and deduct it from your invoices while others will give you the billing statements for your child’s clinical hours for you to be reimbursed.

If you have HMO, Medicaid, or Tricare, they typically require you to stay in-network to have coverage. Parents would contact the number on their medical card to ask for adolescent residential treatment centers that are in their providers’ network. It’s always wise to ask for at least three options. Some providers will require you to have a therapist’s referral. You may have to see ask for a therapist in the network first.

For families searching for scholarships, they are extremely limited if at all. Always ask the program you are interested in if they have any available. Free programs or programs with sliding scales (in accordance with your income) can usually be found through your local United Way services or the National Guard Youth Challenge programs.

There are mental health services for all levels of income, it can be tedious and time consuming since money is a factor but getting your child the help they need is priority.

Also read:

Where to Send My Troubled Teen?

5 Tips for Searching Online for Schools for Troubled Teens

5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools

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Contact us for a free consultation, we help you find the right therapeutic boarding school for your troubled teen and family. 

The post How Much Do Therapeutic Boarding Schools Cost? first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Many are afflicted with emotional, social and/or behavioral issues which can also cause poor academic performance.  What is the actual success rate of therapeutic boarding schools?

Are searching for a successful therapeutic boarding school for your troubled teen?

Have you reached a point where you are considering a therapeutic boarding school for your teenager, however completely confused if it will be the right decision?

Has your house become a battleground? You fear your teen will explode at any time?  Are they spending more time online, isolated in their room — failing in school, vaping or doing drugs? Maybe they are suffering with depression, anxiety — that has led to self-harm or suicide ideation.

Your teen has refused to see a therapist, outpatient treatment failed, the school setting is not working and maybe you tried having them live with a relative. A short-term hospital stay was not successful.

Choosing the right therapeutic boarding school for your teen’s needs can be tedious work, however you are your child’s best advocate. 

If you are like most parents, you jumped online to be bombarded with many websites that only made this task more confusing — there are literally millions of places to send troubled teens — according to the internet, but how do you know what is right for your teen and family? Most importantly, how do you know if these schools are successful or effective?

A simple internet search for “places to send troubled teens” yields nearly 10 million results!

Read: Where Can I Send My Troubled Teenager

What is the Success Rate of Therapeutic Boarding Schools?

The fact is, we have yet to see any third-party research or independent study that is not funded by a school, program or organization that is not part of this industry. Another words, a study that would not have reason to be bias.

For example, 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.

In 2019 OBH did its 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 does not 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 partially funded by Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council (OBHC).

3 Ways to Find Success in a Therapeutic Boarding School

There can be success in therapeutic boarding schools and there absolutely has been happy endings. This starts with a parent being diligent in doing their research and understanding they do have choices. Keep in mind, what may have failed for one family, could have been successful for another family.

The one absolute fact is that home life is not working, you have exhausted your local resources and typically when a parent decides it’s time for residential treatment, it’s when they realize they are out of options – as well as their teen is literally crying for help by their negative behavior, and it is important to keep them safe. In many cases, it’s not only the safety of the teen that is in crisis, but also the safety of the family.

1. Longevity. Although you might be starting this journey, therapeutic boarding schools have been around for a long time. Not only do you want a school that has a good reputation, when you find one that has had years (decades) of experience — and bonus points for low staff turn-over, this could be a good contender.

Have you selected a program that has been around awhile, however started reading some frightening websites, horror stories of the troubled teen industry or negative reviews?  It’s time to learn about deciphering the misinformation online.

2. Parents. You are not alone! If there is a therapeutic boarding school, residential treatment center or any type of program you are considering for your child, and they will not give you *parent references — this is a red flag. 

Parents and parent references are the heart and soul of programs. You (mom and dad) need just as much support as your teen does. This experience is overwhelming. Only those that have walked in your shoes can understand and support you.

Prior selecting or enrolling in a program, ask the admissions director for parents to speak with — here are some questions to ask parents to give you more insights about the school/program:

-Why did they have to send their teen to a program?
-Are they happy with the program?
-What was their trigger moment that made their decision?
-How long did their child attend the program?
-Why did they choose that program?
-What was their deciding factor on this program?
-Did they visit the program before placing their teen?
-How is their teen doing today? Do they consider it successful?
-How was the communication with the program?
-Did they provide transitional support after their teen graduated?
-Would they recommend the program to a friend or family?
-More parent questions.

A key question parents should ask is, if they could change one thing about the program to improve it, what would that be? It gives you room to find out a bit of negative. Usually not enough to change your mind but helps you to go in — eyes wide open.

* Programs may have you complete an application or a short version of an application before giving you parent references. This assures them that you are a fit for their school and are considering placement. It does not mean you’re going to enroll in the program; however, it provides security for everyone involved when giving out personal information of families.

For programs that will use the excuse that it violates their HIPPAA policy, it’s just that, an excuse. With HIPPAA, you can have exception with the parent’s permission to be a reference.  Most all of these programs you are interviewing operate in accordance to HIPPA — again, get parent references and if they don’t want to give them, it might be best to move on.

Bonus tip: Always ask for parents references with the same gender and age of your teen, and you can take it a step further by asking for families in your same geographical region.

3. People. Who is the owner, director, staff — people working with your teen? It’s the people that make the therapeutic boarding school a success. It is typically why when parents ask about programs that are owned by corporations — we pause, or shy away. When you are considering a program that is corporately owned, it can be more of a struggle to have things changed to meet your child’s needs. Whereas when working with privately owned programs — it only must be approved through the owner/director. You are usually a text message or email away.

All quality programs (privately owned or corporately owned) should be licensed and accredited – so you are not sacrificing by choosing a privately owned program.

It’s important to review their credentials, accreditations –– and ask about background checks of their staff. Again, about staff turn-over.

BEST SUCCESS of a Therapeutic Boarding School

Finally, determining the success of a therapeutic boarding school has so many factors, but most importantly is THE FAMILY.  If you’re not planning to jump on board and be part of the program, then do not waste your time or money.

Therapeutic boarding schools and programs are not only about the teenager – it is about bringing the entire family back on a healthy path again. The family is broken right now. We are not here to point fingers, we’re here to heal — get on a road to recovery.

There will be books to read, family therapy (virtual) and workshops to attend. Never doubt, this can be successful – it is not easy, but it’s worth it!

Also read:

What is the Goal of Residential Treatment

The Purpose of A Therapeutic Boarding School

Questions and Answers Parents Ask About Therapeutic Schools

The post How to Find Successful Therapeutic Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens first appeared on Help Your Teens.