When to Opt for Residential Psychiatric Treatment for your Teenager

If your teenager is suffering from a mental health disorder, then you may want to consider finding an outside source for help. Depending on the nature and severity of their disorder, a brief stay at a psychiatric treatment center may be exactly what they need in order to make a full recovery.

Though all teen treatment centers have the same underlying objective—helping your teen make a full recovery and be able to live their best life—there are still many different variables that will distinguish any two treatment centers from one another. Finding the facility that is best for your teen will often require a significant amount of work. It is important to do your research and compare each of your available options before making any final commitments.

In this article, we will briefly review the purpose of teen residential treatment and also discuss the things you should look for when comparing your available options. With a firm understanding of the inter-workings of the industry, making the best choice for your teenager is something that should be well within reach. Even if your child is struggling in the status quo, there are still plenty of reasons for you to have hope and to believe that things can get better.

What is a residential treatment center?

Though there are several different types of teenpsychiatric treatment available, one of the most common is referred to as a Residential Treatment Center (RTC). These centers are characterized by their intensive, hands-on treatment philosophies. Unlike other treatment options, your teen will be able to live at an RTC in order to assure they can make a full recovery.

Usually, RTCs are recommended for individuals who have tried other, less intensive approaches to treatment, but were unsuccessful. Teenagers who suffer from a substance abuse disorder, for example, may need to be isolated from these substances and sources of temptation for an extended period of time. RTCs assure that recovery can be your teenager’s first and foremost priority.

The type of treatment that your teen will receive and the length of their stay at an RTC will depend on a wide variety of personal factors. Ideally, you should look for a center with a strong reputation and a staff that is able to administer a wide variety of different treatment modalities. This way, as time goes on, treatment can be specifically adapted to your teen’s unique situation in order to assure the best results.

What can psychiatric treatment centers treat?

As is the case with adults, there is an incredibly wide range of conditions that teenagers may be experiencing. In fact, many teenagers will be experiencing multiple mental health issues at once, which is why there has been an increased emphasis on the practice known as dual diagnosis.

Dual diagnosis recognizes that there is a strong correlation between many mental health conditions and, consequently, it is important for treatment centers to try to address the whole person. Because of this, you will usually find that these programs are willing to address an incredibly wide variety of possible conditions.

• Depression, suicide ideation, anxiety, bipolar disorder
• Substance abuse disorders (as well as any related conditions)
• Severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Schizophrenia and psychosis
• Eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, etc.)
• Any other mental health conditions that require immediate help

The psychiatric programs are the ones that will not only help your teenager with their issues in the short-term, but also help equip them to overcome adversity in the future. Though this process can sometimes require a substantial amount of effort, it is better to fully address any underlying problems than to simply ignore them and hope that they go away on their own.

Understanding Costs, Payments, and Insurance Acceptance

Inevitably, one of the components of providing your teenager with mental healthcare that will need to be discussed is the cost of treatment. Most treatment centers can be rather expensive—especially if your teen ends up staying for an extensive period of time—though there are still many things that can be done to help make the cost more manageable.

The first thing you should consider when comparing different teen treatment centers is whether or not any of themare covered by your insurance. Usually, giving a phone call to your insurance company or visiting their website can help you better understand what your policy currently covers. Some insurance providers may not be willing to cover the total cost of treatment, but still might cover a certain number of days or a certain percentage of total costs. Confirming this information beforehand will be very important.

Even if your insurance provider does not currently cover the cost of a teen treatment center, many of these centers are willing to work out a reasonable payment plan over time. They recognize that recovery is something that often cannot wait.

Examining the Available Treatment Options

Currently, there are many different types of psychiatric treatment available for teens. Keeping the importance of dual diagnosis in mind, your teen may be given a unique combination of treatment modalities in order to address their specific set of needs. These treatments may or may not be administered alongside medication that is recommended by an on-staff psychiatrist.

• Individual Therapy sessions can help get to the core of what has been triggering the problems in your teenager’s life.
• Group Therapy sessions are also productive because they inspire a group of people in similar situations to be actively working towards a common goal (recovery).
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps teens learn how to appropriately react to the conditions of the world around them and prepare themselves to effectively overcome future sources of adversity.
• Experiential Treatment is a unique approach to wellness that involves the use of positive experiences. This may include art, music, hiking, surfing, yoga, or any number of activities that can improve your teen’s well-being.

One of the benefits of working with a residential treatment center is that each of these treatment options can be employed throughout the day. Recovery can be a constant goal that is prioritized above all else.

Visiting the Facility before Making a Final Commitment

Because your teenager may be staying at a treatment center for an extensive period of time, you may want to consider visiting the facilities before making any final commitments. Getting to experience these centers firsthand can help you feel more at ease as a parent and also help you get a better understanding of what your teen may end up experiencing.

There are several things you should be looking for when you are touring a prospective treatment center. Are the facilities adequately maintained? Does it seem like your teen will be able to make a full and productive recovery there? Though there is only so much you can gather from looking at these places, it is still generally a good idea to trust your first instincts.

You should also consider things such as the qualifications of the staff, the staff-patient ratio, whether or not you will be able to come visit your teen, and anything else you believe might be a possible area of concern. The best residential treatment centers for teens are the ones that will happily answer your questions and provide you with any necessary guidance along the way.

Asking the Right Questions

As stated, asking questions will help you find the care that is best for your teen. As a parent, you have every right to be concerned and to want to be confident in your final decision.

• What is your mission statement? What is your underlying treatment philosophy?
• Does your treatment center have any specific specialties? Do you think you will be able to provide my teen with the care that they need?
• Are you willing to work with my insurance company? Do you provide any long-term financing options?
• What does an average day look like at your facility?
• What are your preferred treatment modalities?
• Why should we choose you to help provide our teen with treatment?

Once you have had some time to ask these questions, you should have a greater understanding of how the treatment process might work. Additionally, confirming that the program utilizes a dual diagnostic approach can also assure better long-term results. Though you may not have ever imagined yourself in a situation like this as a parent, taking the time to understand your options is a necessary step in the right direction.