A residential treatment center is a place that takes a multi-faceted approach to addressing a multitude of problems that extend beyond the classroom and into a child's daily life with his or her family, peers, and the rest of the world.

Residential treatment programs conceptualize and prioritize family involvement in treatment and in discharge and transition planning using very divergent theoretical foundations. The spectrum of involvement practices ranges from the exclusion of parental and family involvement, to limited family involvement as directed by the program staff, to the ongoing maintenance of parent and family involvement in all aspects of the treatment milieu from start to discharge with extensive family follow-up services, or to the rare family residential program at the far end of the continuum where parents and children are placed in residential treatment together.

It offers youth aged 12 to 18 a residential treatment program for substance misuse problems. It is not a facility where a child is sent to be disciplined for something he or she has done wrong.

Residential care is usually reserved for the child who is having problems in all three major areas of his life-family, school and peers-and even then only when the problems have not been amenable to out-patient treatment. Residential treatment is 24-hour care and is different from a GROUP HOME, which is usually staffed by one couple and where the children are able to attend local schools. (Some children in group homes may need residential treatment or will need it in the future.)

A residential treatment center is also different from psychiatric hospitals, which are generally used for severely disturbed children who are suicidal or who are undergoing detoxification, receiving treatment for psychoses and so forth. Residential treatment is not a short-term solution to a problem, and the average child who needs residential treatment remains at the facility for eighteen months to two years.

The clinical realm uses multiple forms of therapy, psychiatry, individualized interventions, and targeted interactions to address the underlying mental health issues that usually lead to a child being placed in a treatment center. Youth Care's adolescent treatment program takes place in a home-like setting, your son or daughter will learn the value of chores, how to interact respectfully and courteously with others, and how to develop and maintain strong, loving relationships.

In addition to counseling, your child will participate in an accredited academic program with certified teachers whose only goal is to prepare students for their future. Students enrolled in Youth Care's adolescent treatment program earn academic credits, increase their knowledge and skills, and attend classes designed specifically for them by their team of teachers and therapists.

We help children build their self-esteem and their ability to trust as they explore new activities and challenges. The programs at Youth Care help troubled teens by providing them the opportunity to learn problem-solving techniques, be part of a team, and put their newly attained communication skills into action.

The goal of residential treatment is to return the young person to family-centered community living. However, making a successful transition back to family and community is a process with many challenges, especially given that a young person's relationships with family members are often further stressed and disrupted during the period of residential treatment.

Common sense and research both suggest that supporting, enhancing and maintaining family relationships during the period of residential care will increase the probability of successful transition; however, many families find that contact with their children and participation in service and transition planning is limited and/or discouraged by policies at residential treatment centers. Societal values and priorities also influence the emphasis placed on families by residential and community-based treatment and service options. We hope you find your visit enjoyable and beneficial.

List of the Troubled Teens Pprograms:

Troubled Teens Programs    Teen Boot Camps    Teen Boarding Schools   Teens Suicide 

          Teen Military Schools       Teens Wilderness Camps       Christian Boarding School

                         Residential Treatment Centers       Runnaway Teens