How to Choose the Best Treatment Program for a Teen

Even when you know it's the right thing to do, the decision to seek professional help for your teen can be difficult. While an ever-expanding array of treatment programs is available for adolescents, it is often difficult to know which one is right for your child.

Your first instinct may be to choose the "simplest" option that doesn't turn life upside down so dramatically, but it may not always be the best choice. If you're unsure what to do, work with your child's counselor, therapist, and doctor to weigh the pros and cons of each option as objectively and lovingly as possible.

Outpatient Treatment Programs

Outpatient programs are those that provide treatment during the day while your teen continues to live at home at night.

"These therapists use talk strategies to help your child cope with their emotional experiences. It is best for parents to be included in these sessions to help foster trust and to ensure that everyone is on the same page, explains Joseph Galasso, PsyD, CEO at Baker Street Behavioral Health in New Jersey.

Intake starts with a diagnostic evaluation. This typically consists of a series of psychological or neuropsychological tests. The former helps identify emotional, behavioral, and learning difficulties that may be contributing to the teen's difficulties. The latter seeks to determine if there is a neurological (brain-based) component that may help explain the child's behavioral or thought processes.

Depending on the findings, individual, family, or group therapy may be recommended. For teens who are struggling at school or at risk of dropping out, outpatient treatment may also include exploring alternative schools that may be better able to address and meet their specific needs and concerns.

"In some instances, your child may need medication prescribed by a psychiatrist, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant who is trained to treat emotional and behavioral issues and disturbances," Galasso says. "Oftentimes, both strategies will be employed to help your child reduce symptoms and begin the healing process."

Intensive Outpatient Programs

If your child's symptoms are more severe, your doctor may recommend an intensive outpatient program (IOP) or partial hospitalization program (PHP). Such programs often involve meeting three to five times weekly for a half-day or full-day session and incorporate medical evaluation, individual/family therapy, and group therapy.

"Once the patient completes the program, they can be stepped down to general outpatient therapy and medication management," Galasso says. For teens that are engaging in self-harm, suicidal ideation/behavior, or who pose a threat to others, inpatient hospitalization may be the best option. 

Residential Treatment Programs

Residential programs provide full-time support and monitoring within a secure, inpatient setting. "It is a difficult decision to consider and enroll your child in a residential program," Galasso says. However, it might be something that your provider may recommend, particularly if certain factors are present.

While placing a teen in a residential program may be one of the most painful choices a parent can make, it can also be the wisest. A teen's emotional status is often influenced by their surroundings, making sorting out their feelings all the more difficult.

Residential treatment programs can be broadly defined as follows:

• Group homes are those that provide 24-hour supervision and support within a home-like setting. Many of these facilities are secure and have structured check-in/check-out policies for those who are in school or are otherwise able to leave during the day (such as to attend outside doctor's appointments). These may be a good option if a teen is at risk of running away, providing security and oversight without making the child feel as if they are "in jail." Some include family-centered counseling as part of the structured treatment.
• Residential treatment facilities are more controlled and often clinical environments. They are designed to provide intensive care for teens with more severe behavioral or emotional concerns. These may include alcohol and drug rehab programs, hospital-based residential care, extended care facilities, or teen boot camps (which typically involve an isolated outdoor environment and physical activity).

Court Ordered Treatment

In some cases, the treatment may be legally mandated. An example would be if a teen has been arrested or convicted of a crime and ordered to get a specific type of treatment as a part of their sentence.

If outpatient treatment is court ordered, it will be necessary to work with the teen's counselor or court officer to determine the details of treatment (sometimes referred to as the diversion program). Your attorney can be included in this process, ensuring that your teen is able to access the most appropriate care possible.

Choosing the Right Option for Your Teen

The needs of every child are individual and specific. When choosing the treatment option best suited for your teen, focus on facilities that can meet their specific needs. While no one facility may tick all the desired boxes, working with a counseling team can help you make the most appropriate and strategic choice possible.

You may or may not be able to involve your child in the decision, but you'll at least be assured that your child's short- and long-term interests—namely, to get better and develop into a healthy adult—are being adequately served.

Keep Checking-In With Your Teen

Regardless of the option you decide on and where your child is at in their treatment progress, checking in with your teen is essential, Galasso says. "

While some parents may cope with this by taking a more passive approach, Galasso suggests that this approach can backfire.

"Kids, and teens in particular, may take your silence as collusion or an unstated agreement with whatever internal process they may be experiencing," he says. "If we don't take the time to check in, regardless of how it is received, it is likely to be interpreted as agreement that they are not worth the time, or energy, or love to check on."

In such cases, Galasso suggests setting a check-in rule when you are worried about your child's behavior and progress. For example, you might decide to check every one of three times you are considering it.