Does My Child Need Residential Treatment? Signs & What to Know

Your child may need residential treatment if there are safety concerns if they are using substances, if their issues are interfering with daily life, if outpatient treatment hasn’t been enough, or if their family can no longer safely manage symptoms. Find out more about residential treatment for your child and the services BNI Treatment offers.

Key Takeaways

Residential treatment may be necessary if your teen’s behavioral and mental health issues are causing safety risks, if family can no longer manage symptoms, if outpatient care has not produced significant results, if the teen is using substances to regulate, or if issues are interfering with daily life.
Inpatient care offers highly structured support. Teens stay at the center 24/7 for a specific period of time before graduating on to outpatient treatment.
Parents can find the right facility by looking for licensing, accreditation, credentialed staff, family involvement, the right treatment approaches, and a comprehensive continuum of care.

What Is Residential Treatment?
What Are Signs That My Teen Might Need a Higher Level Of Care?
What Should I Consider Before Making a Decision?
How Do I Evaluate Residential Programs for My Teen?
Contact BNI Treatment Clinics for the Care Your Teen Requires
FAQs

Introduction

When teens have mental or behavioral issues, it’s essential to match them with the appropriate level of care. Residential treatment may be necessary if your child’s problems are becoming a safety concern, interfering with daily life, or if outpatient treatment isn’t enough, or if the family can no longer manage symptoms. Learn if this option is right for your child.

What Is Residential Treatment?

Residential treatment requires staying at the facility 24/7 for a set period of time for highly structured care. The day typically follows a routine wherein teens eat, sleep, and wake up at the same time each day.

The rest of the day involves therapy sessions. Teens learn coping skills to manage their emotions in healthy ways. Evidence-based practices, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), family therapy, and group therapy, are often integrated.

Inpatient care differs from outpatient care, which is often part of a step-down approach. For example, after teens complete a residential care program, they may graduate to:

Partial Hospitalization: Involves several hours of therapy, several days a week while teens live at home.
Intensive Outpatient Care: Involves shorter sessions, typically 3 hours a day, 3-5 days a week.

These programs can also serve as a primary form of care.

What Are Signs That My Teen Might Need a Higher Level Of Care?

Your teen may need a higher level of care if there are safety concerns, if they are using substances to manage their emotions, if they are showing a decline in functioning, if they have not improved with outpatient treatment, or if the family can no longer manage their symptoms.

Safety Concerns: The teen engages in behavior that puts themselves or others at risk. This can include self-harm, violent behavior, drunk driving, unsafe sex, and suicidal ideation. If your teen is in immediate danger, call 911 or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Substance Use: According to Brown University Health research, up to 45% of adolescents and young adults with mental health disorders have a co-occurring substance use disorder, and 65% or more of youth with substance use disorders also have a mental health disorder. When substance use escalates, residential care may be necessary.
Decline in Functioning: The teen’s grades may decline. They may withdraw from friends and family and stop engaging in activities they once enjoyed.
Outpatient Treatment Isn’t Enough: Residential care may be necessary if outpatient treatment hasn’t produced significant improvement.
The Family Can’t Manage Symptoms: If symptoms are too much for the family to manage outside of treatment, a more structured approach may be necessary.

What Should I Consider Before Making a Decision?

Before deciding, parents should consider symptom severity and duration, insurance and financial considerations, the child’s readiness and perspective, and the family’s capacity to support the teen at home. A clinical evaluation can also be beneficial.

Symptom Severity or Duration: Prolonged, severe symptoms typically signal that a teen needs help and may indicate a need for residential care.
Insurance and Financial Considerations: Insurance typically covers medically necessary mental health care, but plans and coverage vary. A reputable treatment center, like BNI Treatment, can verify your insurance so you know what’s covered before your child starts treatment.
Child’s Readiness and Perspective: ScienceDirect research shows that readiness for treatment (motivation and attitude) at intake predicts greater therapeutic involvement once in treatment. It’s wise to get your child’s perspective on the treatment approach to ensure adherence.
Family’s Capacity to Provide Support: Residential care may be necessary if the family cannot provide support at home, whether due to symptom escalation or environmental factors.

How Do I Evaluate Residential Programs for My Teen?

Evaluate residential programs based on accreditation, licensing, staff credentials, treatment approaches, family involvement, and aftercare and discharge planning.

Accreditation & Licensing: Licensing is a must. Accreditation, such as from the Joint Commission and CARF, shows the clinic goes above and beyond to meet high standards.
Staff Credentials: The clinic should have a highly credentialed multidisciplinary team and maintain strong staff-to-patient ratios.
Treatment Approaches: Evidence-based treatment approaches are backed by research. Some teens may need specialized services beyond the basics.
Family Involvement: NCBI research shows youths and young adults who attended at least one family therapy session were significantly more likely to complete treatment than those with no family therapy involvement (83.2% vs. 59.2% completion), underscoring the importance of this core component in adolescent care.
Aftercare and Discharge Planning: Clinics should continue to provide support after the initial stages of care, ensuring teens continue to regulate emotions in healthy ways. Academic reintegration should be prioritized.

Contact BNI Treatment Clinics for the Care Your Teen Requires

BNI Treatment Clinics supports teens who need structured care. We offer round-the-clock supervision, a wide range of treatment approaches, and academic support. Our highly credentialed clinical staff specializes in teens’ needs and helps guide positive outcomes.

FAQs

How do I know if my child needs residential treatment instead of outpatient therapy?

Residential treatment is typically recommended when teen behavior becomes a safety hazard, when teens aren’t showing significant improvement with outpatient therapy, when the family can no longer handle symptoms, and when behavioral and mental health issues interfere with daily life.

Will insurance cover residential treatment for my teen?

Insurance is available for residential treatment. However, coverage varies by plan. BNI Treatment provides insurance verifications so you know exactly what’s covered before committing to care.

Can I stay involved in my child’s treatment while they’re in residential care?

Yes, family involvement is not only possible- it’s recommended. Families are often brought into therapy sessions and receive regular updates on their teens’ progress.

How do I choose the right residential program for my teen?

The right residential treatment program should be licensed and accredited, have a credentialed, multidisciplinary staff, offer a wide range of treatment approaches, focus on family involvement, and provide comprehensive care, including aftercare.

What happens after my teen completes a residential care program?

After your teen completes a residential care program, they will typically step down to a partial hospitalization program and then an intensive outpatient care program. The clinic will continue to support them through aftercare.

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