Residential Treatment for Teens with Mental Health Disorders
Our Youth Residential Treatment (YRT) program offers a safe space for adolescent females and/or gender-expansive youth aged 12-17. YRT is a short-term residential treatment program that typically lasts from five to seven weeks. During their stay, patients participate in intensive individual, family, and group therapy to learn strategies and skills to better cope with distress in order to maintain safety when transitioning back to their home and school environments.
Why Choose HMHI for Residential Treatment for Youth?
Our multidisciplinary team includes board-certified child psychiatrists and expressive therapists, nurses, an education specialist, and psychiatry technicians. We provide more one-on-one therapy sessions than the industry standard. Our therapy program uses a dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)-based model. Patients in our program will be seen by a therapist three times each week for evidenced-based treatment and will attend a fully accredited education program, which allows patients the chance to earn credit toward graduation. At least one of these sessions will include the patient’s family.
Our multidisciplinary team meets weekly to evaluate each patient’s progress toward treatment goals. An education specialist will serve as a liaison to the patient’s school or home school to provide guidance and recommendations.
In addition, we also provide:
- 24-hour access to psychiatric services,
- expressive therapy and pet therapy,
- 24/7 locked supervision, and
- opportunities for community engagement, such as volunteering and recreational group outings (when safety allows).
Is Residential Treatment the Same as Inpatient?
Residential treatment is different than inpatient treatment. Inpatient mental health treatment is the highest level of care. Patients typically stay in a hospital setting for about a week to stabilize their health. Many patients then transition to our residential treatment center.
Youth residential treatment is a short-term program. A typical stay is one to three months. During that time, we work with both the individual and family to:
- better understand each patient’s mental health disorder,
- explore related stressors,
- address related family dynamics,
- teach adaptive coping, and
- provide safety planning.
Daily Schedule
We observe a preset schedule for each day. The schedule varies from weekdays to weekends but is structured to include key elements of treatment plus time for patients to relax each day.
Each weekday, your teen will:
- attend a goals group to set a goal and focus for the day;
- attend four hours of schooling;
- participate in expressive therapy, such as art, music, and other recreational activities;
- participate in group therapy, including learning DBT skills, such as distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and more;
- attend study hall; and
- participate in an evening group activity.
After breakfast each day, patients are divided into groups of six to eight. Patients set their own goals and focus tasks, which can include focusing more in school, practicing DBT skills, or reviewing what they would like to address in their next family therapy session. Patients are encouraged to choose their own goal each day, as long as it’s appropriate and treatment-based.
Individual and family therapy sessions are scheduled throughout the day. Evening group activities change periodically and range from watching a documentary movie to learning a new skill.
Weekend Schedule
Our weekend schedule is similarly structured, but with some variations. Activities may include chores, learning new skills, self-care activities. Patients who have earned higher levels can earn off-campus trips organized by the program. These trips will be chaperoned by staff members. Parents often visit their children at the facility on the weekends. Sundays include a nondenominational church service that is optional to attend.
Level Program
We use a level program to encourage patients to expand their skills. Patients can move up through the level system and earn additional privileges, such as a later bedtime and off-campus trips on the weekend. Promotion to the next level is achieved by engaging in treatment and making progress toward treatment goals.
Our program has four levels:
- Level 1: All patients enter the program at Level 1. They will earn points for participation in school, therapy sessions, group activities, etc.
- Level 2: These patients participate in all center activities and demonstrate knowledge and application of the dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) skills taught in therapy and group sessions.
- Level 3: Once patients reach this level, they will help lead group meetings and start practicing more advanced interpersonal relationship skills stemming from their DBT lessons.
- Level 4: Patients at this level work to develop leadership skills and self-advocacy. They will lead some group meetings and serve as mentors to other patients.
Find a Psychiatrist
Virtual Tour of Our Treatment Center
Our program accommodates up to 16 patients. We have eight double-occupancy bedrooms, and each room has:
- two twin beds,
- a shared bathroom,
- two nightstands,
- two desks, and
- wardrobe space for each patient.
Experienced residents are paired with new arrivals to foster an environment of peer-led support and guidance.We are happy to answer your questions about our living arrangements before admitting your teen.
Instead of an in-person pre-admission tour, we invite you to take a virtual tour of our residential treatment center below.
Academic Program
Our residential treatment program allows patients to keep up with their school work through our accredited education program. Our academic learning center is equipped with the latest technology in education, including a SmartBoard and high-speed Internet. Our educational specialist also helps identify any special education needs that our patients have, such as dyslexia or learning disorders.
This provides extended support, so when patients transition back to their home, parents can advocate for their child’s needs at school. Some students require an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to succeed in a traditional school environment. We will help identify that need and work with the student’s school district to set up an IEP if needed before leaving our program.
After Residential Treatment: What to Expect
Integral to your child’s success and mental health is ongoing treatment and follow-up care after discharge from our facility. Many of our patients discharge to our day treatment program, so their connection with our care providers will exist beyond their residential stay. This extends and strengthens the support system we provide for each patient.
We will work with each family to curate the best post-residential treatment plan possible for their unique needs—whether that’s day treatment, in-home therapy, or a more intensive outpatient program. Regardless of your family’s needs, we will help you develop a discharge plan before your child leaves our facility.
Signs You Need to Call Your Child's Mental Health Care Provider
We strive to make sure patients are set up with support services that begin immediately upon exiting our center. But sometimes parents notice signs that concern them after their child leaves the residential treatment center. Call your child’s mental health care provider if you observe any concerning behaviors in your child, such as:
- disengagement from usual activities,
- refusal to attend therapy,
- isolating,
- return of or increase in suicidal ideation,
- not attending school, or
- returning to former behaviors like self-harm or using drugs.
Patients can be readmitted to the treatment center if needed or referred for treatment to a suitable program.
Patient & Family Testimonials
"The groups and how welcoming, fun, caring the staff is here. Honestly, they made being here more easy to accept...I feel [my mom and I] both got to be heard and I feel like [our relationship] is going to get stronger."
“Staff were kind, knowledgeable, and had the best interests of my child at heart.”
"YRT, thank you so much for everything. My daughter is comfortable in her own skin now and has taken her tools and teachings to heart. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“I thought this site was well organized and kept us up-to-date with how our child was doing. The staff all seemed to care about our child’s well-being. The therapists were great. My child was able to keep up with schoolwork."
“The treatment team was amazing. They communicated well with us. Dr. Samdura went above and beyond to help us and make sure my daughter was getting the treatment she needed. Everybody we encountered was amazing, helpful, and answered all of our questions.”
“I could tell that their therapist really cared about my child’s well-being and progress. She had support at all hours. When she was having a hard time, there was always someone there for her to talk to. They were patient with her and never gave up. It seems like they thought of everything that they could do to help her succeed. The teacher in school was very caring about her learning and was wonderful and intuitive about individualized learning and working with my child’s strengths."
