What You Need To Know About Mental Health Residential Treatment Centers
Mental health residential treatment centers often get a reputation as being locations for crazy people to live in. However, there are many different forms of mental health concerns that treatment is offered for. Some of them include depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and behavioral concerns. Various mental health problems can affect children as well which is why they may need the benefit of a mental health residential treatment center.
Finding a Quality Program
Finding a quality program is essential should you be leaning towards placing your child in such a facility. There can be many variables that cause mental health symptoms and treating the entire picture is very important. Such treatment is more effective than treating only one area of it. Most forms of mental health situations do involve both individual and group counseling as forms of treatment. They work to help children on an emotional and mental level.
There are physical concerns with some forms of mental health issues as well that need to be addressed. For example depression can lead to serious fatigue. Getting adequate exercise is usually part of an overall mental health residential treatment program. That way your child will be getting some great exercise through various forms of individual or group activities offered.
Part of a quality mental health residential treatment center is the qualifications of their staff. You will find many different types of professionals at such an establishment. Understanding who should be there as well as the role they play can give you some insight about what the program can offer your child.
Medical Doctor
A medical doctor will check your child out and make sure there aren’t any underlying health issues to evaluate. They are also available should your child become ill, get injured, or there is some type of emergency. They can also play a role in prescribing and regulating medications that may be used as part of the mental health treatment.
Social Worker
Social workers can be found at mental health residential treatment centers. They are often in a position to be a family advocate. They know the laws and they can help to get assessments completed. They often help to be the bridge between the parents and the child so that effective communication is taking place. They can also help to prepare both for the return of the child to the home after treatment.
Counselor or Psychologist
You may find people with the credentials of either a counselor or psychologist the facility. They are there to listen to the adolescents as well as to guide them into exploring their feelings. With their help they can ask questions and give insight to various elements in a person’s life. They are going to be objective as well as very supportive. They also strive to offer encouragement as your child discusses some of the challenging topics that will come up.
Psychiatrist
Many people often lump a psychiatrist into that last category as well. However, they are different as they have the authority to offer both counseling services and to prescribe medications. Many mental health problems are effectively controlled through the combination of therapy and medications.
Ask for Credentials
Never assume though that an adolescent mental health treatment center has the right credentials. Don’t be embarrassed to ask about them as well as to verify them. Ask about the credentials of their staff, what types of training they undergo, and even if the facility conducts thorough background checks.
The more you look into before making the final placement decision, the better the outcome can be for your child. The amount of time necessary in the mental health residential treatment center can vary. It will likely be at least 30 days but most of them are at least 90 days. If your child has serious mental health concerns though he or she may require a much longer stay.
Why a Residential Facility?
With a residential facility your child will have care that they need around the clock. They won’t be at risk of hurting themselves or someone else. They have the best of all these types of professionals to work with on a regular schedule. They may spend 5 or more hours a day in different programs to help them progress through the stages of it. This type of in depth process isn’t the same with an outpatient program.
Here are additional resources you might be interested in:
The Different Levels of an Adolescent Residential Treatment
Questions and Answers about Residential Treatment Programs for Teens
