I've written a fair amount about troubles in the troubled teen industry. Is residential treatment ever appropriate? Yes, and there's an organization that is focussing on the issue:
In order to address the rising concerns of mistreatment and financial gain at the expense of desperate parents, a multi-disciplinary group of mental health professionals and advocates formed the Alliance for the Safe, Therapeutic and Appropriate use of Residential Treatment (A START). A START was initiated in 2005 as a collaborative effort involving the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI) at the University of South Florida and the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. A START members, including FMHI interim Dean Robert Friedman and Allison Pinto from the institute’s Department of Child & Family Studies, recently contributed to an article published in a special issue of the American Journal of Orthospychiatry focused on residential treatment for children and adolescents. The Journal is dedicated to informing public policy and professional practice and expanding knowledge related to human rights and social justice.
A START has published a factsheet for parents who are considering residential treatment programs:
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