Residential Care for Teen Mental Health
We are exploring the possibility of residential treatment for ADHD impulsivity issues, spectrum and PDA-related challenges and some degree of school refusal. If anyone has experience with residential facilities for teens, good and bad, and the process of finding one, we'd be grateful for any info. So far we've been told to look at Paradigm and Evolve.
Jun 17, 2025
Parent Replies
We sent our son to an RTC. We'd run out of options to keep him home, that is, provide treatment and education, and if we didn't do something, we were risking his life and his future. If your kid will participate in a wrap around program, that's the way to go, because transfer to an RTC/TBS can be traumatic. Sometimes, though, the kid needs an intervention. If you can get them to buy into the idea, that's makes it much easier, because otherwise you have to have them transported, and that's awful for everyone.
So, a lot of people use educational consultants to find a treatment or wilderness program. They'll get your kid's profile and then match them with the programs they think will fit. You do your research, talk to staff, and go look at the place if you can. Be aware that in CA, kids can sign themselves out at 12 years old. A lot of these programs are in Utah, Idaho, North Carolina; they've been coming under fire, and there's been some turnover since we went through the process. The other thing is how to pay for it. Some families get settlements from the school district to cover at least part of the tuition. If your kid has an IEP and the services are inadequate, they will be legally liable for his education. You can also find an educational advocate to help with this part. There are facebook groups for families with kids in RTCs and support groups like Parents Helping Parents and Willows in the Wind that might be able to provide resources. Hang in there. Feel free to reach out through the newsletter.
Our daughter went to both short term and long term residential programs. There are many things to consider especially their age which you don’t mention here. Exposure to the intense issues of older teens can create its own problems for younger teens. So trying to place them into situations where kids are of similar age can be beneficial. She did go to Paradigm and it was among the better places. There is also a place called Ascend HC in the LA area that is very good. They have different houses that focus on various aspects of mental health issues and I believe they have a house specific to ADHD and spectrum. One thing to know is the vast majority of these programs refer kids to long term treatment after they complete the program. It’s very important that you also assess what you think your child would benefit from most afterwards. I highly recommend hiring an Educational Consultant. They do cost money but some will work with you. They know a lot about not just each place but who is currently in the milieu, staff, etc and will help smooth communication and address any issues that arise. They can also help you work with your local school district to support your child as needed. We used Sarah McGuiness at Thrive who I highly recommend after a couple other not great ones. Also there is a Facebook Group called WTRS where you can get advise and support from other parents going through these difficult times. There is also Willows locally. This is a hard journey. I wish you all the best.
Hello,
So sorry that you are in this situation. There is a zoom support group in the Bay Area, called Family Sanity (formerly was Willows in the Wind). You will find other parents on similar journeys, with advice and support. You can sign up at FamilySanity.org I believe the next meetings are July 13 and 19.
My son needed a stay in residential treatment in order to stay alive and to learn better coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety. I could not provide the 24-hour care that he needed, in my home.
Best of luck with your next steps.
I recommend getting a consultant to help you navigate this difficult maze of both placement options as well as diagnoses, etc. We used Scott Hall (scott [at] hall-consulting.com) but believe he specializes in boys. He was tremendous and helped us place our son twice -- first in Wilderness and then into an RTC, both of which were great matches for him. I'd give him a shout, He can guide you towards a girl consultant if he does in fact not help girl families. I am sorry your family is in this position but can promise you there is hope and help out there. All the best.
You may have already considered this but also consider Intensive Outpatient Programs and Partial Hospitalization Programs (IOP and PHP are the industry acronyms). My 14yo had very different issues, but absolutely needed a higher level of support. A few suggestions from my research: