Teen Help Programs - The Research

Coming to the conclusion you are in need of residential treatment for your teen is not an easy admission for any parent.  It is a point of realization that you can no longer help them and by denying them the opportunity of an intervention, you may be enabling them into a dark future.

As my previous Blog post stated, finding the right placement for your teen is a tedious and time consuming job, however extremely necessary.  This is a major financial and emotional step and as a parent, you need to take the reins and be part of this process.


Some thoughts and tips (from my own experiences) are the following:
  • Beware of all these toll free numbers that go to places unknown - are marketing arms for a variety of programs and usually don't have your child's best interest, rather they are suggesting programs or schools that will "pay" for the referral.
  • With this thought- always speak with the owner or the director.  Someone that has a vested interest in your child's recovery since it will reflect on their reputation.  It is always beneficial, if you are working with a local therapist, to have them speak with the program you are considering to find out if it is a good fit.  Remember, if your therapist has recommended residential - this is a step you should take, but sadly there are some therapists that don't recommend residential therapy since it usually means they are losing a client.
  • Are you determined to find a "religious" based program or school?  Convinced that the bible will guide your teen back to you?  Maybe - but remember, "religious based" programs rarely have to meet the same regulations that normal schools and programs do.  A perfect example is where my daughter attended (that abused her and harmed her, while defrauding me): It was called Carolina Springs Academy.  The changed their name to Magnolia Christian School.  Why?  They no longer have to report to DSS.  Read a recent news article.
  • Are you finding all these horror stories online about these types of programs? Remember, you need to take it from the source.  Many of them are disgruntled teens that didn't want to go to a program and obviously attending didn't help them, however the majority is quite different.  To sooth your mind, remember the Internet is full of fact and fiction, sometimes it is different to decipher.  However looking into public records for legitimate lawsuits filed against programs can give you the real answers.  My name is either famous or infamous - but when you look at my past, my court records prove that my stories are accurate and I actually won an $11.3M jury verdict for the slime that was written about me online.  As the jury spoke loudly in the case with WWASPS - I defeated them to keep my story online - www.aparentstruestory.com - since it was told truthfully as I and many others experienced.
For more information on residential therapy and hints visit www.helpyourteens.com

I will have more tips to come..... If you are looking for help ASAP - feel free to contact me.

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