Schools for Troubled Teens

 It is one of the biggest decisions a parent can make, does your troubled teen need a therapeutic boarding school? Searching for schools for troubled teens is no small task.


Did you know one internet search for “schools for troubled teens” yields nearly 9 million results? How do you decide what is best for your struggling teenager?


It is typically the first time you are considering these types of behavioral boarding schools after exhausting your local resources, and not aware of what is available. The terminology can be confusing, such as should you choose a therapeutic boarding school or a residential treatment center?


Does your teen need a same gender program or would coed more beneficial for them? Maybe you are considering a ranch program or a program with a spiritual component. Do you have a young adult — curious about what life-skills programs can offer them and how they can enhance their future?


Since 2001 we have helped parents learn about places for troubled teens as well as how to search for schools for troubled teens online.


Cost of Schools for Troubled Teens


One of the first things parents need to brace themselves for is the sticker-shock. The average tuition of therapeutic boarding schools starts at about $9000 monthly. You will notice that the majority of the websites do not list their tuition costs. Once you start your research, you will notice that $9000 is actually the lower end as most will average about $12,000 and up monthly.


Before you kill the messenger, there are ways to offset these fees. Starting with medical insurance. If you have PPO insurance that offers out-of-network benefits, you will likely have a portion of the tuition covered. There are some programs that will file your insurance for you — and some will deduct it from your monthly tuition. Feel free to contact us for the programs that participate in filing insurances.


If you have HMO, Medicaid, or Tricare, they do require you to stay in-network. If your family doesn’t want out-of-pocket costs, we advise you to contact your insurance provider directly for a list of residential

 treatment centers in-network.

There are also educational loans available through various lenders. Our financial page offers a list of ways parents have offset costs for therapeutic programs.


Online Search for Troubled Youth Programs


Be an educated parent when you jump online to search for schools for troubled teens, skip over the sponsored listings as well as marketing arms, they are not always in the best interest of your teenager. There are schools and programs that have been in business for decades that will organically come up since their URL has been around a long time.


When you land on a site that is selling schools and programs take a moment to pause — if there is a program on that site that piques your interest, write it down. Open a new browser and contact them directly. When you go through marketing arms or directory sites you risk selling your information to third parties. Again, this is not in the best interest of your child.


Another distraction can be the numerous negative websites that have created fearmongering for parents that causes them to second guess a decision to get their child the help they may need. Make no mistake about it, there are some bad apples in this industry, however when you are equipped with knowledge you are able to find the right therapeutic boarding school for your troubled teen.


Specialty Programs for Troubled Teens


One of the most important elements in choosing the right school for your troubled teen is the specialty programs or enrichment programs they offer. What is part of their program that stimulates your child and motivates them in a positive direction — as well as building self-worth? Let’s face it, you are placing them in a therapeutic boarding school for both emotional growth as well as educational achievement, but they also need ways to encourage change to help with teen issues.


Some examples are: Animal therapy (equine, canine), music therapy, art therapy, gardening therapy, culinary, and more.

 

Also read:

Frequent Questions Parents Ask About Therapeutic Schools

How to Interview Schools for Troubled Teens

Success of Therapeutic Schools

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If you are considering a therapeutic boarding school for your troubled teen, contact us for a free consultation.

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