What Options Do You Have

This is just a brief description of what is available to you. If you would like detailed information on what your options are please give us a call. There are many different choices for you to make. Programs are like shoes - one size doesn't fit everyone. Let us help you determine which program will best fit your child.

Behavior Modification Schools
Designed to help children with behavior problems

Boot Camp Type Schools
Juvenile boot camps, teen boot camps, and boot camps for troubled teens are all terms associated with a Military setting - uniforms, structure and discipline

Boarding school for troubled teen, School for troubled teen, School for problem teen, School for troubled youth
Some boarding schools are also referred to as behavior modification schools, boot camps, or specialty schools.

Home for troubled teen, Group home for troubled teen
Some states offer placement for troubled teens with foster families if biological parents relinquish custody of the child

Drug treatment program, Substance abuse treatment program
In addition to the other types of programs and placement options discussed on this site, there are other options. One such option is a drug treatment program, or specifically a teen drug treatment program. There are usually local options for you to consider, as well as choices a little further away from home. One source available in many states is Teen Anon. This type of help may be beneficial if you are dealing with a compliant, willing teen. If they are still in denial that they have a problem, for the most part this option may prove to be a waste of time.

Troubled Youth Program
Troubled youth programs, troubled teen programs, and defiant teen programs are all basically the same. These types of placements are for children that have been expelled from school; they may be experiencing minor legal troubles, minor substance abuse, and a myriad of other problems. The intent and hope is that here is something for a child who seems to be slipping through the cracks. The school system has only limited resources to help with a defiant teen. The legal system is usually a "too little too late" type of option with placement in the juvenile system the only recourse. A borderline adolescent put in this system will usually not fair very well. The end result is a child that comes home with disturbing new friends and better drug connections than they had when they left home. It is the goal of most parents to keep their child away from this, rather than hurl them into the midst of it.

Residential Treatment Centers
Residential treatment centers vary in what they offer. Many are geared to help youth and adults with some kind of a psychiatric problem or substance abuse issue. They can be broken down into 4 categories:

Residential Treatment Program
Help with suicidal, psychiatric, and substance abuse problems

Residential Drug Treatment Center
Specific help for substance abuse dependency, or addiction

Residential Treatment For Troubled Teen
Combination of the two categories above coupled with a structured daily schedule

Therapeutic Boarding Schools
Residential placement for teen in need of therapy and counseling

In seeking help for a defiant teen you will need to check with the facility you are looking into to see if they are set up to deal with defiant patients. The cost for placement in a clinical setting is more than if you were to place your child in a behavior modification program to deal with their defiant behavior. If the adolescent is reluctant to work with a counselor or therapist at home they will usually not be willing to talk to one in a residential setting either. There are advantages to paying the extra fee for a therapeutic placement for a troubled teen. If the teen should reach a point where they are starting to open up and want to talk about issues that may be at the core of their negative behavior, they will have someone trained to help them.

If a child has suicidal tendencies a therapeutic setting is definitely encouraged. Many teens will talk about suicide. The difficulty in placing them is to determine if they would be capable of causing harm to themselves. If an adolescent has made a serious attempt, or is diagnosed suicidal, you will definitely want that child placed in a psychiatric facility or a competent residential treatment facility. This will assure that if they are suicidal they will be monitored closely. If the teen is simply using suicide as a "hot button" to get out of a difficult situation they are in or if they are using it to manipulate parents, a behavior-modification placement may be appropriate. The best way to be sure if your teen may be in danger is to have them evaluated by a psychiatric professional.

It is not the intent of this site to provide psychiatric counseling or replace help that may be obtained from a qualified doctor. Our comments and text come from our experience in helping place teens in various types of programs and schools.

Boot camps and Military schools

Boot Camps
The term boot camp can mean anything from a real estate boot camp to a defiant teen boot camp. If you are looking on this site you are obviously interested in help for a troubled adolescent. On television, like most everything on television, the boot camps produce immediate results. In the real world it takes a little more time to change behaviors that a child has been cultivating for many years. It is only logical to realize that long-term changes are going to take a little time. Most of the programs we work with are around a year in length. The one-year time frame, while not a magical number, seems to be about the average time it takes help a child make the changes they need to.

Military Boarding Schools
In times past a military school was the term used to describe where kids went who couldn't seem to make it in a regular school setting. Today a military school is a privilege to attend, and can only be accessed by students that have a desire to excel. The potential student must come with a good report card and some references from their previous teachers. This obviously is not an appropriate fit for a teen that is defiant and unruly. If the parents are able to convince the military school to take their child, and he should decide to act out, he could be expelled. When a child is asked to leave a military school there is no refund. This can be a substantial amount as tuition is paid for the semester in advance at most military schools.

Wilderness Program
The term wilderness program can refer to several types of programs. If you are seeking help for a defiant, out of control teen, the term wilderness program is referring to a behavior modification style program that has a component of the program that is held out doors.

This type of placement has both pros and cons. Some placement agencies or educational consultants will send a child to a wilderness program before they go to a boarding type school. They believe that if he child has a high impact type experience they will be more likely to settle down and focus on improving themselves in the new boarding school. There are some well established wilderness experience programs that are accident free and have been around for many years. In contrast there are also some that have not been so safe and effective.

It is good when looking into an outdoor program to ask specifically about any problems, accidents, or even deaths they may have had. Some states have increased the regulations associated with this type of placement to assure that the child will have adequate food, shelter, and overall safety while they are in the care of a school or program in their state. However it is the ultimate responsibility of the parent to verify the safety and track record of any potential placement option they are considering.

Wilderness Adventure Program, Teen Summer Program
This term can refer to a program similar to the one described above or it could be an option for someone looking to give a compliant and well behaved teen an experience in the out of doors. If it is just a summer adventure for well behaved teens they are usually not going to want a defiant out of control teen to come along. The other problem is that an adolescent with behavior problems will usually not want to go anywhere the parent wants them to go, even if it is for fun. The majority of teens we deal with are not going to benefit much from a wilderness adventure.

Camp for Troubled Teen
While searching for help for defiant children the term camp for troubled teen can mean several things. Most parents looking for help are not sure exactly what they are looking for. The word camp would usually indicate that some kind of out door or wilderness experience is what is being sought, when in reality the best option may be a traditional boarding school or a residential treatment center. We can help assess the needs of a child and help you determine what may be the best option for your family. The term camp could also mean that the parent is looking for a boot camp for a defiant teen. Whether you are looking for a boot camp, a wilderness experience, or just some time apart from your teen we will help you explore your options.

Don't Give Up - There is Hope
We at Troubled Teen are here to help you find the most appropriate placement for your child. We have many schools to chose from. We also have a financial department to help you research what financial options may work best for you. If your child has just started down the path of negative behavior or if he has been on the wrong course for a long time we can help. Our programs boast in the neighborhood of 85% success rate at helping troubled youth get turned around. Don't hesitate if your life is miserable trying to decide what to do. Give us a call, you are not alone.