As you set out on your journey of finding a potentially appropriate residential or wilderness program,  in general, is trust, but verify. Trust that what the program says about their program is true, but verify it with reliable third-party sources, state agencies, and online resources.

Licensing  and Accountability

• Ensure that the program you are researching is either licensed or has a governing body recognized by the state. Be aware that some states have MUCH  less licensing requirements than others.

• If you are considering a therapeutic program, ensure the license covers mental or behavioral health, not just education.

• Ask for the state agency that licenses the program. Contact the agency to make sure their license is current. (Yes, programs operate on a lapsed or revoked license all the time).

• If the program can’t name the state agency under which it is licensed or refuses to provide the information, don't engage.

• If the program is not licensed, operating in the state under an exemption, contact the state’s Attorney General and request information regarding any public complaints made against the program.

Accreditation

• • Check to see if an independent accreditation body accredits the program. While not necessarily an indicator of ethical operation or therapeutic effectiveness, accreditation can nonetheless ensure a level of confidence for parents that the program will maintain a safe environment for their teenager.

  • Mental and behavioral health accrediting bodies, such as Joint Commission, CARF, or COA, provide rigorous requirements for procedures, and policies.

  • Teen Challenge may accredit their own locations.  They act as a non-profit, religiously accredited organization with basic educational and operational requirements and a strong curriculum focused on emotional growth. They are not a safety, procedure, or policy accrediting body; they rely on state laws and regulations to ensure the safety of residents.

  • Educational accrediting bodies such as AdvanceEd provide requirements for the educational methods and practices of a program that will allow high school credits to transfer in and out of the program properly.
    If the program claims accreditation from any of these organizations (or any organization not listed here), contact the accrediting body and make sure that they are still accredited.

Criteria for Admission

• Ensure that the program you are considering can effectively address the problems your child is facing.

• For neurodiverse children (ADHD, ASD, OCD, etc.), ask about the program's qualifications for treating neurodiverse needs.

• Ask about the criteria for admission, what kinds of problems the program can address, and where it excels.

• Ask what it will take for your teenager to be dismissed from the program.

• Ask how many residents have been dismissed within the last six months. 

• Ask the program to describe the specific problems they had with the last resident they dismissed.

• If the program will place your child without question or assessment, consider finding another program.

Discipline Policies

• Ask how discipline is maintained and safety is considered. Ask if punishment of any kind is used, including corporal punishment, forced sitting in an uncomfortable position, extended isolation, withholding of food, or change in food intake in order to punish. If any of these methods are used, consider finding another program.

• Ask about program policies for a child who refuses to eat food or drink water.

• Ask whether staff have been trained in safe restraint, when restraint may be used, and how restraint is reported to the state and parents.

• Ask if isolation is used, when isolation may be used, how it is used, and how reporting of isolation is handled with the state and parents.

What About the Staff, Owners, and Leadership? Are Staff Qualified?

• Request verification that the program has conducted background checks on all its staff members.

• Ask about staff qualifications, their degrees, credentials, their licenses, and how long they have been doing this work.

Refund Policies (IMPORTANT!)

• Ensure you thoroughly understand the refund policies of the program you are considering. Many programs require a substantial upfront investment, or the entire amount. Please make sure that a clause in your contract protects you from losing the entire amount in case of a failed placement.

Are You Reading a Lot of Negative Reviews Online? Some Things to Consider

Negative reviews online can sometimes be helpful, but you do need to take into account a few things. First, negative student reviews can often sound like horror stories because the student may have a bit of an axe to grind. Students who do not complete their program often hold very tightly to a significant amount of anger and resentment toward their parents, the program they were essentially forced to attend, and the world. They also often get groups of friends involved who are of the same mindset in an effort to harm the program they attended.

We’re not saying that every negative student review is written out of spite — in fact, some reviews may be fully truthful and entirely heartbreaking. What we are saying is that it’s important to be mindful of the writer, his or her motive, and their potential mental and behavioral health at the time of writing.

Second, keep in mind that a ton of positive reviews may be the result of unethical internet marketing tactics. Many programs hire firms in places like India to write and post glowing reviews. Be mindful of the fact that not every review is real.

Last, but not least, make sure that you’re getting at least some personally-validated feedback. Your best source will always be a parent whom has had a child in the program you are considering within the last 9-12 months. Ask the program for parent references, professional references, and written testimonies from students. If the person has nothing but good to say about the program, make sure that they actually had a child attend the program within the last three years, because program operating quality can change drastically within a short amount of time. Ask how their student is doing now, because long-term results speak louder than words.

Open Inquiry

The program leaders and staff are willing to ask questions. They are willing to inquire of others as to how to make the program better, and willing to admit that the way they are currently operating may need to change.

Continual Improvement

The program operates under the assumption that it can always improve, gain new knowledge, and grow from others’ experiences, successes, and failures.

Anti-Competetive

The program is willing to share methods, ideas, and collaborate with like-minded people in order to serve families rather than serve their program. The program has a mindset that if you cannot help a particular family, you are willing to help them find a more appropriate placement.