Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New profile posts
Latest activity
Internet Search
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Parent Support Forums
General Parenting
How to Get Them into an Residential Treatment Center (RTC)?
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="slsh" data-source="post: 240936" data-attributes="member: 8"><p>WSM - There's a list of questions to ask RTCs in the General Archives. If you do decide to go that route, it's a good starting point and then just add your own questions.</p><p> </p><p>This is <em><u><strong>just</strong></u></em> my experience: Most RTCs will tell you average stay is between 12-18 months. My son has been in 3 RTCs plus his current placement, and in every single one of them the percentage of kids who are wards of the state has been at least 90%. That in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing, but it has meant that my son has been exposed to kids who have come from some very different kinds of families and kids who have life histories that *no* child should ever have, kids who get zero visits, etc. It can be hard. I secretly hoped it would make him appreciate what he has but... no such luck. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /> Also, with every placement he's had, I found that I had to "prove" myself to staff - I am an involved parent and I want to know what is going on with my kid. I get the sense that that is not always the case and staff is more used to dealing with parents who are less invested.</p><p> </p><p>My son has been in 2 truly outstanding RTCs, really the best of the best. There were still various kinds of problems ranging from inappropriate sexual behavior with- peers to less than stellar followup in terms of routine medical issues. Every facility is going to have it's problems. You simply are not going to find one that will "parent" the way you do. Some things you may have to let slide (movies were my biggie when he was 9/10/11 years old - PG was forbidden here at home but okay at Residential Treatment Center (RTC)).</p><p> </p><p>Again, just my experience, but it is not one long therapy session. Absolutely, in the good ones there's a huge therapeutic component, much more than can be provided at home, but ... it's not what I would define as intensive. It probably depends on the program, but even in the very best placement my difficult child has ever been, there was a *lot* of down time. Of course, it could have had a lot to do with my kid, LOL. Kind of hard to be intensively therapeutic with a kid who's being dangerously violent or rolling around on the ground making animal noises. </p><p> </p><p>You also need to remember than an Residential Treatment Center (RTC) is an artificial environment. My son honeymooned for 18 months in his first one - they really didn't see the degree of behaviors we had dealt with at home for a very long time. Transferring skills from the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) environment back to home has been our worst challenge - my kid has been discharged to home twice and both times, we ended up back where we started within 3 months. From a clinical standpoint it was interesting because husband and I used almost opposite parenting styles the second time compared to the first - but it still was a disaster. </p><p> </p><p>There is absolutely no guarantee with an Residential Treatment Center (RTC). 4 years and 7 months in 2 excellent settings (and 1 year 1 month in a facility that was a real snake pit but hid it well), and my kid is .... well, he's still incredibly challenged. He talks the talk but the internalization of coping skills and tools, which in my humble opinion is the ultimate goal of Residential Treatment Center (RTC) in a perfect world, has not happened with him. I don't mean to be discouraging but I would really hate for you to think that an Residential Treatment Center (RTC) will "fix" things definitively. There has to be an iota of willingness on the part of the child to participate in his/her own treatment. If it's not there, I don't think any program will be unable to get them to the other side.</p><p> </p><p>There's a huge variety of RTCs out there. I'd do your research very carefully, get input from professionals working with your family, and absolutely visit each Residential Treatment Center (RTC) in person (goes without saying in my book). Some RTCs are geared towards specific diagnoses or cognitive levels. </p><p> </p><p>If you're looking for an evaluation, I'd try to have it done as an outpatient. If you're looking for intensive therapy and can afford it, I'd almost recommend finding a behavior specialist who will work with you in the home, as many days a week as it takes, before taking the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) route. That's just my bias - it may not work but... Residential Treatment Center (RTC) may not either.</p><p> </p><p>I truly truly don't mean to be discouraging but I think it's important to remember, as one of our old-timers (Rita) told me a long time ago, your child will *still* be a difficult child when he/she comes home from Residential Treatment Center (RTC). Hopefully better equipped and able to use coping skills but at the end of the day, still a difficult child.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="slsh, post: 240936, member: 8"] WSM - There's a list of questions to ask RTCs in the General Archives. If you do decide to go that route, it's a good starting point and then just add your own questions. This is [I][U][B]just[/B][/U][/I] my experience: Most RTCs will tell you average stay is between 12-18 months. My son has been in 3 RTCs plus his current placement, and in every single one of them the percentage of kids who are wards of the state has been at least 90%. That in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing, but it has meant that my son has been exposed to kids who have come from some very different kinds of families and kids who have life histories that *no* child should ever have, kids who get zero visits, etc. It can be hard. I secretly hoped it would make him appreciate what he has but... no such luck. ;) Also, with every placement he's had, I found that I had to "prove" myself to staff - I am an involved parent and I want to know what is going on with my kid. I get the sense that that is not always the case and staff is more used to dealing with parents who are less invested. My son has been in 2 truly outstanding RTCs, really the best of the best. There were still various kinds of problems ranging from inappropriate sexual behavior with- peers to less than stellar followup in terms of routine medical issues. Every facility is going to have it's problems. You simply are not going to find one that will "parent" the way you do. Some things you may have to let slide (movies were my biggie when he was 9/10/11 years old - PG was forbidden here at home but okay at Residential Treatment Center (RTC)). Again, just my experience, but it is not one long therapy session. Absolutely, in the good ones there's a huge therapeutic component, much more than can be provided at home, but ... it's not what I would define as intensive. It probably depends on the program, but even in the very best placement my difficult child has ever been, there was a *lot* of down time. Of course, it could have had a lot to do with my kid, LOL. Kind of hard to be intensively therapeutic with a kid who's being dangerously violent or rolling around on the ground making animal noises. You also need to remember than an Residential Treatment Center (RTC) is an artificial environment. My son honeymooned for 18 months in his first one - they really didn't see the degree of behaviors we had dealt with at home for a very long time. Transferring skills from the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) environment back to home has been our worst challenge - my kid has been discharged to home twice and both times, we ended up back where we started within 3 months. From a clinical standpoint it was interesting because husband and I used almost opposite parenting styles the second time compared to the first - but it still was a disaster. There is absolutely no guarantee with an Residential Treatment Center (RTC). 4 years and 7 months in 2 excellent settings (and 1 year 1 month in a facility that was a real snake pit but hid it well), and my kid is .... well, he's still incredibly challenged. He talks the talk but the internalization of coping skills and tools, which in my humble opinion is the ultimate goal of Residential Treatment Center (RTC) in a perfect world, has not happened with him. I don't mean to be discouraging but I would really hate for you to think that an Residential Treatment Center (RTC) will "fix" things definitively. There has to be an iota of willingness on the part of the child to participate in his/her own treatment. If it's not there, I don't think any program will be unable to get them to the other side. There's a huge variety of RTCs out there. I'd do your research very carefully, get input from professionals working with your family, and absolutely visit each Residential Treatment Center (RTC) in person (goes without saying in my book). Some RTCs are geared towards specific diagnoses or cognitive levels. If you're looking for an evaluation, I'd try to have it done as an outpatient. If you're looking for intensive therapy and can afford it, I'd almost recommend finding a behavior specialist who will work with you in the home, as many days a week as it takes, before taking the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) route. That's just my bias - it may not work but... Residential Treatment Center (RTC) may not either. I truly truly don't mean to be discouraging but I think it's important to remember, as one of our old-timers (Rita) told me a long time ago, your child will *still* be a difficult child when he/she comes home from Residential Treatment Center (RTC). Hopefully better equipped and able to use coping skills but at the end of the day, still a difficult child. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Parent Support Forums
General Parenting
How to Get Them into an Residential Treatment Center (RTC)?
Top