Residential Treatment Center (RTC) questions

[cfa3]

Hello everyone:

I am hoping to ask some questions about Residential Treatment Center (RTC) here. I live in FL, we have medicaid (no private insurance). I am in process of applying for a psychiatric residential called SIPP which to my undertsanding is the residential that medicaid covers. This program is for no longer then 9 months and usually less, in some cases medicaid can decide the child doesnt need it after a few months,

My question is, for those of you who have used Residential Treatment Center (RTC) or are looking into it, other then paying out of pocket (whhich would be great!), what kinds of residential are available? Do your private insurance cover Residential Treatment Center (RTC)?? I hear of kids going to live at Residential Treatment Center (RTC), like for years. What covers that? Does it vary by state? By insurance?

I am worried because things are severe with my son. If he comes back from this short term Residential Treatment Center (RTC) (psychiatric program) and not enough has changed I will need other options if we cant live together. What do people do? There are group homes under his autism waiver but those are not therapeutic settings (he is Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) not otherwise specified, and the mood disorder and other dysregulation issues are the presenting problem).....

Just looking for different examples of Residential Treatment Center (RTC), length of stay, how you paid, what you do if you need a permanent or placement for a few years? Thank you!!!

 

[JJJ]

For many kids, a 6-9 month program can work wonders. For others, permanent placement in an Residential Treatment Center (RTC) isn't long enough! There are general sources of funding.

Private Insurance: Some insurance policies covers a certain number of days.

Medicaid/State Funding: Medicaid is administered by the states so this varies by state. Some states have special programs that fund Residential Treatment Center (RTC) for certain children (Illinois and Minnesota are two I know about, it is rare)

School District: This funding is generally only an option for children who are having extreme issues in school.

Foster Care: A last ditch option in some states for children.

Juvenile Justice: More likely, the child will be incarcerated but occassionally I have heard of a child being placed in a secure Residential Treatment Center (RTC).

 

[JJJ]

If a 9-month stay is all you can get, I recommend grabbing it with both hands, doing the maximum number of family therapies, attend any parent training they offer, etc. Two reason...(1) it maximizes the chance that the program will work and (2) if the program does not work, you will have staff that will be able to say that you did everything you could...that could be the key to getting additional help.

 

[cfa3]

Thank you JJ for both posts. I will yes grab any amount of time the placement will give us!!! My son is SUCH a hard case it is hard to have hope. But yes will be grateful for the time they give us.

So what medicaid covers differs by state? I wonder if they cover anything more long term or permanent beside the psychiatric program we are about to do called SIPP. i will ask. When you say some states medicaid have "special programs" that cover Residential Treatment Center (RTC), does that mean short term placements or permanent programs? Is that really was Residential Treatment Center (RTC) means, a long term or permament situation?

As for foster care, that sounds sad, does that mean that the parent has given up custody? Dont think I could handle that........I see one of your kids does not live at home, may I ask is she at an Residential Treatment Center (RTC)?

Thanks so much, any info is so helpful!

 

[JJJ]

So what medicaid covers differs by state? I wonder if they cover anything more long term or permanent beside the psychiatric program we are about to do called SIPP. i will ask. When you say some states medicaid have "special programs" that cover Residential Treatment Center (RTC), does that mean short term placements or permanent programs? Is that really was Residential Treatment Center (RTC) means, a long term or permament situation?

Medicaid is state administered and jointly-funded by federal and state monies. In my state, Medicaid does NOT fund Residential Treatment Center (RTC) at all. They do fund psychiatric hospital stays and I've heard of some pretty lengthy ones (Kanga's longest was 51 days inpatient and 30 days outpatient). My state has a very unique program that pays for Residential Treatment Center (RTC) for children with severe reality impairment. It has a hefty application process, less than 10% of those who apply actually get funded and we have to apply each year for renewal (most renewals are granted). Kanga's grant just got renewed to cover past her 18th birthday!!

Residential Treatment Center (RTC) generally is not designed to be a permanent placement. Most programs that I have looked at seem to think that a child can be helped in 6-12 months. Several programs stated that after 24 months if the child was still in need of Residential Treatment Center (RTC), that they would work with the parents for a transfer because clearly the child needed a different program. Residential Treatment Center (RTC)'s are suppose to be temporary.

As for foster care, that sounds sad, does that mean that the parent has given up custody? Dont think I could handle that........I see one of your kids does not live at home, may I ask is she at an Residential Treatment Center (RTC)?

WRT foster care, it depends on the state. In the worst scenario, the parents are charged with neglect and lose custody. In others, the child is deemed in need of services and it is basically a joint CPS/parent custody situation.

Kanga is at her 4th Residential Treatment Center (RTC). Kanga made multiple attempts to kill us, especially Tigger. Kanga was the queen of false allegations and fooled many people so it was very, very difficult to get help. In late 2007, she had lost control enough to start bragging to the psychiatric hospital staff about her plans to "get rid of" the other kids. Even then, we were forced to bring her home under threats of CPS charges. I got her the grant described above (thanks to a member here whose son had one; I never would have known about the program without her!). She was placed in her first Residential Treatment Center (RTC) at 13. We had two disasterous home visits and she has not set foot in our house since she was 14.

Kanga is unrepentant and still resorts to violence when she can't get her way. I think our situation with Kanga is pretty uncommon. Most kids in Residential Treatment Center (RTC) do have a return home goal.