Does My Teen Need a Therapeutic Boarding School?

For teens experiencing mental health disorders who need residential care to help them heal and thrive in life, therapeutic boarding schools may be the answer. 

If you have been thinking about the value of these types of programs, read more to understand the benefits of your child attending a therapeutic boarding school. 

Horizon Recovery helps guide adolescents who need help regaining good mental health while still staying current in their education.

Learn more about our teen mental health treatment programs or verify your insurance now.

What are Therapeutic Boarding Schools for Teenagers?

Therapeutic boarding schools are residential facilities that treat teenagers who have challenges to their mental health and need the focused care of a 24/7 program. 

Many also treat substance use disorders under the same roof because addiction to drugs and alcohol often co-occur with mental illnesses. 

A child attending a boarding school will temporarily live in a facility while receiving round-the-clock care focused on their mental health. 

The school should be licensed and include different types of therapy to help teens understand their diagnosis and the power they have to minimize their symptoms. Many programs include a way to continue the child’s education through tutoring and other options.

Does My Child Need a Therapeutic Boarding School?

If a teenager has a mental health disorder that cannot be managed with outpatient treatment, a therapeutic boarding school can be an effective alternative. 

Other factors that influence whether a child needs to attend this type of school include:

• Drop in educational progress
• Self-destructive behaviors
• Conflicts within the family
• Substance use disorder
• Adverse childhood experiences
• Previous outpatient treatment doesn’t provide adequate or lasting results
• A sense of hopelessness and despair about their current life and the future

What Types of Therapy Do Therapeutic Boarding Schools Offer?

A quality therapeutic boarding school will offer more than one type of therapy to help provide insight and ways of developing healthy coping skills for teenagers. Some common types of therapy used include:

• Clinical therapies
• Holistic therapies
• Family therapy
• Education services
• Independent living skills training
• Neurofeedback therapy
• Medication management

Mental Health Disorders Treated in Therapeutic Boarding Schools

Teenagers can develop any number of mental health disorders, and finding a program that has experience treating them proves valuable. Mental illnesses treated by therapeutic boarding schools include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Dual Diagnosis
• Addiction
• Trauma/PTSD
• Self-Harm
• OCD

A full diagnosis will be done prior to admission to a program to help determine the exact mental illness the individual has and which level of care will best meet their needs. 

Benefits of Attending Therapeutic Boarding Schools

For many families, having their teenager attend a boarding school that provides therapy can turn their child’s life around. 

Benefits of these types of schools include:

• Access to prescription medications to help ease symptoms
• A better understanding of mental health disorders and how to manage them
• Keeping up with academic pursuits
• Peer support from other teens with similar goals for healing
• Access to licensed therapists with experience treating teenagers
• A more unified family
• Improved communication skills
• Comprehensive care is provided around the clock
• A safe environment in which to heal
• Teens get a break from the daily challenges of their lives and can relax and fully focus on healing

Do Parents Play a Part in Their Child’s Treatment?

Even when parents do their research and find the best therapeutic boarding schools to choose from, they still want to be kept up-to-date on how their child is progressing. Before choosing a treatment center, parents should ask about each place’s policy on keeping the parents in the loop about how their child is doing. 

Attending family therapy can allow parents and their child to speak candidly under the guidance of a licensed therapist. As well, the parents should be updated on how their child is doing when it comes to continuing their education while in a residential program. 

Does Insurance Pay for This Type of Care?

Many insurance companies provide coverage for a child attending therapeutic boarding schools. 

Parents should contact their insurance company and ask what their policy covers. Some programs are covered in-network only, while others may be considered out-of-network and not offer full or any coverage. 

Begin Residential Treatment for Mental Health Disorders in Teenagers

Do you have a teenager who struggles with issues like depression or anxiety and needs structured help in a residential setting? 

When it comes to therapeutic boarding schools, Horizon Recovery stands above the rest. 

We offer high-quality care provided by therapists skilled at making connections with teenagers to help empower them to reach their full potential. We offer a multitude of therapies and any necessary prescription medications to help your child enjoy more balanced thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. For those interested, we also offer outpatient options for care.

Learn more about Horizon Recovery and let’s talk about what our program can provide for your child. Help them learn how to thrive in life and set themselves up for a bright future.