Finding the right adolescent treatment facility for your teen is an important step in allowing your family to heal and move forward. In order to allow your teen the best chance at recovery, it is important to find a center that is qualified to address the unique situations adolescents face. Finding the right adolescent treatment center can be made easier if you evaluate each potential center on the following: 
Type of Program
There are a number of approaches to adolescent treatment. Ask questions about how the program is structured, what types of activities are used and how the family is involved. Ideally, residential treatment should be structured with activities that allow teens to develop healthy habits and interests while they recover. The setting should be homelike, in an environment that allows teens to relax and focus on developing the tools necessary to live healthy and productive lives after leaving treatment.
Parent and Family Engagement
Parental involvement is a key indication of the quality of the program. Parents should feel free to speak with the treatment team, to visit with their teen and to be an active part in the treatment process. Adolescent treatment facilities that discourage parental and family involvement should be avoided. While the treatment facility is responsible for a number of aspects of the care process, parents should not be absent from the process. Parents should have the right to monitor how treatment is going.
Licensing
It is important to verify that potential treatment centers are registered in the state they are located in. Check with the state board to find out additional information on the history of the center. If the center is not licensed or has had serious issues in the past, you should look into other options.
Aftercare
The needs of teens do not stop once they leave a treatment program. For optimal results, look for a center that provides ongoing support in the form of aftercare. For some, aftercare begins with a transition into outpatient treatment. For others it includes family and individual therapy, connecting with community services or putting together a 12 step meeting schedule. As with the adolescent treatment process, aftercare should be personalized for each client. Aim to find a treatment center with a comprehensive aftercare plan.
Conveniently located in Malibu, Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers provide individualized, clinically based treatment to address a number of needs. Their comprehensive treatment options include:
Residential Treatment
Focused on teens aged 13 to 18 and located in Malibu, Vision’s residential treatment facility provides an option for families who are dealing with a substance abuse or mental health problem. With average stays of 45 to 90 days, teens receive the support and tools they need to become and remain sober. A team of mental health experts, physicians, counselors and psychiatrists work together to develop a treatment plan that addresses each teen’s specific needs.
Outpatient Counseling
In a nonresidential setting, Vision’s outpatient counseling provides two fully structured programs that focus on building healthy habits while addressing the underlying substance abuse and mental health issues. Counseling includes the entire family and provides solution-based treatment based on each teen’s specific situation. This ensures the teens are engaged in the process as their own goals and objectives are incorporated in their treatment plan.
Day School
Visions’ Day School provides an alternative option for teens who are unable to be successful in a mainstream school setting. Specifically for individuals aged 13 to 18, Day School provides one on one attention not available elsewhere. A student to staff ratio of 3:1 allows the Day School to meet the educational and clinical needs of their students. 
Extended Care
For some, the average residential treatment time of 45 to 90 days is not sufficient. Visions offers NeXt, an extended care program for individuals between the ages of 15 and 18. Separate housing units offer male and female clients an alternative to living at home while continuing to receive the treatment and therapy needed to address their mental health or addiction concern.
Young Adult Outpatient Counseling
Young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 face a unique situation as they aim to gain independence while working on their addictive behavior or mental health issues. LAUNCH is Visions’ long term program that works in conjunction with sober living residences to build life skills and work toward completing a higher education.
For additional information on Visions Adolescent Treatment Center’s team based approach or to schedule a meeting with the Visions staff, contact them today. Please click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 866-889-3665.
Originally posted on July 7, 2014 @ 8:24 am
