When I was first told that my son needed “residential treatment” they could have been speaking a foreign language. I had no idea what a residential treatment facility was like or where they were. I had heard of kids going away or leaving home, for different intervention reasons but never paid much attention because I did not think “it would ever apply to me”. Often times you do not have the time to interview different facilities and are at the mercy of a professionals recommendation. Since my son went to a Wilderness Program I had a few months to find out what residential treatment facilities were are all about
First, there are hundreds of treatment centers for teens, choosing which to visit can be daunting and getting recommendation can also be frustrating. Many professional do not want to give out names until “they can make the right recommendation” for your child. Just getting the names of the facilities to visit was a battle. We did use an educational consultant to help us find both a Wilderness Program and placement at a residential treatment center. Residential Treatment for adolescents is composed of both mental health treatment and education. Many have special programs for specific issues, most have extensive substance abuse programs.
Before my son was placed I visited the following facilities, by no means take these as recommendations for your child. What I can say, is the list below did give me an idea of the different types of programs and facilities that are available. I am not attempting to rate them, there are reviews on the internet of the different residential treatment centers. All the programs I visited are, coed, in Utah and NATSAP approved:
Logan River Academy
This facility is located north of Salt Lake City about 1.5 hours, in Logan River, Utah
Island View
This residential treatment center for adolescents is located about 30 minutes north of Salt Lake City, in a residential area. This RTC is very highly regarded and is a complete lock down facility. IV is a part of the Aspen Education Group .
The Heritage School
This therapeutic boarding school or RTC is located in Provo, Utah. Brigham Young University and a number of other higher education schools are in this area, so it is a bit of a college town. The school is about 1 hour south of Salt Lake City. Heritage has beautiful grounds and is not a lock down facility. The school is a non-profit.
Willow Creek School
Willow Creek School is a clinical boarding school and is located in Provo, Utah (see information on Provo above). I wished my son would have been able to attend a program like this. WCS is really a step down from, Logan River, Island View and The Heritage School. This school is not a lock down facility and many of the kids were able to go off campus. Last I heard, this school is run by the same organization as Second Nature Wilderness Programs
Youth Care
Youth Care Residential Treatment Center for troubled teens, is located in Draper, Utah. My estimate it is about 30 minutes south of Salt Lake City. Youth Care is very different from the other facilities. It is a much more therapeutic intense program, that works with the kids to get them stabilized so they can transition home or most times to another facility. Teens usually stay here for a shorter period of time. Youth Care is a part of the Aspen Education Group .
Pine Ridge Academy
Pine Ridge Academy is a therapeutic boarding school and residential treatment center for youth and teenagers between the ages of 11 and 18 who are experiencing emotional, behavioral, or academic difficulties. This facility is also in Draper, Utah and is the step down program for YouthCare. Pine Ridge Academy is a part of the Aspen Education Group .
If you are interested in visiting any of these locations, feel free to give them a call and schedule a tour, they all have admissions offices. If I had known it was that easy it would have made my life much simpler during an already stressful time.
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105 Responses
We are looking for an rtc for our daughter who has been extremeley depressed and isolated. Does anyone have any expereince with Heritage? We are limited to nonprofits schools because we are trying to get funding from our school district and county mental health to pay for the placement.
We have been at Heritage School for 8 months. It is a great program and we are very happy with the staff and what the facility can offer our child. It is a very supportive environment for families. It is really tough sending your child away but well worth it if nothing else is working. I would be very confident with Heritage. Are you working with an educational consultant? Sometimes it is good to get two opinions.
I do not know anything about Heritage, but I have placed my 14 year old daughter at Solstice RTC in Layton, UT. The therapists are wonderful and the program is EXCELLENT!
I do not have any experience with Solstice if you would like to share more information about it, I would be sure to post it on the blog. Thank you for your comment
Check out Fornits wiki at:
http://wiki.fornits.com
just to see how your child would look back on his or her experience in a program.
After all as parent you will never get the full story. You have to trust the marketing material.
When checking out Fornits …. please do check out Fornits and not just their written material. You can get the full story on any program when communicating with the right people and you do not need to ever just rely on only marketing material. The one compliment I can give Fornits is that they have covered the WWASP Programs very well – these are not programs where you want your child. ~ Dore Frances, M.A.
I worked at Heritage Residential Treatment Center. Perhaps that makes me biased, but the facilities were excellent. The staff members I worked with were very professional and dedicated individuals who survived the rigorous training involved in getting the position. I would highly recommend it.
Hey George – Your testimonial coming from someone on the inside is credit to their great program. Thanks for all your hard work and for commenting.
You’re very welcome. If ya’ll would like to know more about Heritage, I’d be happy to address your questions (though admittedly I may not know some of the administrative questions. I worked in ‘Residential’ meaning I worked hands on every day with the teens from waking up, in school and after school activities, until they fall asleep).
George.. we’ve all heard the horror stories of harsh treatment, abuse, solitary, lawsuits, etc. How did Heritage handle difficult kids .. kids that didn’t or wouldn’t fit into the program? How did they handle the ‘orientation’ period? Would you send your kid there?
Hi Tim, I can comment on this and maybe George can help out. Heritage has what they call an ISU (intensive support unit). When the kids act out or are having problems on their unit, they go to ISU. The acting out is usually pretty severe. In order to get out of ISU they have to complete a few projects, one is a contract to behave and another may be a written contract. They are also able to do their school work while in ISU even though they are not attending regular classes. How do I know? My son spent a lot of time in ISU and if Heritage did not have this support in place my son most likely would not have made it. In ways ISU saved my son.
The orientation phase is much like the other facilities. If you are thinking about sending your child to Heritage you can be assured it is a safe place for your teen. If not the best.
Hi Tim – George has written a reply in detail how Heritage Schools deals with difficult teens. Visit the troubledteenblog.com tomorrow AM and it will be posted. If you have any other questions or concerns please comment. I hope you have found this helpful.
I just admitted my son into Heritage RTC today. It was very difficult to leave him there. I felt like my heart was being torn out. I’ve read alot of wonderful things about Heritage and how they really help struggling teens. I pray that i’m making the right choice.
As a former resident/student at Island View RTC, Aspen Achievement Academy and Oakley School I would advise all parents in being very careful about where they choose to send their children. (I first attended Island View at the age of 15) I understand that your child may be experiencing many problems in the home and may need to live somewhere away from home but it is very important that parents are able to assess just what kind of place their child actually needs in solving these problems. Many of these lock-down and Residential Treatment Centers will take just about any child regardless of the severity of their problems. But the problems your child is experiencing can escalate as a result of the constant in-your-face types of therapeutic treatments used as well as the level of strictness that these facilities enforce in their rules. Before deciding to send your child to a center such as Island View RTC (a lock-down) I would first see if your child could be successful at a therapeutic boarding school such as the Oakley School or the Hyde School (if it is still around). If your child refuses to go to such a school there are always SHORT-TERM wilderness programs with which afterwards the child will most likely agree to goto a therapeutic boarding school rather than an RTC program. Therapeutic boarding schools offer lots of support in accepting children with problems, however from my experience at the Oakley School I was able to be myself. At Island View I felt as if I was constantly being brainwashed – and I still have recurrent dreams about the place to this day at the age of 24. In addition, it seems that the success rate of students coming from therapeutic boarding schools is much higher. I have kept in contact with many people from the past programs I attended. Sadly, quite a few have committed suicide, some have joined the porn industry, become prostitutes and many were teen mothers. On the contrary, at Oakley many of the students went onto college – including myself (graduating with a B.A. last year.) Island View forces the child into undergoing therapy almost 24/7 – and the only option the child has in completing the program is to go along with what they are being told to do – many pretend just so they can get out and therefore they have no ability to deal with things in the real world since what is going on behind the locked doors is nothing like the real world at all – much more closer to jail in actuality. At a therapeutic boarding school the child can learn that they can still be a normal teenager – they just need a little more guidance than they are able to receive at home. These schools are much more like regular schools with a few more rules and a little less privacy but on a much more minimal scale. Hopefully, this helps any parents who are in search of a place for their child.
Someone above said you have to trust the marketing material. I have one thing to say to that – don’t. As far as Island View is concerned, I was there the day half the pictures on their site were taken. My team mates and I watched, confined in our group rooms, as they paraded models on to campus to take those.
Much like the poster directly above me, I was placed at IV at the age of 15 and am also now 24 (can’t help but wonder if we knew each other). To this day, I have recurrent nightmares about the place and large blocks of my time there have been edited out by my own mind. I have since been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the 18 months I spent there. I was accused of lying over and over again when telling the truth. I was held back in my treatment by manipulative, vindictive girls that were supposed to be my team mates.
At one point while on “Individual Focus”, a so-called therapeutic treatment that consists of sitting in your chair, staring at the wall and not being allowed to speak, even to staff, I was routinely denied access to the bathroom. I was also denied the medication I had been prescribed by one of IV’s doctors, which lead to severe withdrawal symptoms that I was then accused of faking. At one point, I was put on a heavy anti-psychotic without myself or my parents being fully informed of it’s side effects. Come to find out, one of them is eye sight deterioration. I have had reading glasses since I was 17 because of that and my eyes continue to go downhill.
The boarding schools I have heard great things about. As far as lock downs like Island View? I wish I could say the same. Even though I was in a “therapeutic environment”, I was denied treatment for my addiction, staff claiming it could negatively impact other girls. I was denied the diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder, a condition that made my early years on my own a nightmare. I was also denied the diagnosis of hypoglycemia and tourettes while there. As far as my most major disorder at the time, trichotillomania (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichotillomania), I was denied treatment for it over and over again and was instead made to feel ashamed of it as I already had for years and was accused of self harming and doing it for attention.
All I have to say to parents thinking of sending their child to Island View, or someplace like it, is don’t. Fully research anywhere before you condemn your child to a lifetime of nightmares like mine did to me.
Because We Love Our Beautiful Teens????
UGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH
Because I was loved hmmmm…..
My mother now admits it was because I was exhausting and burdensome. She knows I am disabled, but she did not want a child let alone one with problems. I am 27 now and I am still hurt and angry. It was my THIRD abandonment by a parent.
They have put kids in seclusion for up to 45 days in a concrete room. Where finding a bug is a fortuitous event as you can play with him and talk to him for hours. I can tell you how many times you can chew a tator tot for entertainment.
My mail was read and if I asked for a lawyer or told about some of the things that were happening the letters never got there. If they had my Grandmother and my Father would have done something. My Father often looked sad and on more than one occasion cried over me being there. I was there for close to 2 years.
I got no education because they said I would never be going to college anyway and would never have a job. They said I would be in the mental hospitals for the rest of my life. They put me on dangerous drugs and I developed tardive dysklenisia and a mild case of Steven-Johnsons.
I can’t believe some one posted a picture of the cubbies where we had to keep our shoes…. Silver and Gold you can’t see Copper in this picture
Cimmerian, It sounds like your life has not been easy. No one wants to be abandoned and I am sure it has lifelong implications. No one should be mistreated or put on drugs unnecessarily. If your mother admits she found you “exhausting and burdensome” you may have been better off in the care of some one else, even though not perfect or your choice. It may have saved you. I hope now that you are an adult you are able to get the help you need and you are able to get over your anger and hurt so that you can live the life that you deserve. Sadly, those of us that do “love our beautiful teens” are unable to parent them during difficult times. Thank you for your comment.
I have so thoroughly savored every word in your blogs as we have been given two schools for my fifteen year old and I have been doing extensive research on both Cinammon Hills Youth Crisis Center and Heritage. The first seems too “touch love” oriented with not much emphasis on relationship. This would not suit my daughter who is difficult but creative. What does anyone know about Cinammon Hills as I found some very disturbing articles re:abuse. Any help would be so appreciated. I am so tired…..My daughter is worth saving and more.
Dr. Joyce, We also had a choice of Cinnamon Hills and Heritage. You cannot go wrong at Heritage. I would send my son back in a heartbeat. He is home now but, we are going back this weekend to see the play and he wants to see his therapist. I don’t know your daughters issues, but Heritage is a very loving environment and I would never worry about my child being mistreated or abused.
Heritage is the “gold standard” for treatment centers, in my opinion. My daughter had to transfer from Heritage to another treatment facility, yesterday, because of age (18 years). I researched and visited other facilities, and there is no comparison. The staff is educated, experienced, competent, and professional. My daughter was always safe, the environment orderly, and the skills taught, superb. I only wish that she could have stayed longer to fully benefit from the Heritage program! She is now in a “step-down”, or Level 12 facility in California, and after one night, I am seriously considering taking her out to find a more structured program. I hate to have her lose the gains she has made at Heritage. If you have the choice of Heritage, seize it!
The step down facilities in California, or should I say the step down my son went to did not work for him. Due to age we were able to send our son back to Heritage. I know how you feel. After experiencing the level of care and staff that is at Heritage, it is hard to transition anywhere else. I wish your daughter and your family luck, 18-22 is a difficult time for those needing mental health services. Did you see my post recently http://www.troubledteenblog.com/not-an-adult-and-not-a-teen/?
First of all, I also want to second that Heritage is the “gold standard” of treatment facilities. My son has been there for some time–although he struggles with the program, I do feel that he is in a safe and nourishing envirornment with people who really care. RE: Cinnamon Hills. There is a kid at Heritage who had been at Cinnamon Hills. During the last parent conference, I talked first hand with both the kid and his mother who told me in great gory detail of the abuse this boy had suffered in the hands of the staff at Cinnamon Hills. So the abuse worries are real.
To Cindy–I’m sorry you had to take your daughter out of Heritage because she turned 18. Since my son seems so resistant to change, I foresee the possibility that he may still need a structured environment after the age of 18. He will have already graduated from high school – unless he fails ALL his classes. I’m wondering if you could post here any results of your research for our kids who still need at structured environment after age 18. I know the facilities in California are not great – that is why we have to send our kids out of state. Thanks!
To both Beth and Cindy, I was rereading my post and remembered Pine Ridge Academy in Utah, I don’t know if it is an alternative after Heritage when your teen is 18, but I know when I visited a few years ago, they had a few teens that were 18 years old. One of the issues with kids that are 18 and older, there is a law they cannot room with anyone under 18 and most facilities do not have accommodations that can handle those situations. I also remember hearing from another parent, that had a daughter at Heritage, she transferred to another boarding school out of state that by law can have lock down situations to the age of 19. It may be North Carolina, but I am not sure.
Re: My daughter “aging out” of Heritage. Thank you for your feedback, folks! I did, in fact, remove my daughter from a Level 12 in Van Nuys, CA. It was less of a “step-down” and more of a “throw down”. She will be attending a RTC in Northern California beginning Monday. I only wish I had moved her directly from Heritage to No. Cal. I will keep you posted.
Hi Cindy–Please do keep us posted about the new RTC in Northern California. Is it possible to post the name of the place on this website? I am not sure what the rules are regarding naming places, etc.
Thanks, Beth
Dear active passionate parents,
I have heard some great things re: Hertitage, however, my 15 year old was not accepted there according to the placement team representative from my district. I will call them myself. They did recommend Cinnamon Hills instead. I have heard some negative press about this. Meanwhile, I am sending my girl to Vantage Point Aspira to an evaluative wilderness camp to gather more information regarding how she is able to function is a supportive environment. I talked to Dr.Day and I loved his philosophy as this is a program for complex “out of the box” bright multiply diagnosed kids who don’t do well in school and are “oppositional” (not a real diagnosis but a description of what we already know” among other diagnosis too many to name. Anyone know of Cinnamon Hills or Vantage Point? Loved and valued all the feed back so far. Dr. Joyce Block
6 months ago we sent our son to Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch in Montana. So far, we are satified with the progress. Anyone elso have experience with Yellowstone? Another option for us was/is Heritage. Wondering how they compare?
I am a former student at heritage, I had many issues with my family,suffered from depression, and did not like to go to school. I got sent to heritage as a last resort from my parents when I was 13 years old. If not for my parents taking this drastic measure I would not be where I am today. I missed all of 7th grade do to my depression and was sent to Heritage in 8th grade. I spent 9 of the toughest but yet most helpful and wonderful months of my life at Heritage. I returned home the summer before my freshman year of high school and had to go to a transition program before i was able to return to a public school. I ended up graduating high school with a 3.7 GPA. If not for the tools that the many wonderful staff members at Heritage taught me I would never have been able to succeed in a high school that had over 4500 students and end up where I am today living a whole state away from my parents and on the verge of finishing up my 3rd year of college. So to all of the parents out there who are considering sending there child to Heritage most definitely DO IT! It is a wonderful place and the staff is wonderful sometimes I wish I could go back and just visit.
Dear 3.7,
I don’t mean to define you by your grades but want to applaud your parents and you for making the change and going through
the struggle to make your life meaningful. Also, thank you for taking the time to write this which tells me a lot about the amount of caring you have for others. This was very helpful. Dr. Joyce Block
My eighteen year old daughter is having a very positive experience at Family Life Center in Petaluma, CA. They seem to be very accepting, relationship-based people. The therapy, in my experience, is top-notch. It is a great fit for my daughter!
Does anyone have any experience with Sunrise Academy in Hurricane,
Utah?
Hello, I have a 13 year old son who has ocd and anxiety. We are thinking of putting him in structured theraputic invironment. We are considering Heritage school in Utah . Would this be a good match for him. Has any other parent had a good outcome with a teen with ocd and anxiety?
My daughter, 16, with many diagnoses, is just completing the Vantage Point Assessment/Wilderness program with Dr. Day. I am so impressed with their success in a short amount of time. They are knowledgeable, skilled, and more than anything, relationship-based. They implement positive psychology and solution-focused therapy which allows an anxious teen lots of time to quell anxiety and learn to be more effective. The therapy is the state-of-the art and part of it is b/c these are genuine and loving people. It’s so simple but rare. My best to you…
I was at Heritage RTC for 14 months. I’m sixteen and have been back since August of 2009. I went mostly because of depression and almost immediately started working up the level system.
But this had more to do with my desperate need to leave than anything. I coasted through the program, healing as I went, but also hurting in places I hadn’t before.
My parents took me there personally, so I wasn’t dragged out of bed like many of my friends. However, once I arrived, I felt like I’d gone under false pretenses. At first, the staff were kind and concerned-in front of my mom and dad. When they left, I was quickly photographed, lectured, strip searched, and barked at for being late.
I’m not saying Heritage was all bad-the girls on my Unit kept me strong and some staff were so caring. But something was off-it was like some sort of bad fruit, where the outside is intact and the inside is all rotten.When i had the flu twice in four months (once, it was apparent to most that i had H1N1 but Heritage refused to have me tested), they would send me down to the isolation unit (ISU), aka an underground place for kids who are having a hard time, detoxing, or anything in between. And while down there, another sick friend and I overheard a detailed racist conversation between four night staff.
Another time, I had a temperature (I eventually was taken to nursing) and wanted to take some Advil, but my staff wouldn’t let me go because (and I quote) “I have a fever and I’m working, so you should be fine.” Of course, she didn’t live with 13 girls.
I was also chastised for my religious beliefs more than once (by staff) and saw too many innocent kids being tackled by men the size of professional wrestlers and coming out of ISU with scabs on their faces.
Like I previously stated, Heritage wasn’t all terrible. But in cases like mine and many others, it was simply the wrong option. I’m sorry I missed so much time with my wonderful parents, and it’s frustrating that they waited for me while I was in a place where I felt more trapped, isolated, and angry than I had at home.
My husband and I took legal guardianship of my niece after her recovering addict father (my brother) died when she was 10, and her addict mother’s attempts to parent her after a 9 year absence failed. We had a 3 yr old plus a new pregnancy at the time, and taking on a troubled 12 year old was challenging. These past 3 years have been stressful but worth it as we’ve seen her grow and thrive in a healthy family environment. In the past year, she’s been seeing a therapist (solo sessions or with me), to help deal with behavior issues — lying, failing in school, cigarette smoking, dressing and acting trashy, impulsive behavior (stole a pack of cigarettes, snuck out of the house after midnight, stole a yearbook at school), etc. She says she wants to change but doesn’t know how. We suggested there may be “skeletons” in her psyche from her childhood that she’s locked away but they are sneaking up on her occasionally… and she agreed. We recently started to slowly and carefully bring to light some of the neglect and abuse from her early years, barely scratching the surface… and the behaviors got worse. After a year of researching schools, and several talks with an education consultant friend of the family, we decided the time was right and settled on what we feel will be a great school for her: Cedar Ridge Academy (www.cedaridge.net). The ed con said “when kids need re-parenting, that’s the place I recommend”. It’s a small (41 kids) therapeutic boarding school with a family feel where they focus on emotional growth, helping kids deal with traumatic childhood experiences, and academic achievement (finish high school, college prep). I took her there last Wednesday for what she thought was an interview, then told her she was enrolled and would be staying. She was horrified I lied to her, especially when her friends (many whom are struggling teens and 2 are former RTC grads) warned her it might be a drop-off vs. a visit, and she defended me saying “my aunt would never do that to me… I trust her, she never lies to me”. I felt horrible. But she admitted she would not have come if I’d told her the truth, even though she agrees it’s in her best interest to be there. Anyway, it’s been a tough few days for all of us, but I have faith that she will thrive there. I have to write my Impact Letter today and don’t know where to start. In the meantime, I am so grateful for the presence of this blog and for all of you wonderful commenters (parents and former students) who so freely share your experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Thank you very much! God bless all of us and our struggling teens.
Has anyone had experience with Youthcare or Sunrise? I have a 16 year old daughter that needs to go into a Therapeutic Residence for 3 – 6 months. Would need DBT at least 3 times a week, school environment to get caught back up and a solid expercise program. Any other suggestions?
Does anyone have any experience with Devereux in League City, TX? We are in the process of trying to find an appropriate placement for our son and would appreciate any feedback you could give on this facility. We were looking at a smaller facility in CA, where we live, called Project Six, but their admissions team decided they didn’t think it would be a good fit.
Anyone know anything about the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch? I did see the posting of someone about it back in December. Our child is likely going there ASAP.
We were told we would have a wait to get our child placed at Heritage.
Hi Chris, I do not have any experience with Yellowstone. You may want to place there in an emergency and if you are not happy try to move to another facility. You might want to post this on the forum and see what kind of response you get. http://www.troubledteenblog.com/forum/ you will have to register to start a topic.
I am considering sending my 13 year old son to Heritage in utah. I want to know from parents should i first look at programs here in California before we think about out of state. Are there any programs in California that would be equal or better than Heritage in Utah? Iam very confused.
Hi Nina,
Take it from someone that has been there. California and it’s laws do not have the support that our children need. Utah’s facilities are far superior and Heritage is a great place. You might want to post this on the forum and see what kind of response you get. http://www.troubledteenblog.com/forum/ you will have to register to start a topic.
No, no, not California as I wore myself out thinking that this was possible. My 16 year old is in a small incredibly effective and loving place called Waterfall Canyon Academy in Ogden, Utah. They are, from my perspective, and I am in the business, the state of the art in their humility, simplicity, and ability to know how to work with difficult, learning disabled, and those who have turned to drugs to blot out the pain. Joyce Block
I was at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy in Utah for 3 months, and it was the best thing my parents could have done for me. I had severe OCD, depression, anxiety and I was involved in drugs and alcohol. There is a boys group, a girls group, and an adult group. The staff and therapists are amazing people who helped me get started changing my old patterns and becoming who I am today. I would recommend Open Sky to anyone who needs a place to send their child. I went to New Haven RTC in utah after and did not like the place, but again, I would not be who I am today without the program. I am almost 19 now and have been home for a year and a half. I am drug free and have a good grip on my anxiety, depression, and OCD. ‘m willing to give more info about my time at Open Sky if anyone wants it. I remember what it was like to hate my family and be so angry, and I wish this didn’t happen to so many families.
Lisa R…would be very interested to learn more about your time at New Haven. My daughter is 15 and is now in her third month there. She had troubles at home with drugs, alcohol, running away and was ultimately kicked out of school. She has been away from home for 11 months now and i miss her terribly. But i know she is now safe and not using. She first went to Wilderness at Aspen…a wilderness program in Utah and then went to a residential boarding school. Unfortunately, things just got worse there. I searched for an RTC and felt best about New Haven. I know my daughter would rather be home but i am hoping that she will try to work the program. any thoughts you have on New Haven and how I can best help and support my daughter through her time there would be great.
Concerned Dad, could you comment on what Residential Treatment Center she went to and why it didn’t work out? Good luck with your daughter. I know how terrible it is for them to be away, but being safe is most important.
Concerned Dad…
Any kind of treatment is going to be a tough journey, I hope that things end up working out for you and your daughter. I was at New Haven for 11 months, and while I did learn a lot there there were things I didn’t like. Some of the staff favored some girls above others, which to be fair is human. I also started with a therapist I didn’t get along with. I think that as long as your daughter has a therapist she likes and trusts she will do well. One thing that I strongly suggest is waiting to bring her home until the treatment team tells you she is ready. Many of the girls I know who got pulled have gone back to old habits/patterns. I imagine that she misses you a lot. If you have any specific questions let me know and I will do my best to answer them.
I was told my son really needs a residential treatment center for a while maybe 6-9month or longer,,I am so afraid he is only 11, he has bipolar, asperger, and learning disabilities,,he is getting bigger and harder to handle at school and home ,,he is now hitting,,,augumentive everyday and I am having a hard time letting him go to a place ,,,,,,Who places for this type of treament anyway? I live in south nj there doesn’t seem to be any here,,he is not involved with the law yet and no bad things yet,,we want to help him get more motivated and independent and making better choices before it is too late,,,,any input thanks
Connie,
I would suggest to try to find an educational consultant to assist you in finding the best place for your son. It is going to get worse and you don’t want it to the point where the police are pulled in. There are so many centers to pick from, finding the best one is a difficult process on your own. I know there are some consultants on your coast. I’m on the west coast and found most were actually in your neck of the woods. Good luck.
I am an educational / therapeutic consultant who had a daughter attend treatment when she was 15. She is now 24 and thriving. I hired an associate for her, as I just needed to be mom. Later my daughter told me it was the best decision I ever made. There are hundreds and hundreds of programs and schools. Some better than others. And no one program fits all children or there would only be one program.
One Size Does Not Fit All is a book I will be releasing next year.
Dore E. Frances, M.A.
Horizon Family Solutions, LLC
My son is 15 years old and has been at Heritage just shy of a year. The general consensus is that Heritage Residential Treatment Center located in Provo, Utah has really changed my son. He has a way to go, but when he was home during the holidays everybody noticed the difference in his attitude, etc. When we had his IEP prior to placement, one thing that I was concerned with was him running away from a RTC in California. I was given three RTCs out of state and chose Heritage. In addition to answering all of my bazillion questions, they gave me the number of 3 different parent’s whose child graduated from Heritage. I spoke with them and was happy I did. The stories they told made me cry with hopefullness and happiness. When I dropped him off, I was even more convinced that I made the right decision. They have an awesome google group for Heritage families that is informative and supportive. For anybody considering a RTC, I feel you owe it to yourselves and your families to consider interviewing several facilities and let Heritage be one of them. Good luck to everybody!!
Hi Paul – we had a similar situation when we transferred our son from Wilderness to Island View RTC in Utah. My son basically fell apart when he got there and did everything he could possibly think of to get kicked out. They told us they could not keep him safe and that we did not divulge all information. I remember specifically telling them everything I knew about my son so that it would be a good fit. Luckily they worked with us while we frantically looked for a new facility. But it is difficult once they get rejected to find another facility that will take them.
Sometimes I don’t think these places understand how much stress the parents are under. They obviously did not handle this situation well. I appreciate your comments.
As a parent, you know that choosing the right school or program for your child is one of the most important decisions you can make. The right choices are not always obvious and yet wrong choices can be crippling.
Yes, Consultants are professionals who charge families for their services. They do not receive any compensation from schools or programs. So their is no bis to any recommendation. Parents who work with experienced and qualified educational consultants thus reduce the possibility of losing money and time as a result of an inappropriate placement. Please fell free to contact me, look at my site for real references (first and last names and cities, states) and ask for additional references to be sent. No child need to ever feel unwanted in any program no matter how difficult they are. That is truly sad.
Hello,
I am so saddened to read what our children are going through, as well as the parents. I checked out a few RTCs and ending up choosing Heritage Residential Center in Provo, Utah. They gave me the phone numbers of a couple of parents to call whose child had just graduated from Heritage. It was great to hear how the program worked and how much their child had changed. Heritage – they were so patient and understanding and supportive and the have a website for the parents to go to. From Admissions to everybody else, I am happy that my son is there and doing well. Today marks his one year anniversary and he is doing so well!! I hope this is helpful….
As the father of a2nd Nature/ willowcreek success story in 2007 and she is still clean and sober I cant stress enough the need for parents to make intelligent decisions and stop walking on egg shells around their kids! BUT the whole process can be compeletely overwhelming and like something out of a bad B movie! Remember 2 things, you will get thru it AND although you might or might not have played a part with their issues YOUR not the reaons they chose to take drugs NOR you werent their to force them to take the drugs or alcohol! AGAIN you will make it through and all of us who’ve lived through it and are either success’s or still struggling are here for you! Chris Zeller czeller92831@gmail.com or 714 943 1925
Your story is enormously appreciated. At present my 16 year old is at Waterfall Canyon Academy having from from Vantage Point Aspiro which made me have faith again the professionals are ethical and effective plus are connected to the idea that relationships make a difference in healing. If anyone has a need to hear more about these, please contact me. I want to spread the word re: great facilities and staff who care. Joyce Block, Ed. D
Knowing where to send your child once you’ve made that huge decision is so difficult. Word of mouth is going to be one of the best referrals. Internet sites will paint you the pretty picture you want to see. We have had experience with Outback Therapeutic Expeditions and felt they were great at keeping parents connected which helped us to know our son was safe. You can check with local outpatient drug treatment centers in your area for referrals. They usually know which RTC’s are well thought of. I discuss this subject and many others in my website Save-My-Child.com
RTC Mom,
Can you provide any more info on Heritage in Provo and how it is going? We are looking to visit soon for our 15 year old daughter.
Thanks,
Dustin
Hi to all the parents out there who have had experience with various RTC’s. I’m looking for a placement for my 15 year old grandson. He particularly needs help with PTSD and social skills. Needs a warm, safe, nurturing environment with lots of therapy and a place which will keep him safe, physically and emotionally. The assessment center he’s coming from mentioned Heritage and Waterfall Canyon. I’d love to hear from parents who have children at these facilities or whose children have “graduated”. Making this decision is so hard – the financial part is awful but not the worst of it. the hardest part is worrying about making the right decision and not ending up doing more damage. HELP!
Hi Chris:
My daughter was in an RTC when she was 15. She is now 24. As an therapeutic consultant I have visited 100′s of RTC’s and the students with whim I assist. Parents may have a greta experience at an RTC for their chid, however, one size does not fit all, and there is no on place for all children. even with alike behaviors, there is much more than that to research for a long term out come – academics / learning styles / teachers / school environment – behavior specialists on staff / counselor with specialized training – engagement of activities indoors and outdoors – groups dynamics and who else student wise is currently there / how long have they been there / when may they be leaving – and so much more. PTSD has a wide range of difficulties from minor to severe and with that can come anxiety behavior concerns that need to be looked at regarding the type of environment in which he will best respond. He definitely needs a warm, safe, nurturing environment.
What “assessment center” is he in now and what made them particularly recommend Waterfall or Heritage? Those are two very different types of programs. Making this decision is hard not only for you but also for your grandson. There needs to be long term results, treatment planning, academic planning, family planning, and aftercare planning all in alignmenr with is needs and your needs.
Hi! What a good thing you are doing for your grandson! I highly recommend Family Life Center in Petaluma, California. They claim that their program is relationship-based, and they are right! It really works! My daughter just graduated from FLC two weeks ago, and she has transformed from a person, in her own words, who didn’t think she would be alive in her senior year, to a person who is starting college, and beginning her first job, today!
I could go on about why I think this is a superior program for most teens, but suffice it to say that my daughter wasn’t just “contained” for a year and a half, but started “thriving” at FLC. It has made a difference for our whole family, as well.
The therapy the teen receives, and the support our family received was wonderful.y daughter received an hour of individual therapy per week, an hour of family therapy, per week, and about two hours of group therapy per day, Monday through Friday. Every activity is designed to help your teen work through their trauma, grief,
The Family Life Center approach is based on the teen felling safe, and building trust in healthy relationships, and ultimately, the ability to trust oneself. My daughter has learned healthy social skills, how to discern between supportive and unsupportive peer relationships, and the ability to identify what her needs are to be successful, and how to go about getting those needs met in positive ways.
I always felt that my daughter was safe and well-cared for there. Because they create a real healthy family environment, my daughter learned how to be positive in a family structure.
Chris, sorry to go on, but I want to close by saying that my daughter was always safe, physically and emotionally, and that I would trust FLC with anyone who is hurting and in trouble. Let me also say that I almost didn’t send my teen there based on a comment made by a parent about her, I believe now, a misunderstanding about how the program works. My daughter started at Heritage, which has a lot of good to offer. Based on your description of your grandson’s needs, it sounds like Family life Center would be a great help to your grandson. By the way, I also speK from a professional point of view as a high school teacher of students with emotional and order problems. I was glad that I knew where to get help for my daughter when I had done everything else I could do at the time. As for the expense, has your grandson already been receiving special education services through your school district? I assume that his PTSD and accompanying social skills problem are interfering with his education as well as his overall well-being. I don’t know the specifics of your situation, but if your son is an identifies ED special education student, and it looks like may be in need of residential treatment, then this cost should be shares between your grandson’s school district and the Department of Mental (Behavioral) Health. You should nor have to provide for these services if they are needed.
Thanks for reading this; I hope it helps!
Dear Chris,
Please call me at 415 388 3878 re: Waterfall Canyon. My 16 year old is there and I am thrilled and see so much change. Since I have my doctorate in Adolescent Edu. I was very thorough in terms of choosing and realize how important it is for you to feel you are getting the real input from someone “who’s been there.
Please call me over the wknd.
Joyce
Hello Helpful Parents,
My son is just turning 17 and is needing to leave a lower level facility in Calif. due to his behaviors. One suggested school is Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch in Billings, MT. Does anyone have any insite into this program? My son, though bright, has some neurological impairment that affects his reasoning, we need an extra amount of help in understanding and treating this. Thank you, Belinda
Hi Belinda:
I have had kids at YBGR, although younger in age and they have done extremely well. Check with your insurance company as they are on the higher end financially. YBGR will evaluate your son thoroughly and will need to see his testing and speak with his current treatment team.
Not knowing his challenges, I can only day I have had good results at this program with younger children who fit their treatment. I also suggest you find that extra amount of help you need in understanding what is going on with your son so it is not just the programs telling you what your son needs. Educating yourself will benefit him and benefit you. ALso, your son needs to be educated about his health. As he approaches 18, he needs to know what his life long medical care may be, and start being involved in self care as well.
Be well,
Dore E. Frances, M.A>
Dear Dore,
Thank you so much for your response. Our plan is to have him go to Yellowstone by next week. We do welcome the thourough psychiatric evaluation as our son has neurological issues as well as emotional and behaivioral. Life skills and learning to take care of himself are critical things that he needs to learn. I hope that they will help with this as well at YB&GR as we have been trying for years with little success.
It is so wonderful to hear that overall you have been pleased with their help for your clients. Warm Regards, Belinda
I am in SLC, and am supposed to drop my son off at Gateway today. I was very put off by the admit forms–written by a lawyer to get maximum financial/legal leverage over parents and to minimize Gateway’s responsibility. Reading your post makes me very concerned that I might be making a mistake.
Hi Mitchell
When you are “put off” I urge you to listen to your gut and be sure of your decision. Any program will have forms that speak a legal language so you need to be able to have a conversation with them that answers all your concerns. Are you feeling connected to the people at the program to where you can have this type of intimate conversation? Continue to do your research. Do not make a decision that does not feel right. This is your child and every concern and question should be answered so you can sleep at night. I hope this helps. Dore Frances MA.
I have enjoyed reading all your comments. We have a 17 daughter who was adopted at 17 mos old. She came from a very neglected couple, abuse and massive malnurishment from birth as well as invetro. Her diagnosis is RAD, LD due to brain not fully developing in rt front lobe, ADHD leaning toward bi-polar. At any rate, we want to find a RTC that can accomidate her emotional, and nurilogical needs. She does not have huge behavior issues, so we are a bit stumped as to wihich way to go here. Any suggestions could really help.
I have already looked at Sorensen’s Ranch, Meriidell Academy, Youth Center, Copper Canyon Academy.
Our 16 yr old daughter is at Waterfall Academy- this facility worked with us to make for a smooth transition,have been able to handle our daughter’s medical and behavioral issues. She is excited to come home for visits but looks forward to returning to her other home.
I think it is a great place for L.D students that are very vulnerable-would be at risk in an env’t with conduct disordered peers. PDD-NOS seems to be a common diagnosis for students. Staff are very committed to these students.
We were allowed to keep our private psychiatrist whom we had met while she was at Aspen Institute in Syracuse. They were all very helpful during our office of administrative law hearing for funding-OAH CASE NO.2009110429
Colleen
Dear Mitchell,
I would STRONGLY urge you to consider looking further into Gateway Academy and being sure to stay in constant contact with your son. I personally have had nothing but bad experiences with Gateway after sending my son there in January. I’m not saying you’ll have the same experiences- just please be careful.
Sending my son to a treatment center is the most difficult decision I have ever made. After hearing from other ex-Gateway parents that I made the right decision when I pulled him out to put him in a different program was comforting.
Just be VERY careful with them. And do NOT let them not talk to your son as they did to me.
After a little over two months I realized I sent him to the wrong program and I found a program that I can feel safe with my son at and I know he can grow to be the son I couldn’t help him be myself.
I wish you the best of luck!
mom from nj looking for help my 12 yr old with pdd, bipolar and oppositional disorder, pleasant child if not provoked and easy from loving child, times when I realize he needs help with his frustration level, anyone have help with residential treatment program for him in south nj that would be good, we are christians and that would be great if christian place…we went to ranch hope for an interview today won’t know til the end of the week their answer,,but if anyone has any feedback or other places I need to interview please email me thanks again a mom in nj
To cmancuso,
I can’t help you with a south New Jersey location but if it’s at all possible to send him further I highly recommend Waterfall Canyon in Ogden, Utah. I just returned from Family Weekend there and can’t believe how much progress they’ve made with my grandson in less than 4 months. He looks fabulous, is really starting to use the skills they taught him, is coming out of his shell, much more outgoing. So thrilled.
Our son has been at Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch in Billings,MT for 3 months now. I wanted to report how pleased I am with the facility and their care for my son. The secure, equivalent to an adolescent Phyciatric hospital, lodge is a great relief to having to call for emergency services when he has a serious melt down. The students are thouroghly evaluated there before being moved to a home-like lodge with just 10 children on average. If the student runs into more emotional/pshychological trouble they can just return to this lodge, on the same campus, until they are better and can be returned to their main lodge.
The facility is very peaceful, plentiful with constructive activities and resources, and full of dedicated staff.
All of this and what I am most thankful for is the pastoral component of the childrens treatment. YB&GR has a beautiful little chapel that the kids are required to attend on Sundays with a very dedicated chaplain of 40 years at YB&GR! My son responds to this form of care and it is a huge bonus for our family.
Campus is also very open to family visits, allowing parents to take meals with the kids in cafeteria, stay on campus at a small apartment and interact with all staff.
So far, I am very reassured that my son is receiving excellent care/therapy at YB&GR.
Good luck to all of you parents searching for right place for your children! Belinda
What does a parent do if your 15 year old son weeps and begs you not to send him – to “give him a second chance”. He has behavioral issues and has stolen to buy pot. He is often violent and aggressive with me and my husband and I have a terrible marriage. He tells me to just get rid of dad…
I am so torn, I want to try to help him. Believe that this behavior will stop because he has been “scared” by the thought of RTC.
Please let me know if you have had this experience and if we parents can help our children as much as an RTC.
A wilderness program that I would recommend looking to is Red Cliff Ascent in southern Utah. They have had some great reviews from the teenagers and their parents who have gone through the program. It worth looking into and contacting them to see what they can do for you.
Hello all, red cliff is owned by the same people as discovery ranch. My daughter was at dr for 16 mos. While some pol there are very caring, there is a defenit financial incentive for the owners. They charge for every thing extra and the program in general is mean. I did not realize the extent until I sent my son to a program and it was a world apart.
Now both children are at second nature. I have visited dozen programs in all, interviewed multiple consultants. Here is the important part of my lesson. Both Programs and consultants vary in how good they are. A great recommendation for either is not sufficient.
I was burned by first consultant who was highly recommended. And 5000 dollars later, Wary to hire another I spent several hundred for an hour of time to learn that I do not want to use that consultant. After two more interviews for free, I found someone excellent. But that was after I first found programs on my own. One excellent for my son and one not good enough for my daughter. I have so much info I could share at this pt. Ask and I will answer. I am happy to help others.
Definitely use a consultant. You really do not know the inside scoop, or the program otherwise.
Hi Nancy
It bothers me when I see a family submerged in so much turmoil for such a long period of time.
I can only imagine how much time has been lost in your experiences. I do want to respond in more detail, if you are interested.
Be well
Dore Frances PhD
Dear Dore, I don’t know about Nancy but I always want to hear more from you. Feel free to express yourself.
Dore Frances, You are certainly welcome to.
Hello all, I am a parent looking to place my 17 yr old daughter in an RTC. We just flew out to UT and visited Discovery Ranch (DR) and Uinta. We found ourselves feeling both programs were capable, but liking the experiential learning style at DR. The people seemed real and caring…I was surprised to read the submission by one person, Nancy. It is clear you were unhappy at DR and felt the staff was mean. I am concerned about my experience and want to make sure I am selecting a capable and safe environment for my daughter…she has been through enough. Can you, or anyone else, please respond and educate me on your experiences at DR. I hope to hear quickly, for we have plans to move her next week from 2N to DR. Thank you!
DR Parent Looking,
have you checked out Falcon Ridge Ranch in Virgin Utah?
my daughter, 14, diagnosed with some very severe and considered by many professionals as untreatable, disorders is graduating friday.
she has done some amazing work there.
it is truly a wonderful place with mature, experienced and wise staff.
they offer many different models of therapy and your daughters’ program would be tailored specifically for her.
the monthly tuition covers everything accept dentists, psychiatrist, doctor visits.
bingo
To dr parent looking
Oye
Is there a way we can talk or email directly? My d is going to Uinta from 2n. She spent 18 mos at DR. I would like to hear your thoughts as well.
To DR parent looking. Our kids may be in the same group. Maybe 2n can put us together?
Nancy, Bingo, DR – you might want to use the forum on this site to have a conversation and connect. You will have to login to post http://www.troubledteenblog.com/forum/
Nancy, I would like your thoughts about why you feel DR. did not work for your daughter. Most important is I feel it is a good therapeutic match, but want to make sure the people who work there will treat her with respect and kindness. Your specific comment about them being mean caught my attention, and although she needs a structured accountable environment, I want to make sure it is safe. Tough is OK, mean or abusive is another issue. Can you please elaborate. Uinta was great also, we have an active and athletic girl and saw her thriving in DR therapy model, and also liked the therapy team. Please reply!
I need to say that I am very concerned about this thread of conversation. Having a child in any program for 18 months, then wilderness, then another program is absolutely screaming at me that something is not working. That is the definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. No child need ever be away from their family this long nor be raised in a residential setting. This adds a whole other level of difficulty to their lives. Also, for everyone, please remember, do not choose a “program”, choose the person who is going to make the difference for your child.
Be it an academic person, counselor, whomever, the people who are with your children day in and day out make the difference.
The admissions directors, executive directors, marketing directors are there to sell the program. They do not spend time with your child.
Meet the people who spend time with your child. The back end people that you do not meet on “tours”. I find this so frustrating that parents get caught up in the sale of the program and do not look under the hood or kick the tires.
This is your child’s life and you will not be there with them.
Oy Vey is right!
Dr.Dore Frances
Thank you Dore for stepping in. You are the voice of reason.
After several IEPs and all the resources you can imagine, I decided to send my son to Heritage Schools, Provo, Utah. He has ADHD, ODD, anxiety disorder, etc. He was failing 5 out of 6 classes, cutting school, smoking cigarettes, running away, not letting me know where he was, extremely disrespectful, danger to self and others, combative, etc. Prior to sending him there I was given a list of residential centers to look into. I then chose Heritage and they gave me several parents names to call to speak to about the program. My child was at Heritage for 1 year and 7 months. During the time that he was there I visited several times, he visited us several times, we attended parent conferences at Heritage, had weekly therapy calls with my son and his therapist, had private calls from him two times a week, we went to workshops sponsored by Heritage and also I was part of the parent google site, which is the greatest source of information and support for the family. By no means were we “cut off” from him. He excelled, was on the dean’s list the majority of the time, got a paying job in the on campus stables, learned responsibility and consequences, etc.
His discharge ceremony was THE proudest moments of his life. All of the friends he made and the staff he connected with were there on his behalf. They sent him home with a cd, and the majority of the pictures were of him doing recreation activities with his unit, going on outings, camping, etc. probably more recreation activity than we could have ever offered here at home. The first thing he did when he came home was put his certificate of completion up and watch the cd over and over again. He still maintains friendships with the kids that he befriended there. There is a bond that nobody can understand but them, and it is strong.
He has been home now for 3 months. Yes, he is still the same child that we sent there with many of the same issues. The difference is that he now has the tools necessary to deal with life. And the support that we received was helpful as well. It is the whole family that needs to change, not just the child. It was really hard work. He has matured a lot, de-escalates much faster, is gone to school from 7 am to 5 pm., goes to school every day, maintains a C average or better, is on the school baseball team, cleans his room 1x week, is respectful most of the time, accepts consequences, even being on restriction, I know where he is at all times, is not involved with drugs, has started up healthier friendships, going to church, etc. We worked on a discharge plan before he discharged, and as a family we meet once a month to revise it.
The quality of personnel at Heritage is fantastic, from the recreational directors, to the unit staff, to the teachers, etc. I have met all of the staff and teachers associated with my son, and many of them cared about him as if he was their own. And the director of the boys units does see my son very often, she is like a mother to all the boys and they love her like a mom. He plans to go there during summer break to visit and possibly speak to the kids that are still there.
I am not saying that every residential treatment center is like Heritage and that every troubled teen should be sent to a residential treatment center of wilderness camp. I just want to share with you that if your child needs a residential treatment center, then you would owe it to yourself and your child to at least check out Heritage
Dear Dore
I could not agree with you more.
A voice of reason indeed.
To kids rtc
Thank you
To DR parent
Let’s talk. My work tel number is 609 497 3434.
Thank you Nancy. We all have our struggles. I hope and pray for all our teens.
RTC Mom – So glad Heritage worked for you and your child. They do not work for everyone, and again, no program works for everyone. We are blessed to have so many choices.
Dore Frances, PhD
Thank you all, for your comments and to Dore for your sensible and neutral position. I could not agree more, every child is unique and will respond individually to treatment. Our goal was to find a good people match for our daughter and our family, for we to need help with change. We have spent countless hours on this selection, spoken with many people, visited and done our due diligence…I believe I know my child and what will serve her well.
Thank you again and my prayers go out to all the parents who struggle with children who are hurting and not coping safely… If only our love was enough, but we can detach with love and give them the chance to soar.
Nancy, Bingo, DR – Once again I am going to request that you use the forum on this site for this conversation. You will have to login to post a topic this is the link to the forum http://www.troubledteenblog.com/forum/ Your comments are posted immediately. Thank you. Nancy I am not posting your last comment I suggest you post in it on the forum.
Logan River Academy was highly recommended to me for my 16 year old son. I do not see any comments on the facility. Does anyone have any information to share?
You might want to also post your question in the forum.
Hi Sally:
Logan River Academy is recommended for the right child that fits who they are, what they offer, how they engage, and so forth. Your child needs to fit them more than they need to fit your child. This has to be a match both ways or you and your child are the ones who lose out on the emotional and financial investment. There is no one size fits all.
Dore E. Frances, Ph.D.
Horizon Family Solutions
We sent our son to Gateway acd in Draper and he like it. They give him the much needed attention and he enjoys the kids. He was at Youthcare in Draper, and we consider this a step down. He is not violent or aggressive, a honor student, who has self harmed, and drugs(pot), and just started the downward cycle. I believe this all stems from his identity issues, and not fitting in. I love the outdoor adventures on the weekends, and the fun things they do with the kids. He was allowed soda and candy, and had a party for the 4th of July. The school is much better here, as well. Big issue is when to know when to bring him home, and is he just pleasing to come home? Do I trust him? Which school when he does come home? confused mom who caught him early
We are getting ready to send our 15 year old granddaughter to Copper Canyon Academy for girls. If any of you have info about this school we would greatly appreciate your input.
Thankyou
Our son has been at Lifeline for the last 6 1/2 months. He is a completely different person than he was before. We had hoped to get our son back, you know the one we used to have. what we’re getting is something much better. The experiences and maturity he has gained there is something he didn’t have before and couldn’t have gotten from us at home. He should graduate in about 2 months. He’s 17, just got his first job, and is really looking forward to life. Lifeline was a tremendous blessing in our lives.
I use to work at Heritage and I was amazed at the work the kids and families were able to accomplish. Everyone working there is truly invested in the care of the kids. I can really only say positive things about that place.
It’s good to check out a few places to make sure you find a program that fits the needs of the family, not just the child who will be going through the program. Best of luck to anyone finding themselves in need of a residential program. It can be a long road, but also very worth it in the end.
Hello. My name is Tyler. This article was obviously posted a long time ago, but for some reason tonight is the first time I have ever bothered to do a search for Willow Creek. I spent a year of my life living at that school. I spent several months before that in Second Nature. I had a mostly excellent experience in SN, much less so in WC. You may ask me anything.
My daughter was at Heritage for over 3 years. I’m thankful for all the help they gave my daughter, however, beware of the nursing office. The nursing office will send your child to the doctors and emergency room for every little thing and run up thousands of dollars in costs to unexpecting parents. My daughter was constipated, but that could not be determined until $1,000 in medical costs. She punched a basketball – $200 medical cost (no injury found), bumped her head while playing – $300 medical cost (no injury found), kicked a fence – $200 medical (no injury found). The list went on and on. So beware. They will call and say its necessary, and if you argue they will advise they will pay it themselves, but don’t. I’m currently sitting with over $1,000 in unneccessary medical bills they ran up – when I complained they went to administration and kicked my daughter out of the school. SO BEWARE they will find every reason under the son to take your child to the doctor and you have no say.
I would like to give my input on new haven ROTC in Spanish fork it. It was a girls treatment center of about 60 girls. I did not go to wilderness or any other program before new haven. I was therefor 15 months. The staff were so friendly. Both the therapist I had we’re very calm and patient with me. Since I couldn’t trust opening up to anyone cuz I always got in trouble for lying even if it was the truth. I thought I could bs my way through the program and be back home with my friends and go back to who I was. I did not want to change who I was at all. I rebelled against them for months till they caught on to what I was doing and started making me actually have to work. I know I’m grateful for going there and actually graduating high school and pretty much the program. If I didn’t turn 18 I would of finished the program. For anyone that is looking into sending there daughter I would recommend new haven. I made some of my close friends here!