A Parent’s Path to Finding a Residential Treatment Center

I wished I had a guide, personal recommendations, or other trustworthy objective information when I was desperately searching for information about residential treatment centers. I needed a resource that could have helped me sift through the options, understand the terminology, and identify the truly supportive environments from the bad ones.

The Challenging Teenage Years

For most parents, teens bring a mix of pride and new challenges. For some, these years bring a tidal wave of buried trauma crashing to the surface.

For some, institutional facilities feel cold, sterile, and carry unwanted stigma. Add in the terrible stories of the “troubled teen industry” – the widely publicized accounts of abusive and neglectful RTCs send chills down many parents spines. The thought of vulnerable teens ending up in such places is terrifying.

It was within this mindset that the idea for a topical directory site for parents and others about the teen mental health care industry began.

Our hope is that this site can be that guide for you. I want to share the information painstakingly gathered, the insights gained, to help you navigate this challenging journey. If this site can empower just one parent to make an informed decision, to find a safe and nurturing environment for their teen, and to prevent even one child from experiencing the trauma of an abusive or neglectful facility, then all the work to create this treatment guide will be worthwhile.