Having a teenager in trouble is a difficult time. Finding the right residential facility is important and might take some hard work. But then a third situation arises and that is paying the costs of the treatment. Residential facilities are not cheap. It is not the board and lodging which creates the bulk of the expense but rather the specialist treatment. Your child in the facility will receive therapy from trained and experienced experts. If this treatment takes weeks or even months then the cost will rise. It could be many thousands of dollars. One obvious question then crops up - how will I pay the fee?

One of the things you, as a parent of a troubled teen should do is, investigate the financial situation along with your other probity checks. Find out such things as the charges, any payment plans and any possible scholarships or grants. Before you find a way to pay, know what it is you are actually going to pay. In fact your choice of facility may in part be decided by the financial options it provides.

There are several options you can explore. You could put the costs on your credit card  and this method may work but there are potential risks. If you take a new card with a promise of low interest for the initial period, your teen may need extra time in therapy and thus the credit card could run into a higher interest period.

You could take out a personal loan. Such loans are usually cheaper than a credit card and if you have the security, the bank is most likely willing to offer you the funds. In addition, your child's health is a worthwhile cause. As always, try to negotiate the best possible terms and times of repayment.

There are some cases where a residential facility may offer a form of subsidy or scholarship. These grants will not be as common as those in other facilities such as a military school but all options should be explored. Banks offer educational loans which usually cover books and school or college fees and you should examine this possibility as well.

The facilities themselves will most likely offer a variety of payment methods. These will include paying as your child goes. It could be a month's fee at a time rather than the whole amount. Remember too that in some cases, the teen may be required to continue receiving therapy and therefore the initial budget will be exceeded. Prepare for such an emergency.

Some insurance policies are written specifically for education costs and you should explore what is available.

Now all the above information is based on the assumption that you are not affluent and will likely need to borrow money to pay your teen's fees. However, you may be able to pay the costs without needing to borrow money. If that is the case, you most certainly will have the upper hand. Determine the cost, offer to pay in a lump sum up front and negotiate a discount for your generosity.