Teens in trouble need help and in some cases the best help is believed to be therapy in a residential center. These treatment centers vary in their content and length of service. Basically there are four levels of service ranging from Level 1 [the mildest cases and the least intensive therapy] through to Level 4 [the most serious cases and the most intensive treatment]. It is possible for a teen to move from one level of treatment to another. Good behavior and success at a certain level may win the teen a move to a lower level. On the other hand if a teen regresses in their behavior or fails to follow the course of treatment, they may be moved to a more intensive form of treatment.

Level 1 is for teens who are not regarded as having a particularly serious form of trouble. Staff at the therapy center will be asleep during the night with only a watching brief kept by a member of staff. Teens must be medically stable before entry and specialist therapists will only be available at designated appointment times during the day. The simple aim is to help the residents develop living skills so that they may return home and resume a normal and healthy lifestyle.

Level 2 is a more serious version of the first level but still has a somewhat relaxed atmosphere. Again residents must be medically stable to gain entry and staff is mostly asleep at night with only emergency staff awake should a crisis arise. Therapy is both one on one and in groups and covers such areas as anger management, better communication and social skills and daily living activities. If a resident shows success in their therapy they stand a good chance of moving to a Level 1 treatment and this level is the one from which they can be allowed to leave and go home.

Level 3 is a far more intensive type of therapy with staff being awake and on duty throughout the night. Individual therapy sessions are intensive and group therapy in small groups is also undertaken. It is likely that residents in this level of treatment will have serious anti-social behavioral problems and so treatment aims to reduce and remove this form of activity. Staff are experienced and trained in dealing with angry and depressed young people. There is a minimum number of hours of therapy each week and the staff always aim to help win over the confidence of each resident.

Level 4 is for residents who are in serious trouble. Obviously the staff are on duty throughout the night and supervision is continuous. Individual therapy sessions total at least 8 hours a week. If necessary, physical restraints and use of a time-out room are put in place. It is likely that the residents have a distrust even a hatred for authority figures and staff need both training and experience to deal with damaged young people. Any progress, no matter how small, is considered worthwhile and the residents are always offered the encouragement they need. Progress can mean a shift to treatment at Level 3.

Teens in trouble need all the help we can give them and parents should be aware of the various degrees of help that are available.