Treating Children and Adolescents in Residential and Inpatient Settings

Each year more than 50,000 children and adolescents receive mental health treatment in residential and inpatient settings such as hospitals, group homes, and residential treatment centers. How is a decision made to disrupt a child’s or teen’s environment and place him or her in a program? What factors should be considered? What kinds of treatment are offered in these settings? How cost-effective and productive are these programs? Suggesting guidelines for how and when to use these special services, Treating Children and Adolescents in Residential and Inpatient Settings provides a useful assessment of current therapeutic models and inpatient/residential treatment options. The authors review the findings of published program evaluations and discuss effective alternatives to residential placement, such as part-time day and community-based treatment. The book also includes a list of relevant resources that both professionals and parents will find helpful, including information on locating professional and advocacy organizations, publications, and assessment materials. Referring a child or teen to an intensive residential or inpatient treatment program is a major decision that affects the whole family. Treating Children and Adolescents in Residential and Inpatient Settings will help both professionals and parents make better informed decisions about institutionalizing children and adolescents. Likewise, students, researchers, and scholars in clinical/counseling psychology, developmental psychology, nursing, behavioral psychology, and social work will find interesting and pertinent information in this volume.