Therapeutic Treatment Facilities?

[LitlPixy]

Here's an update. difficult child was suspended twice in the same week from alternative school. She ran away the eve of second suspension. On third day police called, begging me to come get her quickly. She was giving them fits. Police called three times asking if I was on my way or lost. She and boyfriend had broken into an empty house (he tagged the walls) and were sleeping in it.

Husband and I took her directly to a facility and admitted her. She's still there. I know if we bring her home she'll run again. It's definitely time for an Residential Treatment Center (RTC).

I'm worn out. Feel like shutting down. Trying to ward off an exacerbation (I have MS). But surprisingly I'm at peace with our decision for difficult child. We're hoping to place her before she is released from Acute Treatment so we can go from one right to another.

Only problem is.......she was supposed to get her lower braces put on on the day she ran away. (She already has upper braces on.) How do we do Residential Treatment Center (RTC) with braces? I guess we'll have to drive her from Acute Care to orthodontist, slap those braces on and head to Residential Treatment Center (RTC)?

*sigh* And the insurance (Tricare Prime) is driving me insane.

Annette

 

[Penta]

My girl was almost 15 when she went to Residential Treatment Center (RTC) due to self destructive, defiant, risk raking behavior. She went kicking and screaming with escorts I hired and spent 18 months there until she finally had an awakening and found "her beautiful self". Her treatment plan included individual therapy, medication, group therapy, equine therapy and a step program. She fought the program for months and months because of all the anger, grief and loss that had built up inside her. Fortunately her therapist was also a Mom of adopted teen girls and she found a way to unlock my girl's heart.

My girl is now 19, a successful young adult college student and in 2 days is off to study in Europe for 6 weeks.

I took out a huge loan to pay for her treatment, but I considered it an investment in the life of a child and even though I will be paying monthly on that loan forever more, my investment has paid off in a healthy young woman.

Life can get better.

Good luck finding a facility for your daughter.

 

[judi]

I hesitated for a long time before I posted this but here goes:

Yes, Residential Treatment Center (RTC)'s do help kids. However, they can also irreparably strain and break the bonds of the parent-child relationship. Our son (now almost 23) was who brought us here in 2001. He was disruptive at home, physical with both parents, suspended and finally expelled from HS. Went to alternative school and finally day treatment school. Did 9th grade for three years then quit school (in IL you can quit at 17). He was hospitalized x3 in 2001 and given various diagnoses including depression, ADHD and possibly a mood disorder. He refused all medications, all therapy and ran away repeatedly. He was homeless from ages 17 to 18 when he came back home. He was home for two years and did okay - got his GED and went to college for a year. Then...he met a girl, got the girl pregnant, left the girl and his son and moved out to live with a "cool Mom" who is 44 years old and smokes pot with him!

He was hospitalized, medicated, therapied to death and finally it was recommended that he go to Residential Treatment Center (RTC) in 2001. We as parents were devastated. He lasted six weeks and the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) said 'come get him." Well - that was $15,000 down the drain!

Now - our relationship with our son is no more - we have not seen him since January. He continually throws it back in our face that we "sent him away." We did what we thought was necessary on the advice of professionals. We even got a second and third opinion.

Who knows what might have happened if we decided against Residential Treatment Center (RTC)? I can't answer that... All I do know is that we made a life-altering decision that in retrospect we may not have needed to make.

As to consulting with professionals, please remember those that advertise on this site are doing just that, advertising! As a medical professional myself, advertising isn't always ethical.