How to Evaluate Residential Treatment Centers

The majority of health conditions can be managed on an outpatient basis or with short hospital stays. However, certain conditions require more intensive treatment and may be better managed at a residential treatment center. Such conditions include alcoholism and substance abuse, eating disorders and mental illness. Residential treatment centers are usually well-staffed and provide a structured environment in which the patient receives extensive counseling, support from other patients and education.

Instructions

• 1

  Identify the most important factors in your decision. For example, if funds are limited, it may automatically rule out certain facilities. Geographical location of the facility is another factor for many people: you may want it to be close to home for ease of visiting or far away to provide distance from bad influences.

• 2

  Evaluate the philosophies and rules of the treatment centers you are considering. You may prefer a religious-based facility if you are particularly religious, or you may want a program that allows relative autonomy within a structured environment. All facilities have a unique character, and you want to select the one that best meets your needs.

• 3

  Check the credentials of the staff. The training and experience of the psychologists and technicians on staff can have a significant impact on the success rates of treatment.

• 4

  Investigate the types of treatment methods used by the facility's therapists. According to Eating Disorders Review, the majority of residential treatment centers use cognitive behavioral therapy, a type of counseling that teachers patients how to change their thought processes. Other methods used by some facilities include dialectical behavioral or interpersonal therapy.