Services Overview
What is an Educational Consultant?
Consultants assist families with locating private residential treatment facilities, programs, and schools for troubled adolescents and adults. Consultants have a unique expertise and knowledge to help families choose a facility or school program that is a good personal match for the identified individual, a program that will foster a particular individual’s growth in all areas of life including academic, social/emotional concerns, and clinical issues.
Treatment Program Opportunities
Outdoor Behavioral Health Programs (11-adult)
These programs take place in the wilderness and back-country. Qualified fully licensed mental health practitioners apply wilderness therapy in the field promoting self-efficacy, building self-esteem, educating about natural behavioral consequences, improving relationship understanding, and providing the foundation for the next level of treatment. Average length of stay is 4 – 8 weeks.
Therapeutic Boarding School (11-19 years of age)
These specialty schools integrate the educational milieu with the appropriate level of structure and supervision for physical, emotional, behavioral, familial, social, intellectual, and academic development. These programs include a combination of individual and group therapy while providing academic credit and high school diplomas. Many schools further specialize and work with a particular mental health issue such as substance abuse, reactive attachment disorders, bi-polar, ADHD, etc. Average length of stay is 12-24 months.
Residential Treatment Centers (11-adult)
These facilities treat individuals with serious psychological and behavioral issues. Medical management and monitoring are available on site with on staff psychiatrists. Therapy is intense including a combination of individual and group therapy. While these schools offer academic credit and high school diplomas, the focus is treatment. Many programs further specialize in a particular type of mental health issue such as eating disorders, axis II issues, etc. Average length of stay is 12-24 months.
Small Residential Programs (11-adult)
Typically fewer than 30 students, these programs offer appropriately placed individuals a family like environment with structure, life skills training, academics, job training etc. These programs often focus on a singular issue that all clients/students share. Length of stay is based on need and can be as short as a few months or last a lifetime.
Transitional Independent Living/Young Adult Programs (18 – 24)
Young adult programs provide a safe, structured environment for individuals facing a variety of concerns and mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, emotional regulation, drug alcohol problems, etc.. Generally, these programs offer some type of educational opportunity linked to a community college, university, or on premise classroom setting. Others in these programs may choose to volunteer to work or get jobs in the area. Length of time often is 30 – 90 days in primary treatment with a transition to a step down environment lasting for as long as needed.
Benefits to Consultant Assistance:
Knowledge of Programs – on going relationship with working professionals to ensure best quality care is provided.
Proper Match- determines the “best fit” program by collaborating with family and professionals before and during placement.
Ongoing Advocate – assist the family in making sure the best possible quality care is provided.
Case Management – support the family and monitor academics, social, therapeutic, and medical issues.
Ethics (IECA) – hired by the family with only the patient’s interest in mind. The consultant’s obligation is to review the facility and ensure it is good match for the client and the treatment plan is appropriate.
