| There are various types of counseling programs | | | | Family support: These are services designed to help |
| available for children or adolescents with behavioral | | | | you care for your childs emotional needs and include, |
| problems. This is a complete range of programs called | | | | parent training, support groups etc. |
| the continuum of care. All of the programs on this | | | | Day treatment and partial hospitalization programs: |
| continuum may not be available everywhere, but | | | | These are intensive treatment programs which |
| many psychiatric hospitals now provide most of | | | | provide psychiatric treatment and counseling together |
| them. | | | | with special education services. The child usually |
| If you are worried about one of your kids behavior | | | | attends five days per week. The services are usually |
| or emotional problems, the best place to start would | | | | provided in a hospital setting, with your child returning |
| be a consultation with a qualified mental health | | | | home each evening. |
| professional, such as a clinical psychologist. The | | | | Emergency/crisis services: These are 24-hour-per-day |
| consultation will conclude by he or she recommending | | | | counseling and treatment services for crises or |
| the best type of treatment or counseling program | | | | psychiatric emergencies. |
| for your adolescent. | | | | Therapeutic group home: This is a live-in program |
| Your consulting psychologist will then seek approval | | | | which usually includes 6 to 10 children or adolescents |
| from your insurance carrier to provide treatment. If | | | | in a home-like setting; it may be linked with a hospital, |
| you are looking for programs funded publicly, there | | | | day treatment or educational program. |
| will probably be a specific community agency that | | | | Crisis residence: This setting provides short-term |
| must authorize the recommended services. It is | | | | (usually fewer than 15 days) crisis intervention, |
| important to understand that obtaining these | | | | counseling and treatment. Your kids would receive |
| authorizations is crucial because if the program or | | | | 24-hour-7 day a week supervision during that time. |
| service is not authorized, the cost will not be paid by | | | | Residential treatment: In this campus-like setting |
| the particular organization. | | | | seriously troubled kids receive intensive and |
| Many of the available programs offer a variety of | | | | comprehensive psychological counseling and |
| treatments, such as individual psychotherapy, family | | | | psychiatric treatment on a longer-term basis, months |
| therapy, group therapy and treatment with | | | | and sometimes years. |
| psychiatric medications. The following are brief | | | | Hospital treatment: Patients, while staying there, |
| descriptions of various programs offered within a | | | | receive psychological counseling and treatment in the |
| complete continuum of care: | | | | hospital setting. |
| Office or outpatient care: These consultations usually | | | | These treatment programs should be specifically |
| last from 30 to 60 minutes, take place in an office | | | | designed for either children or adolescents, depending |
| setting and the number of visits per week are based | | | | on your childs age; their duration will vary. |
| on your youngsters needs. | | | | If a professional recommends psychiatric treatment |
| Intensive case management: This happens when | | | | for your child or adolescent, be sure to ask the |
| specially trained professionals coordinate or provide | | | | following: What types of treatment are rendered, |
| various mental health, financial, legal or other | | | | and by whom? You should also ask about the length |
| healthcare services to help your child to live | | | | of treatment? What is the cost? How much of it is |
| successfully at home when not previously able to do | | | | covered by your insurance company or other |
| so. | | | | agency? And finally, what are the advantages and |
| Home-based treatment: A team of professional staff | | | | disadvantages of the recommended program? |
| go into your home and develop a specific treatment | | | | You should always feel free to obtain a second |
| program to help both your child and family cope with | | | | opinion about the type of program that is best for |
| your kids problems. | | | | your child or adolescent. |