Residential Treatment for Depressed Teen/

My niece was put into a residential treatment facility (more than once actually) and I will say this...was it helpful? Yes. Was it everything I hoped it would be? No. She didn't make the progress that we had hoped for, but she made meaningful connections, she tried really hard (sometimes!;) and it's somewhat comforting for the adults involved to feel like things are a little more controlled.

I think it's probably a good idea b/c they do a lot of therapy, a lot of problem solving, a lot of planning, coping strategies, etc. Is he in therapy now? If he is, he may be used to this routine. If he's not, this could really help him.

Is he on medication? Has it been recently changed? If it has, then I absolutely recommend a treatment center even more. A crazy statistic of suicide completions happen within weeks of a medication change. I don't know the actual number, but it's high.

One of the biggest cons of places like that however is, in a word, the population. The other kids in there will range from being first timers to frequent flyers. The other kids will also have "rap sheets" with minor stuff to being expelled from school, arrests, etc. He is probably going to learn some stuff she absolutely doesn't want him to learn, no matter how troubled he has been up until this point. That isn't to say it's not worth it, it's just more of a warning to be prepared.

This is a scary time for her and I truly, truly hope her son gets the help he needs.

ETA...Oh I also wanted to add that if she needs some help the hospital should have some sort of social worker to help her with this information so she isn't going at it alone. They can really help her figure things out.

I suggest that this is a situation that the parent needs to discuss with her son's therapist. I would lean in the direction that the therapist recommends. I've seen both, going home and going into treatment, happen. Whether or not each works is dependent on many factors which are best determined by a professional.

The mother needs to spend time with the therapist discussing both options until she's able to make a decision comfortable to her. This may mean making an appointment to discuss this with the therapist, apart from her son.

I also urge that whatever decision she makes, she needs to include her son in the decision. He will do best if he's a part of the plan.

I have no experience with this but wonder if the Suicide Hotlines could answer some of your questions? And before going back to school I would certainly talk to a counselor there and a psychiatrist/therapist and get him some help. If school is what set him off in the first place it may be the worst thing to go back to.

I went to one when I was about 15 for two weeks or so. The people there were really nice and helped me out a lot. They will have family counseling there were they will set up a plan and behavior program for the family.