Adolescent Residential Services

The Brattleboro Retreat's Adolescent Residential Program offers an age-appropriate approach that balances:

compassion and care
a strong emphasis on self-discipline, personal accountability and social responsibility.

Adolescents come to us struggling with a variety of issues that hinder them from functioning appropriately in family, school, or community settings. These typically include depression, anxiety, trauma-related disorders, sexual reactivity, substance abuse, self-harming behaviors, suicidal impulses, and eating disorders.

The Adolescent Residential Program provides treatment for adolescents ages 13 to 18 in a dormitory style setting that includes an all girls and a coed floor. Each program provides 24-hour supervision.

Our goal is for each young person to leave our program with the skills necessary to rejoin his or her community as a healthy, responsible member. To help children and adolescents reintegrate into their community, each of our programs maintain ongoing communication and team meetings with:

family
referral sources
community service providers.

With the goal of reintegration into the community always mind, each treatment plan is designed to utilize community resources to the fullest extent possible.

Meet Our Staff

In addition to the therapist, psychiatrist, and case manager assigned to each of the three residential units, our dedicated and professional staff includes nurses, chemical dependency counselors, mental health workers and activity therapists.

Darrell Williams, LICSW
Program Manager

Standing, (L to R), Jessica Shepley, Psy.D.; Erica Masson, MSW

Seated, from left, Jodi Gilman, MA, MHC, and Pam Harvey, LICSW

Who is appropriate for adolescent residential care?

Adolescents who participate in our Residential Program typically show symptoms of a variety of psychiatric and behavioral problems including:

self-destructive behaviors
coexisting substance abuse
affective (mood) disorders
oppositional defiant disorders (tantrums, arguing, angry or disruptive behaviors)
post-traumatic stress disorders.

Many of these adolescents have undergone multiple treatment attempts before coming to the Brattleboro Retreat.

Assessment and Evaluation

For each patient, we conduct a comprehensive and multidisciplinary assessment and evaluation that involves the adolescent, his or her family members, and outpatient providers or case managers. Based on the results, we design an individualized treatment plan that is modified during the program as emotional and behavioral needs change. Discharge planning begins immediately upon admission, and the adolescent is assessed regularly to ensure that he or she is in the appropriate level of care. The Adolescent Residential program is designed to accommodate the needs of each individual adolescent, no matter how short or long the stay.

Treatment Modalities

As an integral part of Retreat Healthcare each program offers comprehensive psychological, medical, and recreational therapies designed to promote health in mind, body, and spirit. Clinically trained staff utilize an array of interventions to teach self-motivation, personal accountability, integrity, responsible decision-making, and the ability to see oneself as a valuable, worthwhile human being.

Age appropriate services may include:

Individual, family, and group therapy
Medication services
Psychological testing
Substance Abuse Treatment
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills group
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Recreational Therapeutic Services
Experiential Groups
Attendance at Meadows School on Retreat Healthcare’s campus.

Daily Activities

A typical day in the program begins with a morning session at the Meadows Educational Center from 8:30 to 11:30. Following lunch, residents attend groups in the treatment center from 1:00 to 3:30, focusing on group therapy, assertiveness training, self-management skills, medication education, chemical dependency and substance abuse issues, family issues, anger management, and special gender issues. In the late afternoon, residents return to their units for individual activities. Individuals earn privileges based on their behavior and active involvement in treatment. A behavioral point plan is in place to track each resident's interactions, attitudes, daily check-ins, homework, and social responsibilities. As a resident earns points for appropriate behavior; she or he can use those privileges for such activities as shopping, game room, road trips, and hiking. On- and off-ground supervised activities are organized on weekdays and weekends.

For more information call 1.800.RETREAT