Frequently Asked Questions
Question:How can I tell if a residential program is the right one for my child?
Answer:
This is one of the most difficult questions to answer. First, use all your consumer education skills that you would use in any serious health care decision. Trust your judgment and impression of the people with whom you talk and your feelings about the setting. Ask the provider for any outcome reports about their services, accreditations, and community professionals familiar with their services.
A parent or child helper CAN NOT ask too many questions when selecting a provider to work with children. Provider responses should be clear and concise. Parents and child helpers should have an opportunity to visit the setting and to view the program in operation.
While national accreditations do not offer guarantees, they are an indication that the provider has been carefully reviewed by an independent organization. Child helpers may even want to call the accreditation organization to determine if the provider continues to be in good standing.
Every provider must be licensed to operate and the licensing authority is usually in the same city or county as the provider. Child helpers may want to contact the licensing authority for information about the provider.
Child helpers may also obtain information and opinions about providers from other professionals in their community to include physicians, psychologists, and social workers.
Finally, most effective providers encourage full participation from the family and other child helpers throughout treatment. Quality providers appreciate the value of this important and necessary involvement.