What Are the Four Levels of Residential Treatment?

What Are The Four Levels Of Residential Treatment?

If your teen is in trouble they need help. And choosing the right facility is extremely important. But residential facilities offer different levels of treatment which can range from low intensity to high-powered full-on intensity. The question is which type of treatment, which level of assistance does your teen need? Well only you and the experts can decide on that but here are some details on what happens at the various levels of treatment.

Level 1 is for kids who are deemed to be at the low wend of danger. They have a problem nut it not assessed as high risk. They will live in a facility where only one member of staff is on duty overnight and where the therapists attend sessions with the kids only as the times listed on the timetable. This level of care may also be for former residents who have not fully adjusted to life once they returned home.

Level 2 is a more advanced standard of treatment but is similar to that in Level 1. In Level 2 the therapy sessions both one on one and in groups are more intensive with an emphasis on building a relationship with staff and the other residents. There is a carrot factor here in that if a teen does well in Level 2 treatment, they may be ‘promoted’ to Level 1. There is only one staff member on duty at night as the teenage residents are trusted and not believed to be likely to cause trouble.

Level 3 is different. Here the staff members are awake at night and supervision is constant. The treatment seeks to help residents unlearn any violent behavior patterns and consultation with therapists is frequent and longer than in previous levels. Many residents at this level have feelings of anger and rejection and staff members are trained to deal with these attitudes and responses. Again therapy is both one to one and in small groups. If necessary, part of the treatment may involve the resident being restrained if their anti-social behavior warrants it.

Level 4 is for young people who have serious emotional problems. They have anger issues, may have a history of violence, and certainly have problems relating to others in a friendly and so-called normal way. Supervision is continuous with staff on duty 24 hours a day. A minimum of 8 hours a week of one on one therapy is used as well as other sessions. The aim is to help the teens move away from their built up hatred and aggression. Hopefully each resident can improve sufficiently to move to Level 3. It is sometimes the case that in Level 4 a resident may be placed in a time out room or even restrained due to their violent and threatening behavior.

It is always the goal to help the residents with their education and this can often be done. But sometimes the attitude and personality of the teen is so damaged that efforts are primarily towards healing their broken life. It is a difficult and time-consuming task but with the teen’s whole life ahead of them, it simply must be done.