When your troubled teen is continuing to struggle, and nothing seems to be working, most parents begin to look toward solutions such as residential treatment centers. As a residential treatment center’s immersive and therapeutic environment is a large commitment of time, resources, and require that parents send their teen away, this is not an easy option for parents to take.

One way parents can feel more confident in choosing a residential treatment center for their teenager is by looking into the licensing and regulations under which the treatment center operates.

Residential Treatment Centers Operate Under State-By-State Regulations

When looking for the best residential treatment center for your troubled teen, it is a natural thing to into is the licensing and regulations surrounding these institutions. However, it can also be quite tricky due to the fact that each state has their own licensing and regulation requirements for residential treatment centers. In fact, some states don’t even have any regulations or laws regarding how residential treatment centers.

Most of the well-regulated residential treatment centers are located on the Western side of the United States, as lawmakers have been more active in overseeing these centers that in other regions.

Licensing Requirements For Residential Treatment Centers Operating In Utah

As Sundance Canyon Academy is located in Utah—which has some of the highest number of regulations and licensing requirements—our residential treatment center is a well-organized and overseen operation. Some of the requirements which many most concern parents are:

• Staff requirements – Therapists at residential treatment centers need to be licensed, ensuring that teens receive highly competent assistance. Other leading staff members who need to have the appropriate credentials are the director of the center, a licensed clinical physician, as well as a licensed psychologist.
• Therapy implementation – At the minimum, teens need to receive 90 minutes of individual therapy a week and one family therapy session a week. At Sundance, we add to this by also holding daily group therapy to help our students learn to support each other and build healthy relationships.
• Academic program – Utah requires residential treatment centers to provide teens with an accredited educational program so they can continue to learn. At our residential treatment center, we comply with this standard and even provide access to daily and weekly progress reports.

If you would like to learn more about our program and how we care for our students, feel free to contact us. We will be happy to tell you anything you would like to know.