Questions Parents Should Ask A Program

Below are some questions that every parent should ask before the decide on which program is best to help their child.  In fact, this is one of the reasons why it’s highly recommended that you give us a call before you decide where to place your child, because we know the answers to these questions for many schools, and can give you advice and counseling as to which program would be the best fit for your specific needs and situation.

General Information

• Is the facility licensed?
• What is the average stay?
• Is there aftercare?
• What is their success rate?
• If my child turns 18, can they stay if they are willing to?
• What are the average age and how many students are in the school?
• If it is coed, are they kept separate? How?

Do they do background checks on their staff prior to employment?

Educational:

• Are the academics accredited? Through what organization?
• Will their transcripts be accepted at their local school?
• Are the teachers credentialed? What is their experience?
• Do they offer special education and or work with IEPs? (Individual Education Plan)

Medical and Therapy:

• Is therapy offered and is it included in the tuition?
• If not, what is the fee, and will my insurance cover it?
• Where is the nearest hospital to the facility?

Do they accept children on medication? Do they believe in medication?

Behavior:

• Will they keep a child that doesn’t want to attend?
• Do they accept children who are escorted?
• Do they accept extremely aggressive teens?
• Do they accept court-appointed teens or teens with criminal records?

Financial and Legal:

• What is the tuition? What does it include?
• Do they offer educational loans?
• Do they offer scholarships?
• What is the termination policy? If you decide to remove your child prior to the completion of the contract, are there penalties?
• Is there a discount if you pre-pay tuition in full?
• Do they offer transportation to the airports? What is the fee for this?
• Most contracts will give the school/program temporary custody of your child. This is if they need to have medical treatment for him/her, or if a child runs away, or gets picked up by authorities for whatever reason, they will only release a child to a custodial or guardian. Most contracts will also state that this in no way supersedes or replaces the rights of the parent.

Safety Measures:

• Is the facility staff secured 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
• What is the staff-to-student ratio?

Visits to the School and Communication:

• Can you visit the school prior to your child’s enrollment?
• Will I be able to speak with my child? How often?
• When can you expect your first visit after your child is enrolled?
• How often can I visit my child?
• Are there required visits for parents?
• Will you be allowed to take your child off campus?

Again, please give us a call – we can help you find answers to these questions and more.