Need a long-term, residential, therapeutic school

[fourisenough]

(X-post on high school board)

This is something only a small fraction of this board might have any experience with, but I thought I’d throw it out there. I’m helping a family who needs a referral for a good long-term (6 months+) residential treatment program or therapeutic school for a super bright student struggling with mental illness.
 

I’m open to referrals to an educational consultant who specializes in this very niche market, too. 
 

The student has been in a few treatment settings since January, but none are more than 2-6 weeks long and it’s becoming clear that both student and family will need something longer term. They are not capable of intense academics right now, but do need to finish high school. They are turning 17 soon, and live in the PNW, but the family would consider any high-quality program that meets their needs and is at least partially covered by their health insurance, regardless of location. 
 

Thanks in advance for any information you might be able to share.

Edited May 23, 2021 by fourisenough

[PeterPan]

They'll find names as they google. The only thing I can comment is that I had someone (of similar position and plenty of funds) say they regretted sending their dc, that the facility ($$$) did not deliver what they had claimed. My own ds has been a huge (pick words, pain in the butt, challenge, whatever) and I can tell you that mental health piece is HARD. We have made progress by doing things that are very *unconventional* like working on interoception and genetics based treatment of the mental health piece. 

https://www.kelly-mahler.com/what-is-interoception/

And I can tell you that improving self awareness through mindfulness is a *common* strand in the mental health community. It's just Kelly Mahler has taken it farther for the people for whom just telling the to do it isn't enough. 

https://www.therapro.com/The-Sensory-Connection-Program-Curriculum-for-Self-Regulation.html  Materials from an OT working on self awareness and self regulation in inpatient mental health settings, so you can see I'm not shooting the air. I got one piece. I would do Mahler's work FIRST and then materials like this as the follow through responsibility piece that *builds* on the improved awareness. 

I mean, you tell me, why do we talk at people if they have no ability to change simply by talking? 

My dad has been on mental health medications for years (18+) so I'm pretty jaded. When you've done all the psychiatrists will do, reality is you're still left with your chemistry, your lack of self awareness, etc. That's why I ran genetics on my ds and we were able to get him a lot more stable. In theory there's a strand of doctors who work in this vein. 

http://www.mensahmedical.com/pyroluria-pyrrole-disorder/  This doctor in Chicago is doing it some and you can find other doctors following the ideas of Pfeiffer, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/Nutrition-Mental-Illness-Orthomolecular-Balancing/dp/0892812265  I haven't read this book, but it's in the vein.

http://www.hriptc.org/hriptc/index.html  The Pfeiffer medical center.

Some of the stuff we stabilized with my ds using supplements driven by his genetics was SO obvious. I'm just saying if they're this desperate, maybe they need some other categories to consider.

There was a video/documentary I watched on amazon when my ds was at his worst. I'm trying to find the title. If I do, I'll report back. It profiles a number of families and shows them placing kids, how it worked out, what changed, what didn't. It made me more *realistic* about what would actually change if I made a placement, kwim? 

Guess that's just talking since it wasn't exactly what you asked, sorry.

[PeterPan]

https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/a-dangerous-son  Here, I'm pretty sure this was the documentary. Just warn them it's pretty intense. This is how my ds was, sigh. 

Edited May 23, 2021 by PeterPan

[fourisenough]

@PeterPan Thank you. I’ll pass these resources along.