Adolescent Treatment Program

Comparing inpatient treatment for your teen:
10 factors for making your decision

At Menninger, we understand making an investment in your child’s—and family’s—health is one of the most important decisions you will make. In the mental health marketplace, hospitals offer varying treatment services as well as quality of care.

We believe your child deserves the best care in a safe environment. Rather than face the potential of multiple brief hospitalizations, we work with you and your child—from day one—to attain a comprehensive assessment and treatment of symptoms. Treatment focuses on the core issues that are affecting your teen and his or her ability to manage recovery and restore peace in the family. The right program has the potential to be transformative even in the midst of a crisis.

We believe treatment decisions are best made knowing the differences between programs when considering which treatment team and hospital to entrust caring for your child. We recommend asking the following questions when making this critical, and often difficult, decision for your child’s wellness.

1. What is the typical length of stay?
   Our typical length of stay is 21 to 30 days.
   
   
2. How does the program determine what treatment to provide? What is involved in the assessment? Are psychological and psychoeducational assessments included routinely and at what cost?
   The Menninger adolescent inpatient program involves a comprehensive assessment by the team psychiatrist(s), psychologist, social worker and rehabilitation specialist. Included in all assessments is an extensive psychological and psychoeducational testing battery encompassing 20 or more hours with the teen and family members. Additional assessments and treatment interventions for substance abuse, self-injury, eating and anxiety disorders are included as indicated—also at no additional cost to the family.
   
   
3. How accessible are the psychiatrist and other mental health professionals on the unit?
   Our team psychiatrists are on the unit full time as are all of the treatment team members, including the psychologists, social workers, rehabilitation specialist and addiction counselor.
   
   
4. What treatment programming is offered? Are therapeutic groups offered? If so what kind of groups, who leads them and how many groups are there each day?
   Our program offers up to four different psychoeducational and psychotherapeutic groups daily. Included in these groups are Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills groups; process-oriented groups; and groups on emotion regulation, trauma, self-esteem, life management, addiction and self-injury. All groups are led by licensed professionals, including social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, rehabilitation specialists, addictions counselors and registered nurses.
   
   
5. Are individual and family therapies included?
   Yes, weekly individual and family therapies are included. The number of sessions depends upon each teen’s needs.
6. What type of academic support is offered while my child is hospitalized?
   At Menninger, teachers licensed in Texas work collaboratively with teens and parents, as well as the school when appropriate, to continue current academic work or to develop an academic program for teens who are not currently enrolled or attending school due to their mental health issues.
   
   
7. What types of mental health professionals will be part of my child’s treatment team at Menninger?
   Treatment teams are led by onsite board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrists. Each team includes psychologists, social workers (LCSW), registered nurses, rehabilitation specialist (CTRS) and addiction counselor (LCDC).
   
   
8. What is the caseload for my child’s clinical treatment team?
   The case loads in the Adolescent Treatment Program at Menninger are never larger than eight to 10 teens at any one time in order to work intensively with patients and families as needed.
   
   
9. If substance abuse is an issue, how often will my child work with a certified chemical dependency professional?
   Teens with substance misuse and/or self-injury meet with the addiction counselor for an initial comprehensive assessment, weekly individual counseling along with a minimum of three groups weekly.
   
   
10. What does your daily rate include and not include?
    Menninger’s daily rates are all inclusive with the exception of psychological testing for teens who are directly admitted to the Partial Hospital (Day) Program. The rate includes medications. For more information, please visit the Program Costs page.