Residential treatment is a common and often effective direct intervention for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders who require structured care in an environment that provides 24-hour support. This type of treatment is typically offered in nonhospital, licensed residential facilities. Residential treatment is also known as "psychiatric residential care."

The decision to send a child to residential treatment is not an easy one for parents or teenagers considering the potential disruption to their lives at home, school and work. But research shows that the structure and ongoing support of a residential program are the best way to help teens overcome depression, anxiety, self-harm, and co-occurring behavioral issues such as drug abuse.

In residential programs, young people have the opportunity to experiment with new creative or emotional outlets in a safe environment and to build trusting relationships with peers who have similar experiences. For many young people, these are the first healthy and positive friendships they have experienced in a long time. In addition, the program allows them to work through difficult relationship issues like sibling rivalry, bullying or mean girl behaviors in an environment that supports authenticity and openness.

A recent review of the literature examining the effectiveness of residential treatment found that, although there are many methodological concerns--particularly with respect to sample size and equivalence of comparison groups--there is some evidence that residential treatment works. However, more rigorous research is necessary to examine longer term outcomes both within and beyond residential treatment.

Unlike inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, most residential treatment programs do not allow participants to bring their own cell phones. Instead, most provide a landline phone that can be used for calls home or to family and friends during designated free time periods. It is important to make a list of the people you would like to call when you check into residential treatment and to give that list to a staff member upon arrival. This way you will be sure to not forget anyone when it comes time for your phone to be returned at the end of your stay.

In some studies, people who receive residential treatment appear to have higher mortality rates than those who do not receive it. However, these results are likely to be due to differences in the populations being studied. For example, in one study, people who attended residential treatment were more likely to have a history of serious mental illness than those who did not attend. It is therefore important that research examining the outcomes of residential treatment pays close attention to the details of each study's methods. This will allow us to draw more meaningful conclusions about the benefits and risks of this service. In particular, we need to understand which residential treatments are most effective and for whom, and how the length of residential treatment impacts outcomes.