Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Transitioning Youth from Residential Treatment to the Community: A Preliminary Investigation

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Child and Youth Care Forum Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Systematic transition planning through family involvement, service coordination, and community involvement is critical for achieving change for youth with emotional and behavioral disorders in residential treatment centers (RTCs). Sixty-two individuals (21 staff members, 21 parents, and 20 adolescents) from an RTC were interviewed regarding these practices. Results indicated that the RTC involved adolescents and parents in discharge planning, taught youth skills for success in the community, and facilitated community involvement. However, other areas needed improvement, such as communication between the residence and the adolescents’ home schools, more frequent and longer home visits, and aftercare services.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, J. P., & Pfeiffer, S. I. (1991). Residential treatment of adolescents who do not return to their families. Comprehensive Mental Health Care, 1, 209–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker, B. L., Heller, T. L., Blacher, J., & Pfeiffer, S. I. (1995). Staff attitudes toward family involvement in residential treatment centers for children. Psychiatric Services, 46, 60–65.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brady, K. L., & Caraway, S. J. (2002). Home away from home: Factors associated with current functioning in children living in a residential treatment setting. Child Abuse and Neglect, 26, 1149–1163.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burchard, J. D. (2000). How wraparound can help overcome three common barriers to successful transition services. Reaching Today’s Youth, 2, 49–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cafferty, H., & Leichtman, M. (2001). Facilitating the transition from residential treatment into the community: II. Changing social work roles. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 19, 13–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlo, P. (1993). Parent education vs. parent involvement: Which type of efforts work best to reunify families? Journal of Social Service Research, 17, 135–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheney, D., & Barringer, C. (1995). Teacher competence, student diversity, and staff training for the inclusion of middle school students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 3, 174–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, H. B., Lee, B., Prange, M. E., & McDonald, B. A. (1996). Children lost within the foster system: Can wraparound service strategies improve placement outcomes? Journal of Child and Family Studies, 5, 39–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, H. B., & Stewart, E. S. (1992). Transition into employment, education, and independent living: A survey of programs serving youth and young adults with emotional/behavioral disorders into employment, education, and independent living. Community Alternatives: International Journal of Family Care, 5, 20–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doll, B., & Lyon, M. A. (1998). Risk and resilience: Implications for the delivery of educational and mental health services in schools. School Psychology Review, 27, 348–363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duckworth, S., Smith-Rex, S., Okey, S., Brookshire, M., Rawlinson, D., Rawlinson, R. et al. (2001). Wraparound services for young schoolchildren with emotional and behavioral disorders. Teaching Exceptional Children, 33, 54–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, M. H., Rudolph, S., & Epstein, A. A. (2000). Using strength-based assessment in transition planning. Teaching Exceptional Children, 32, 50–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, M. H., & Sharma, J. M. (1998). Behavioral and emotional rating scale: Examiner’s manual. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fairhurst, S. K. (1996). Promoting change in families: Treatment matching in residential treatment centers. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 14, 21–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frensch, K. M., & Cameron, G. (2002). Treatment of choice or a last resort? A review of residential mental health placements for children and youth. Child and Youth Care Forum, 31, 307–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilman, R., & Handwerk, M. L. (2001). Changes in life satisfaction as a function of stay in a residential setting. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 18, 47–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoagwood, K., & Cunningham, M. (1992). Outcomes of children with emotional disturbance in residential treatment for educational purposes. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1, 129–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hooper, S. R., Murphy, J., Devaney, A., & Hultman, T. (2000). Ecological outcomes of adolescents in a psychoeducational residential treatment facility. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 70, 491–500.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huebner, E. S., & Gilman, R. (2003). Toward a focus on positive psychology in school psychology. School Psychology Quarterly, 18, 99–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jenson, J. M., & Whittaker, J. K. (1987). Parental involvement in children’s residential treatment: From preplacement to aftercare. Children and Youth Services Review, 9, 81–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knecht, R., & Hargrave, M. C. (2002). Familyworks: Integrating family in residential treatment. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 20, 25–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kruzich, J. M., Jivanjee, P., Robinson, A., & Friesen, B. J. (2003). Family caregivers’ perceptions of barriers to and support of participation in their children’s out-of-home treatment. Psychiatric Services, 54, 1513–1518.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lakin, B. L., Brambila, A. D., & Sigda, K. B. (2004). Parental involvement as a factor in the readmission to a residential treatment center. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 22, 37–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landsman, M. J., Groza, V., Tyler, M., & Malone, K. (2001). Outcomes of family-centered residential treatment. Child Welfare, 80, 351–380.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leichtman, M., & Leichtman, M. L. (2001). Facilitating the transition from residential treatment into the community: I. The problem. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 19, 21–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leichtman, M., & Leichtman, M. L. (2002). Facilitating the transition from residential treatment into the community: IV. Making use of community resources. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 19, 43–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magura, S., & Moses, B. S. (1985). Developing a telephone follow-up interview for residential treatment. Residential Group Care and Treatment, 3, 33–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCurdy, B. L., & McIntyre, E. K. (2004). “And what about residential...?” Re-conceptualizing residential treatment as a stop-gap service for youth with emotional and behavioral disorders. Behavioral Interventions, 19, 137–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nickerson, A. B., Salamone, F., Brooks, J. L., & Colby, S. (2004). Promising approaches to strength-building and family-centered practices: Applications to residential treatment. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 22, 1–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stage, S. A. (1999). Predicting adolescents’ discharge status following residential treatment. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 16, 37–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stroul, B. A., & Friedman, R. M. (1994). A system of care for children and youth with severe emotional disturbances. Washington, DC: Georgetown University, Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP) Technical Assistance Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tam, T. S. K., & Ho, M. K. W. (1996). Factors influencing the prospect of children returning to their parents from out-of-home care. Child Welfare, 75, 253–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teare, J. F., Larzelere, R. E., Smith, G. L., Becker, C. Y., Castrianno, L. M., & Peterson, R. W. (1999). Placement stability following short-term residential care. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 8, 59–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tissue, R., & Korz, A. (1998). Making a successful transition: Effects of a treatment-based and school-based program on emotionally troubled children and their adjustment to new placements. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 28, 199–210.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, S. C. (1992). Transition timing: Treatment school to public school. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 9, 65–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Portions of this paper were presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Atlanta, GA, March 2005. The authors wish to thank the staff, parents, and adolescents whose participation made this work possible. We are also grateful to Sekani Carroll and Christina Ortiz for their help administering interviews and to WAL-MART and Hannaford for their donations.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, University at Albany – State University of New York , ED 232, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY, 12222, USA

    Amanda B. Nickerson, Sarah A. Colby, Jennifer L. Brooks & Jennifer M. Rickert

  2. Northeast Parent and Child Society, Schenectady, NY, USA

    Frank J. Salamone

Authors
  1. Amanda B. Nickerson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sarah A. Colby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jennifer L. Brooks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jennifer M. Rickert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Frank J. Salamone
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amanda B. Nickerson.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nickerson, A.B., Colby, S.A., Brooks, J.L. et al. Transitioning Youth from Residential Treatment to the Community: A Preliminary Investigation. Child Youth Care Forum 36, 73–86 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-007-9032-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-007-9032-4

Keywords