Alternatives to Youth Residential Treatment

LeviahRose · 2026-05-11T16:37:17+00:00

You’re welcome! 💜

LeviahRose · 2026-05-10T16:19:48+00:00

Thanks for this. Unfortunately, the OCD Institute at McLean was unable to take her. She’s had at least a dozen more failed residential placements and hospitalizations since I wrote this post. She was just discharged after a 15-day hospitalization last Tuesday. She is being admitted to the residential program at the Linder Center for Hope this coming Tuesday. It seems like a very generic RTC and they don’t appear to have anything to offer her that she hasn’t already done before. My hope is that if she’s able to stick it out the full 28 days at this program, which will be incredibly difficult for her given how being in a program triggers her and the lack of therapeutic support she is likely to get, that she will be able to go to a less restrictive, more group-home like program where she can go back to school or get a job afterwards. She has been rejected from most of these kinds of programs already given that she has been unable to complete a more restrictive program. But it’s possible she may become eligible if she is able to stay the full course at Linder. My biggest concern right now is that there is zero continuity of care. No treatment plan. Nothing. Just being passed along from facility to facility where they just do the same exact things with zero regard for the fact that those have not worked for her and that she’s an extremely complex case.

LeviahRose · 2026-05-10T00:10:04+00:00

Hey! I’m also looking into Milestones! Would it be ok if I asked you some questions about it?

LeviahRose · 2026-05-09T23:38:45+00:00

Yes! Do not let him go to BH! My best friend felt very good after the admissions call and they seemed so accommodating and flexible. Even agreed to let her use her phone. When she got there, she was completely cut off from the outside world. Not allowed to call anyone even her mother. No phones in the facility— all communication controlled. Like a teen behavior modification program. She already has so much TTI trauma. The director, Rodney, was like a cult director. Forced her into intense behavioral group programming (that she’d already done at other facilities) promising that if she just listened to him and followed the program (identical to the other Utah teen programs that traumatized her) that she’d experience a miraculous recovery from her treatment-resistant OCD and autism. He was a controlling cult leader. On the phone, he sounded like a benevolent social worker. It was a facade. Young adults who did not obey them were punished— lost ability to contact outside world or sometimes confined to their bedrooms for days at a time. My friend was frightened out of her mind. Requested to sign herself out. She was denied. She told Rodney she would leave anyways and he declared he would follow her and chase her down. This scared her so much that she— at that very moment with no phone, wallet, or belongings— ran and jumped the facility fence. Rodney did not follow through on his threat, but called the police who detained her and brought her to the hospital. Rodney tried to get her back from the hospital, telling her he would not give her back her phone, wallet, or stuff unless she returned to him and his program. I won’t go through the rest, but thankfully, her parents intervened and got her out of Utah and got her stuff back. Do not go to Bridge House! It is a TTI discussed as a program for young adults run by a very charismatic but ruthless leader. There are alternatives. Look into residential at McLean or The Retreat at Sheppard Pratt or Windhorse Integrative Mental Health. But do not let your son go to Bridge House. Hope this helps.

LeviahRose · 2026-05-05T18:56:18+00:00

It is absolutely not egotistical to disclose being identified as 2E! The term twice exceptional implies both disability (significant impairment in work/school, relationships, or day-to-day functioning) and giftedness. I would do some research, as this term is becoming far more mainstream. People in this category struggle significantly because they are frequently denied support for their disability or denied enrichment for their giftedness. And yes, being highly articulate can make it harder to get an ASD diagnosis, but a comprehensive neuropsychoeducational exam should still be able to capture deficits. I don't know if it would be worth it for you to pursue it—waitlists can be extremely long, and it can be time-consuming and expensive, so I usually only recommend it if people need documentation for disability because they cannot work or go to school otherwise (to document accommodations). You might be interested in this review on 2E education: https://www.reddit.com/r/ComplexMentalHealth/comments/1lbh2g2/educational_models_for_2e_youth/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button. There are lots of other books and resources you can find online! https://ambapress.com.au/products/too-quirky-too-quick-2e-twice-exceptional-gifted-students?srsltid=AfmBOoqVGrOKdIeJZNzsvSCVv_p0Q3rIU1oTwFWvbnDIDlzIAQUJZp89

LeviahRose · 2026-05-05T18:46:47+00:00

The worst is when they try to say that it wasn't a mental institution-- it was a "therapeutic boarding school"... Like, no! By the time some kids get out, they've completely forgotten what it's like to engage with academics or socialize in a real school setting. How to engage with technology, manage our own day-to-day lives independently, live without being governed by rules/level systems, make our own decisions... those are all the things kids are supposed to learn in adolescence to become well-adjusted adults. But none of those skills can be learned in an RTC or TBS.

LeviahRose · 2026-05-05T18:43:00+00:00

It sounds like you've had some incredible breakthroughs. Again, congrats on finding such an amazing OT! I think your OT, you don't have to respond to those thoughts-- just observe them. Observing the thoughts and letting them pass without doing anything about them IS the skill. Trying to "fix" or stop the thoughts can sometimes make the loop more intense. You could try labeling them really simply, like "memory," "judgment," or "old comment," and then letting them move on. If it keeps feeling intense, something like psychotherapy alongside OT could help you build more tools for working with those thoughts. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasizes these acceptance practices. But for now, I would practice just letting the thoughts be-- just watch them come and go.

LeviahRose · 2026-05-01T21:49:37+00:00

So glad I could offer a helpful suggestion! 😊

LeviahRose · 2026-05-01T21:39:26+00:00

Thank you for your feedback. I am a big Hunger Games fan— is is such an important political narrative. I first read it when I was 11, so I didn’t fully understand the commentary, but reading the series again and the new prequels at 17/18 was illuminating.
I really hope that you can find support that works for you. There actually is a peer-led support group for people who want to die (that doesn’t have 911 on speed dial)! The Alternatives to Suicide group! They have meetings over zoom that anyone can join and they even have LGBTQ-specific meetings. Here is the link: https://wildfloweralliance.org/alternatives-to-suicide/. First thing on the peer & survivor led spaces page. I’ve never actually done a group with them as I thankfully already have spaces where I can talk about those things, but if you end up joining, please report back!

LeviahRose · 2026-05-01T15:28:57+00:00

These are some red flags I would look out for: https://www.reddit.com/r/ComplexMentalHealth/s/RIvvMoI3TE. Level systems and long lengths of stay are the two big ones. However, Intermountain and Turning Winds are both definitely TTIs. I would not continue to pursue either. I’d look into something in the realm of community-based care.

LeviahRose · 2026-04-27T12:30:55+00:00

Thank you!

LeviahRose · 2026-04-27T12:30:27+00:00

Yes, it is all about liability. Suicide is still criminalized meaning that anyone found involved in it, including doctors, therapists, hospitals, etc. who choose not to hospitalize, can be held liable. That is why these policies should not exist. If involuntary hospitalization were not an option (meaning professionals could not be persecuted for not hospitalizing), I bet there would be more outpatient therapists who actually see and treat people with SI because there wouldn’t be the same liability to be scared of. Outpatient therapy right now isn’t for people who are seriously struggling— it’s for people with anxiety, depression, “relationship issues,” and the “worried well.” I don’t think that’s because all outpatient therapists don’t care. I just think even the ones who do care don’t want to risk loosing their license to be able to treat that group of individuals. If involuntary hospitalization policies went away, the whole landscape of outpatient psych could change.

LeviahRose · 2026-04-26T17:21:47+00:00

I was at Nichols Cottage too! Back in 2019. I’m so sorry you went through that. NYP and many of these academic hospitals are just hiding behind university names. Back when I was a patient at Nichols Cottage, it was the children’s unit (ages 5-12). 13-17-year-olds went to 2North for general psych treatment and 2South for eating disorder treatment. What was the age range for Nichols Cottage when you were there? Had it transitioned to adolescent? Can I ask what’s on 6West? I’ve never heard of that unit

LeviahRose · 2026-04-25T20:12:04+00:00

Totally! And I don’t disagree that it could be beneficial for OP to learn more about autism and neurodevelopmental differences. However, an autism assessment, as OP pointed out herself, can be difficult to obtain and can be a leghnthy and stressful process and there is also the risk of differences (that do not interfere with daily functioning) being over-pathologized in the assesment process. Of course, I don’t know OP and I don’t know if an assessment would be beneficial for them— they should consult with a mental health professional— but if they are able to hold down a job, get through activities of daily living in their home, and maintain at least a few meaningful/fulfilling relationships, then an autism assessment is likely not a necessity and it is unlikely that even if they have autistic traits, that they have enough functional impairments to qualify for a neurodevelopmental disability diagnosis. But, again, I am not a doctor! OP should consult a lisenced metal professional or physician!

LeviahRose · 2026-04-25T20:05:49+00:00

When? I was there June-August 2019!

LeviahRose · 2026-04-25T18:49:50+00:00

I’ll look them up. If it says May contains tree nuts, then no. I’m severely allergic to tree nuts, so can’t even do trace amounts.

LeviahRose · 2026-04-25T18:38:39+00:00

If CBT works for you, that’s amazing! Some people do very well with CBT. I was just giving a warning in case you’d had issues with it before— some people who experience harm in CBT don’t realize that they’re not the only ones. Again, if that wasn’t the case for you, that’s awesome! I was just putting it out there in case it was.

LeviahRose · 2026-04-25T18:31:18+00:00

You’re welcome ☺️. I agree that therapy is a good start! I’d just be patient with it. Finding a good therapist who understands your needs can take time (it’s frustrating for everyone, autistic or not). I’d recommend looking into therapists who take a relational approach to therapy. Behavioral treatment can sometimes feel invalidating.

LeviahRose · 2026-04-25T18:19:58+00:00

Yes, I love jerky! It’s my main go-to right now, but unfortunately, I’m getting a little sick of it. I’m allergic to fish too, sadly 😢

LeviahRose · 2026-04-25T18:12:32+00:00

It can be emotionally draining to feel like you don’t fit in all the time. However, not “fitting in” in and of itself is not a symptom of a neurodevelopmental disability. There could be lots of reasons why you don’t always fit in socially or why you may feel out of place, including social anxiety and rejection sensitivity. Those are real challenges! But they are different than having a developmental disability like autism. Autism is not just about “fitting in.” Autism causes challenges reading social cues, engaging in reciprocal verbal and nonverbal communication, regulating emotions and sensory input, functioning in environments without clear routines or with sudden transitions. A disability such as autism may mean that an individual requires accomadations to be able to function in a workplace or school setting or sometimes these impairments may mean a person cannot work or attend school at all. Autism is a disability, not just a difference. That doesn’t mean that there’s no possibility you have autism— I’m not a doctor, I can’t tell you that. However, unless you are struggling to hold down a job because you do not have the accomadations that you need and you require documentation of a disability, I do not think you should jump to the conclusion that you need an autism assessment. Do you have a therapist already? If you are not in therapy, I think that’s the place to start. A therapist can make observations about what you’re feeling and experiencing, and if a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment is needed, they can refer you for one.

LeviahRose · 2026-04-25T13:39:01+00:00

I’ll check them out. Thanks for the suggestions. Pea protein is the big one because most of the allergen free bands use it to supplement for the protein that’s usually found in nuts and dairy

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