When your child has to enter into a behaviour therapy program or get support for a substance use disorder, one of the most important things to focus on is getting them the continuum of care they need.
What Is a “Continuum of Care?
When you hear doctors or other health care providers talking about a teen continuum of care plan, what they’re referring to is ongoing treatment and support. This may also be known as treatment and aftercare. Aftercare takes place following graduation from another treatment program.
For example, if a teen goes through a residential substance abuse treatment program, they may also need aftercare. That aftercare might include weekly visits to a counsellor, regular check-ups with a doctor, 12-step meetings for teens, or other programs to help them stay on track.
What Should a Plan for a Full Continuum of Care Look Like?
A full continuum of care plan will be different for each patient. To start with, remember that “continuum of care” refers to the levels of treatment your teen will go through for their mental health, behavioural issues, substance use disorder, or other concerns. This will include anything from detoxification to behaviour therapy, inpatient treatment, or counselling on an outpatient basis.
The plan may begin with an inpatient assessment. During this time, the team at the facility you choose will look at your teen’s different issues. Whether there are mental health concerns, behaviour issues, substance use disorder concerns, or other problems, the Venture Academy team will determine which treatments need to occur in the coming weeks.
After determining the path of the treatment, the teen will enter into either a longer-term inpatient program or an outpatient program. Teens who have completed inpatient or residential treatment may benefit from an outpatient program as a method of continuing care.
Should You Look for a Continuum of Care Program with Family Involvement?
If you are interested in family therapy or counselling, then you may want to find a program offering that as part of the treatment process. Teen continuum of care programs can take into account family members, like siblings and parents, when looking at a long-term program for teens. This is because the parents or guardians are still responsible for their children, so it’s advantageous, in some cases, to have them involved in their care and recovery.
Is Aftercare Right for Every Teen?
Aftercare is important for anyone at any age. It encourages teens to practice what they learned in their inpatient treatment stay and will help make sure they stay on track as they reintegrate back into their home life, school, or work.
Aftercare is a good idea if your teen goes through a 30-day or longer program. After intake and treatment, they should receive ongoing support. With the potential to relapse back into unwanted or unfavorable behaviours, it makes sense to keep up with counselling and medical check-ups, which help to keep track of your teen’s behaviour at least for a short time.
Contact Venture Academy for a Program with the Continuum of Care Needed
At Venture Academy, we focus on helping teens overcome challenges in their life. We start most teens on a 30-day assessment and intervention program, which is when our multidisciplinary team will develop a treatment plan. We believe that long-term teen treatment and a continuum of care with follow-ups is important to their health and wellbeing in the future. We’re here to explain our services and to help you find the right program. Contact us today at 866.762.2211, and we will help you learn more about our teen treatment programs and discuss if they’re right for your child.