There are few situations more challenging than recognizing that your young family member needs residential treatment. But once you have accepted the fact that professional treatment is necessary, the next steps become obvious. You need to choose a treatment center and begin the recovery process. But how do you choose? There are over 100 residential treatment centers in Utah alone, so you have plenty to choose from. But only some are going to provide the safe, effective treatment environment you want for your child or teen.
Our Utah residential treatment center abuse law firm focuses on holding centers accountable for abuse. We take proper treatment of residents – children and teens – extremely seriously. Private residential treatment programs are all going to tell you they are the best, even if they have a history of abuse. Instead of trusting what they say, do your homework to make certain you can trust them with your child or teen.
We want to encourage you to follow the tips below, taken from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as you choose the center for your youth. The guidelines we list below are simple, and the FTC goes into more detail on their site at this link.
Choosing a Residential Treatment Center in Utah
1. Do online research.
Most centers are going to have professional marketing on their websites that tells you they are the best at what they do. That’s marketing, though. Find all the information you can on the center, including online reviews and any news articles if available, and read it all to get a clearer idea of what the center is like.
2. Make a list of questions and ask all of them.
There are too many questions to list all of them here, which is why we encourage you to use the list provided by the FTC and any other questions that are important for your specific circumstances.
3. Get proof and/or support for claims.
Staff credentials, endorsements, accreditation – all of these claims should be backed up by proof. There is surprisingly little regulation in Utah for treatment centers, so don’t depend on honesty here. Instead, get real proof that can be verified.
4. Visit the center.
There is no substitute for this step. To truly get a feel for what your child or teen will be experiencing you have to go there and see it for yourself.
5. Get every policy and promise in writing.
Promises are easy to make – which is why you want to get them in writing. If the organization fails to keep its promises, written documentation will make it easier to take legal action.
Victim of Residential Treatment Center Abuse? Contact Us
Our law firm is experienced in residential treatment center abuse lawsuits. If your child or teen has been the victim of such abuse in Utah, we urge you to contact us so we can fight on your behalf. Fill out our confidential online contact form now or give us a call at (801) 845-4577.