The adolescent day treatment program provides individualized, evidence-based treatment by diagnosis. Clients meet with a dedicated therapist 1-2 times each week.
Clients meet individually with a psychiatric provider at least once each week.

Families are required to participate in family therapy sessions at least once each week. While each client meets individually with their primary therapist at least twice each week, sessions with the family therapist focus on the family system and require introspection and adjustments from all family members, not just the adolescent.

Families also are required to participate in the weekly Adolescent Family Program. The Adolescent Family Program includes education on mental health topics, strategies for how to reinforce skills at home, and peer support.

Adolescent clients direct admitting to day treatment receive an educational needs assessment at admission and academic education services year-round.

Adolescent day treatment clients stepping down from residential continue to receive academic support and services. Any partnerships established with schools during residential treatment remain in place throughout day treatment, and the education coordinator remains the school's primary point of contact. Clients enrolled in ADVANTAGES online school through Skyland Trail can continue their enrollment.

Daily schedules include at least two and a half (2.5) hours of structured academic support each weekday. If clients have struggled with school in the past, the education specialist helps them work toward building skills to handle classroom dynamics, assignments, and presentations in a supportive environment.

Adolescent clients must be enrolled in an accredited school or online learning program. If the client does not want to remain enrolled at their current school, or if the current school is unable to meet the partnership requirements, the client will be enrolled in ADVANTAGES Digital Learning Solutions.

Learn more about academic services.

Experiential activities offered throughout each week include art, music, fitness and sports, yoga, meditation, and horticultural therapy. Experiential activities give adolescents a break from talk therapy, encourage social engagement with peers, and help teens explore activities that they can use to express emotions and maintain mental health long-term.

Experiential activities also employ Behavioral Activation, an evidence-based therapeutic approach. Many teens with depression or anxiety have developed avoidance as an unhealthy coping strategy. Behavioral activation helps break the cycle of avoidance and reinforces the connection between doing things and feeling good.