FAQ Frequently Asked Questions Answers to your most pressing questions Frequently Asked Questions You have questions, we have answers. Whether you want to know who we treat, how long patients stay, what our education component looks like, or how we track a teen’s progress, that information is at your fingertips. All General Is there a minimum length of stay at The Meadows Adolescent Center? Yes, 90 days. How many teens are in the program at any given time? Our current capacity is 10 boys ages 13-17. What is the staff-to-patient ratio at The Meadows Adolescent Center? A: During the day, which is when our programming takes place, we maintain a ratio of one staff member to one patient. At night, that changes to one staff member for every three patients. My child has no motivation to change. Can you still help? While we can’t force anyone to change, there are things we do that can help. Changing the environment and removing triggers can alter a teen’s motivation and attitude. Creating some small successes can inspire them to keep working. And our Brain Center provides neurofeedback that can reset the nervous system to help them sleep and concentrate. That improved brain function puts them in a better space to do the work. Our experienced staff understands how to work with resistant teens and our strengths-based program is designed to bring out the best in them, but there is never a guarantee. What does a typical day look like? Daily programming changes according to the seasons. Parents can see a sample schedule upon request. If a patient turns 18 while in the program, what happens? We strongly encourage them to stay and complete the program, but a teen does have the option to discharge without parental consent once they are legally an adult. A current patient is never removed from the program because they turn 18 during treatment, but we won’t admit patients who have already turned 18 prior to admission. Tracking Progress Who should I contact to discuss my child’s progress? The primary therapist is the main point of contact for parents or guardians. They can provide detailed updates, but you are also welcome to talk to anyone else on your child’s care team. How do you work with educational consultants? We’ll contact the professional your family is already working with to ask what kind of communication they want to have, and then we’ll build that into the patient’s stay. Educational consultants are definitely a key part of the team. Do you use a level system to show patient progress? We are not moving patients through various levels in our program. For this population, we found that it can have more of a negative effect. Teens can get caught up in jumping through hoops to obtain a certain privilege rather than being motivated to make authentic progress. So how do you know where your child is at, progress-wise? We focus on different topics each week and everything we do has an intentionality. The goal is always personal progress and growth. You get out what you put in, which we find more successful than when progress is tied to a reward system. The Treatment Team What type of credentials do your therapists hold? Every one of our therapists is master’s level and has an independent or associate license. They also receive additional training on everything from ACT, IFS and NARM to DBT and EMDR. How often will my child see a psychiatrist? A: These decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, defined by the patient’s specific needs. If someone takes medication regularly, this could happen weekly to assess efficacy and adjust if needed. Can my child stay on ADHD or other meds? A: Yes, our adolescent psychiatrist will do an assessment and look at all current medications, ensuring the patient is on the best protocol for their specific needs. If anything needs to change, they will make recommendations and let the family know before any changes occur. Education How do students continue their education while at The Meadows Adolescent Center? Academic progress is managed by Alta Independent, which is accredited by the Northwest Accrediting Commission (NWAC) through AdvancED. Students can go at their own pace, from keeping up with their peers at their private, public, charter, or homeschool program to making up missed classes and credits. Acting as our school principal Alta Independent will manage student records, send out weekly progress reports, help with graduation plans as needed, live chat, IEPs, credit recovery, online tutoring, and SAT/ACT prep. Can you help with credit recovery if my child is behind in school? Yes, depending on how hard the student is willing to work. Alta Independent is set up to let them take as many classes as they can reasonably handle. Also, schooling continues through summer at The Meadows Adolescent Center, allowing students to even work ahead. The Future Starts Now Our admissions specialists are skilled at helping potential patients, loved ones, and referring professionals find the right treatment fit. A simple call can get the process started. Learn More