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Advice on How to Get Your Child and Yourself Ready for a Resident Treatment Facility RTF From Parents Who Have Been In Your Shoes Packing While They are There Don t send any clothes with your child that are valuable or hold sentimental value Things may get lost or stolen at the RTF Make sure their name is written on the tag of everything When you go to intake have a clear list of what you are sending your child with Have the RTF sign off on it and take that list back with you to outtake make sure everything is accounted for Before packing give them a call and find out what is allowed and what is not Some places do not allow hoodies some do not allow sneakers with laces Have a clear understanding of their policies before purchasing anything or packing Some places will provide hygiene products for your children Make sure these products will work for them If they have sensitive skin ask if you are able to send them with products that they like as well as laundry detergent that won t cause them any problems Family Impact For weekend visits make sure there is a crisis plan and don t be afraid to tailor it to your family Have a clear plan on how to get the child back to the RTF if something goes wrong Be mindful of the impact your child s treatment has on your other children Remind them that this is not a punishment for their sibling it is because it is a necessary medical treatment Some siblings often fear that they too could get sent away if they misbehave assure them this is not the case Chances are you do not have friends or family members who are going through the same thing Reach out to the RTF and see if they have a parent whose child went through the program that you can reach out to Or reach out to a trained Family Support Partner FSP You are not bothering the RTF when you call an ask for updates You miss your kids as much as they miss you If your child calls answers let them know they are not abandoned there by you Your Child is going to play on your heartstrings they will tell you how horrible it is It is a survival tactic be prepared for it If they do tell you something that concerns you ask them for details and tell them you are going to follow up with the RTF immediately Children often have a honeymoon phase at their RTF They are following rules and then the RTF builds upon this not the behavior they were having at home Let them know what a day in your household looks like It is not as regimented and your child may have stressors like siblings sharing a room etc Discharge A discussion regarding discharge should happen AT LEAST 60 days ahead of time Ask how they handle medication at discharge Some places send you home with a month of medication some send you with a paper prescription to fill Make sure that your child will be able to stay on track with their medication and you will have the time you need to get it from a pharmacy Stay in contact with your insurance company before during and after your child s treatment so that you can understand their regulations as far as transferring treatment and fees are concerned If your child comes home for weekend visits and a problem arises tell the RTF immediately as it could impact discharge https www paparentandfamilyalliance org

Advice on How to Get Your Child and Yourself Ready for a Resident Treatment Facility RTF From Parents Who Have Been In Your Shoes Packing While They are There Don t send any clothes with your child that are valuable or hold sentimental value Things may get lost or stolen at the RTF Make sure their name is written on the tag of everything When you go to intake have a clear list of what you are sending your child with Have the RTF sign off on it and take that list back with you to outtake make sure everything is accounted for Before packing give them a call and find out what is allowed and what is not Some places do not allow hoodies some do not allow sneakers with laces Have a clear understanding of their policies before purchasing anything or packing Some places will provide hygiene products for your children Make sure these products will work for them If they have sensitive skin ask if you are able to send them with products that they like as well as laundry detergent that won t cause them any problems Family Impact For weekend visits make sure there is a crisis plan and don t be afraid to tailor it to your family Have a clear plan on how to get the child back to the RTF if something goes wrong Be mindful of the impact your child s treatment has on your other children Remind them that this is not a punishment for their sibling it is because it is a necessary medical treatment Some siblings often fear that they too could get sent away if they misbehave assure them this is not the case Chances are you do not have friends or family members who are going through the same thing Reach out to the RTF and see if they have a parent whose child went through the program that you can reach out to Or reach out to a trained Family Support Partner FSP You are not bothering the RTF when you call an ask for updates You miss your kids as much as they miss you If your child calls answers let them know they are not abandoned there by you Your Child is going to play on your heartstrings they will tell you how horrible it is It is a survival tactic be prepared for it If they do tell you something that concerns you ask them for details and tell them you are going to follow up with the RTF immediately Children often have a honeymoon phase at their RTF They are following rules and then the RTF builds upon this not the behavior they were having at home Let them know what a day in your household looks like It is not as regimented and your child may have stressors like siblings sharing a room etc Discharge A discussion regarding discharge should happen AT LEAST 60 days ahead of time Ask how they handle medication at discharge Some places send you home with a month of medication some send you with a paper prescription to fill Make sure that your child will be able to stay on track with their medication and you will have the time you need to get it from a pharmacy Stay in contact with your insurance company before during and after your child s treatment so that you can understand their regulations as far as transferring treatment and fees are concerned If your child comes home for weekend visits and a problem arises tell the RTF immediately as it could impact discharge https www paparentandfamilyalliance org