What to expect from teen substance abuse and mental health treatment

When you seek treatment for your teen’s substance abuse and mental health problems at Children’s Health™, you can expect a personalized care plan based on the individual needs of your child. Our Dallas-based program offers a different approach to treating teens and their families. 

Recovery is a process that involves the entire family — not just your teen. We are here to offer education and support, including ways to open the lines of communication between you and your teen while encouraging and rewarding positive change.

Helping your teen get better, step-by-step

Helping your teen overcome substance abuse and mental health issues is a process. Here’s what you can expect to happen:

Step 1: Make the call

Your first step is calling our intake coordinator who will walk you through a short screening to gather information and get a history of your teen’s substance use and mental health issues. Next, you’ll be scheduled for your first appointments.

Payment for services can be made through self-pay, insurance and Medicaid. There is no need to get a physician referral for services — you can decide if this program is something your teen needs. 

Step 2: Initial assessment

Your teen’s first appointment will be with the director of our program, Dr. David Atkinson, and will be a comprehensive evaluation that includes a medical history, physical exam and a psychiatric assessment.

Parents — you will also have an opportunity to meet with your child’s therapist and psychiatrist to discuss your concerns and develop goals that meet the needs of your teen and family. This collaborative approach allows our team to get a complete picture of what has brought your family to this point.

Step 3: Moving forward

Your teen will participate in individual and family sessions with their therapist. This part of the program is focused on increasing motivation and readiness for change and will continue for two to four weeks.

When they are ready, your teen will enter our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). For the next five weeks, they will participate in therapeutic group sessions and the family will participate in weekly multi-family groups. Your entire family will become educated and gain skills to stop the cycle of substance abuse. Once your teen has completed the IOP portion of the program, their therapist will begin to plan their discharge from the program.

Your teen’s care doesn’t end once they have completed our program. You can expect our team to stay in touch, answering any questions, and offering follow-up care and support to help your teen stay healthy.

Learn more about our program:

• Teen Recovery Program
• Curriculum and Treatment
• Meet Your Team