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Rehab, or residential treatment centers for youth, provide around-the-clock care in a safe and supportive environment to help them recover from substance abuse and or mental health disorders. However, sending a teen for inpatient rehab treatment is often a challenging decision. Most behavioral health professionals who work with youth agree it’s best to keep youth local and as close to their communities as possible.
Local and in-state rehabs ensure teens can stay connected to their loved ones, and have access to their parents or guardians in emergencies. As well, centers are held more accountable when they serve their local community members.
The Power of Staying Close To Home for Recovery
There has been a push over recent years among mental health professionals and case managers who work with youth to keep kids and teens in or close to their communities. These provide several benefits that can improve the recovery process.
Easier Transition
Aftercare and transition services are one of the most important parts of the recovery process for teens. Recovery can only go so far if teens do not learn to implement and practice the coping and life skills they learn during rehab treatment.
Many local rehab centers help teens reintegrate with the community by providing:
- Lower levels of care, such as partial treatment or intensive outpatient
- Case management services to support social welfare (e.g., healthcare, education, and ensuring the teen has safe and stable housing to return to)
- Ongoing medication management and mental health therapy
- Connection to local alumni network and peer specialists
Family Involvement
Local rehabs provide more opportunities for families to stay involved in their teens’ recovery process, which has been shown to improve treatment outcomes [1]. It’s common for teen rehab centers to provide family therapy, have family visitor days, and host events. Many also provide psychoeducation to parents about mental health disorders and addiction.
Cost and Affordability
Local rehabs are generally more affordable and often work with local or state insurance. Out-of-state programs for teens require transportation, which can cost hundreds of dollars and more, depending on the program, location, and flights.
More Independence and Autonomy
Local rehabs tend to offer more field trips, visitor days for friends and families, and opportunities to stay involved with the community. Some rehab centers may give teens free days to go home or participate in activities with their families or peer support groups. Many of the rehabs that cater to out-of-state teens provide less autonomy and less flexibility.
The Downsides of Forcefully Removing Teens From Their Community
The term troubled teen industry (TTI) is used to describe underregulated residential youth treatment centers that are often characterized by forcefully removing teens from their homes and sending them to a non-local rehab (often out of state and in rural, harsh climates like the Utah or Arizona desert).
These rehabs are often marketed to parents as wilderness programs intended to provide structure for teens that helps them get sober or recover from mental health problems; however, they do not always have credentialed staff or provide comprehensive, evidence-based mental health treatment. Many teens who have spent time in these out-of-state teen rehabs have shared stories of staff abusing their power, being humiliated or disrespected, harassed, and discriminated against.
Some of the downsides of sending teens to an out-of-state residential center include [2] [3]:
- Social isolation: Being removed so far from family or loved ones can impact emotional well-being and social skills.
- Higher risk of abuse, neglect, or discrimination: Teens in out-of-state facilities (especially underregulated treatment centers) may be at a higher risk of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse due to a lack of oversight. More teens in these centers are sharing their stories on social media platforms, podcasts, and documentaries like “Hell Camp” [4].
- Negative peer influence: Some teens who are sent to residential treatment or rehab for minor mental health or behavioral challenges (e.g., mild depression, truancy, or vaping) may become worse if they are surrounded by youth with more problematic behaviors (e.g., teens with conduct disorder, illicit drug use, vandalism).
- Academic decline: Teens removed from their home and community face a higher risk of falling behind in school. Local teen rehabs can often work with the school system to develop an individualized education plan (IEP) and help teens transition back into school as they move from inpatient to a PHP or outpatient program.
Texas-Based Programs Helping Teens Heal
Over 1.2 million Texas youth under the age of 18 struggle with mental and behavioral health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. The Lone Star State is home to one of the largest youth populations in the country, yet it consistently ranks among one of the lowest for access to behavioral healthcare.
Research reports that over 60% of Texas youth who struggle with substance abuse and mental health challenges receive no care. This affects not only teens’ health and safety, but also their families and communities across Texas [5].
Substance Abuse Rehab for Teens at Clearfork Academy
Clearfork Academy is a network of substance abuse and mental health treatment centers for teens in Texas, aiming to close the gap in access to services. We offer comprehensive levels of care to address substance abuse, mental health disorders, and behavioral challenges.
Our residential rehab center provides teens with 24/7 supervision in a safe, structured, and faith-based environment to get stabilized and build tools for success. We offer evidence-based treatments such as CBT, DBT, and EMDR, and strive to educate parents about youth mental health.
Sources
[1] Fishman, M. et al.(2021). Family involvement in treatment and recovery for substance use disorders among transition-age youth: Research bedrocks and opportunities. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 129, 108402.
[2] Finch, V. 2025. Between Healing and Harm: An Analysis of Residential Treatment Centers for Youth. University of South Carolina.
[3] Mater, J. 2022. The Troubled Teen Industry and Its Effects: An Oral History. Inquiry Journal. University of New Hampshire.
[4] Williams, L. Hell Camp. IMDB.
[5] Macadams, G. 2023. Data Brief: The State of Mental & Behavioral Health in Young Texans. Data Center Kids Count. Every Texan.
Alumni Relations Manager
Mike grew up on a dairy farm in Parker County, Texas. At the age of 59, he went back to college and graduated 41 years after his first graduation from Weatherford College. God placed on his heart at that time the passion to begin to help others as they walked from addictions, alcoholism, and abuse of substances. He is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and in the past few years he has worn many hats, from intake and assessment, group counseling, individual and family counseling, intensive outpatient and now he is working with clients, therapist, and families on discharge planning and aftercare. He also coordinates our Alumni Outreach Program.
