Beyond Point and Level Systems: Moving Toward Child-Centered Programming – Many residential treatment facilities and child inpatient units in the United States have been structured by way of motivational programming such as the point and/or level systems. On the surface, they appear to be a straightforward contingency management tool that is based on social […]

A Legacy of Scandals – Until recently, programs and schools for struggling teens—many of which are reputable, ethical, and professionally run—operated with scant scrutiny by government agencies. Anecdotes about shoddy and abusive practices remained just that—anecdotes—until around 2003, when the media, espe-cially regional media outlets, publicized crises associated with the World Wide Association of […]

Who are They? A Descriptive Study of Adolescents in Wilderness and Residential Programs – Although residential and wilderness treatment programs are growing in popularity, little is known about the adolescents placed within them. This study analyzed a random sample of 473 psychological evaluations of adolescents in residential and wilderness treatment centers for participants’ cognitive […]

‘‘When You First Get There, You Wear Red’’: Youth Perceptions of Point and Level Systems in Group Home Care – Child welfare involved youth are frequently referred to group home care. One common intervention utilized in group home care is behavior management systems. This intervention is operationalized as points, token economies, and level systems. […]

When Treatment is Torture: Protecting People with Disabilities Detained in Institutions – Throughout the world, people with disabilities are subject to mistreatment in psychiatric hospitals, orphanages, nursing homes, and other institutions. Much of this abuse is a product of neglect and lack of care — poor, unhygienic conditions, a lack of treatment, and outmoded […]

A System of Care for Children’s Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base – Contains several articles on youth residential. Problems can arise when placements are made without verifying that these important elements of residential care are in place. A basic source of verification of program quality is that the program is licensed by the […]

Troubled Teens, Troubled Thinking: The Part-Object Position as the Whole Enchilada – Reviews the book, Adolescence and delinquency: An object relations theory approach by Bruce R. Brodie (see record 2007-07975-000 ). Through the tightly focused lens of object relations theory, Bruce Brodie examines the lives and healing of troubled teens at a “Level 14 […]

Troubled Teen or Troubled System? TV Interprets the Zion Malpractice Case – The wrongful death suit filed by Sidney Zion against New York Hospital for the death of his daughter, Libby, in 1984, became famous not only for the issues of possible malpractice that arose from case, but also because it drew attention to […]

Treatment Planning and Medication Monitoring Were Lacking for Children in Foster Care Receiving Psychotropic Medication – In five States, one in three children in foster care who were treated with psychotropic medications did not receive treatment planning or medication monitoring as required by States.  Additionally, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has suggested […]