Residential Treatment vs. Wraparound

Summary

The U.S. Surgeon General has referenced the issue of treatment of children for mental health issues, specifically residential treatment centers (RTCs) and other alternative treatments. The 1999 Mental Heath—A report of the Surgeon General states, “Residential treatment centers (RTCs) are the second most restrictive form of care (next to inpatient hospitalization) for children with severe mental disorders. In the past, admission to an RTC was justified on the basis of community protection, child protection, and benefits of residential treatment (Barker, 1982). However as of today, none of these justifications have stood up to research scrutiny. In particular, youth who display seriously violent and aggressive behavior do not appear to improve in such settings, according to limited evidence (Joshi & Rosenberg, 1997).”