title: Critical failures in a regional network of residential treatment facilities.
abstract: The present descriptive case study reports on the state of treatment services and environmental settings in adolescent residential treatment facilities (RTFs) conducted as part of the Residential Treatment Center Evaluation Project. The project frequently uncovered poor quality of care exposing youth to deleterious conditions. Observations related to harsh treatment practices, psychiatric practice and medication management, educational and aftercare planning, and general treatment planning were closely examined. The analysis indicated that accreditation and licensing are insufficient to assure the quality of the service process in RTFs. Future research should address the relationship between treatment quality and treatment outcome. Efforts should also be made to develop strategies for organizational change to support high-quality services in RTFs.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social and Policy Research, Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, IN 46323-2094, USA. tpavkov@calumet.purdue.edu
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Pavkov
authors.forename: Sesen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Negash
authors.forename: Ira S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Lourie
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Hug
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation; D000293:Adolescent; D000359:Aftercare / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000592:standards; D010559:Personnel Management; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012114:Residential Treatment / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*