Treatment Failure
When we’re talking about someone getting help, whether it be for mental health, substance use, or success being independent in adulting skills, it’s paramount that the perceived identified young person who needs help get matched with the right program and level of care. The top reasons parents pursue certain resources is by word of mouth, Google search, and/or what is in-network with insurance. This makes sense to me, naturally, but you’re running some risks. Here are my initial thoughts:
You look into a program because your friend’s kid went there was it was a “success.” First, let’s unpack that. What one person needs in treatment isn’t the same as everyone else. Maybe the community was awesome at the time their child was there, maybe their therapist was amazing but no longer works at this program, or maybe it was previously privately owned by now was purchased by a venture capital company. A lot can change. The same program isn’t the same experience for everyone.
Google Search for treatment is like getting catfished on a dating app. The websites and information can be very misleading. Tread lightly. Don’t discredit a website of a program because it looks like a 12 year-old made it. What this tells me is that the company doesn’t put their money into online marketing, but most likely their client experience and programming.
You have to understand that insurance is driven by a medical-model. They are looking to see if your child meets medical necessity. What does that mean? Simply, insurance really only likes to cover things when it’s a hard to self or others (i.e. suicidal). Once a therapist writes a hint in their notes that the client is not longer in crisis, then insurance is quick to deny coverage. If you are seeking resources that are in-network with your plan, please make sure that you’re asking potential programs “what happens if coverage is denied?” You need to understand that even if you’re pursuing in-network programs that if insurance refuses to cover your care, you’ll be slapped with a “pay us the daily rate or we’re discharging your child” choice. It’s morally unacceptable if you ask me, but are INN programs asking me what I think? Generally not.
I have worked with a lot of families who had experience enrolling in treatment programs because of the resources listed above, and then it didn’t pan out. They come to me after hoping I can help their young adult dig out from a deeper hole of shame and a perceived sense of failure. It makes my job tremendously more important, and there’s a lot of pressure. For me, the assessment and information gathering on the frontend to ensure I have all the information is what can make the difference. If you are a family who is withholding information, whether that be to an Admissions staff or a Therapeutic Consultant contacting programs on your behalf, you are setting your child up for a mismatched treatment. It’s just so important to be forthcoming with all the details so your young adult can be supported appropriately.
So, what makes a treatment experience a failed experience? It’s just a treatment experience that wasn’t helpful for the patient. It could have been that the community wasn’t the right fit. A level of care that wasn’t necessary, or was cut short (because of insurance or parents that let their child talk them out of the clinical recommendations), or walking away from the treatment experience with more trauma than you went in with. That last one really puts a knife in my heart and twists it. This is the last thing I want for any of the clients I work with.
No matter, treatment failure is about perception. It’s about the goals going in and if it was realistic to the potential outcomes for the loved one.
For questions or comments contact Joanna.
