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How Safe is the At Risk Program You are Considering for your Child? Learn to Ask the Right Questions the Right Way
by Joanna Lilley, MA, NCC, founder of Lilley Consulting
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The only thing more terrifying than being in crisis and trying to find a treatment program for your young adult, is then trusting that the program you've selected is "safe." Safety can be subjective, and for a family who is fragile and hyper concerned about the well-being of their young adult while in treatment, it's hard not to have doubt surrounding the care of their child.
Before jumping into recommended questions to ask, it's imperative to share one single tip for families who want answers about safety: always ask directly for clarification and information. In researching programs by reviewing websites or speaking with program staff on the phone, it's easy to be charmed by marketing and walk away with little information. Try to look past the sales pitch by being prepared with questions. Ask about safety directly. If they have a staff who handles Risk Management, ask to speak with that person. It's better to have as much information beforehand to help make an informed decision about the safety of a treatment program.
It's also important to differentiate the different types of safety. Are you asking about physically safety or are you wanting to know more about emotional and mental safety? Without clarification, a program staff may only reference the type of safety they believe is relevant to share. They could discuss gear or protocols for weather, while a parent was referencing what happens if a young adult is being bullied.
If you can, avoid just asking "is your program safe?" The answer for every program will be "Yes." In asking open-ended questions, you will get detailed answers. Open-ended questions typically begin with "what," "how," or "tell me about…" Asking yes and no questions will leave any parent still feeling uncomfortable surrounding safety.
Without being familiar with the spectrum of available treatment program options, it's very easy to be overwhelmed with the research process. What a wilderness therapy program is doing for risk management and safety will be much different than what a residential treatment program is doing. Not to mention, residential treatment programs can range drastically! Below you will find a list of generic questions that will help guide parents to asking about the safety of a program.
Ten Questions to Ask a Treatment Provider/Program about their safety practices:
In the end, the most knowledgeable resource about the safety of a program will be a Therapeutic Consultant. This professional works tirelessly visiting treatment programs to see the space, meet with participants and staff, and to have a finger on the pulse of whether or not a program is truly safe. In addition to the questions listed above, these individuals can provide exhaustive lists of questions for families to ask treatment programs in regards to safety, as well as numerous additional areas that need exploration while exploring treatment programs. Joanna Lilley, MA, NCC is a Therapeutic Consultant, Behavioral Healthcare Navigator, and Young Adult Advocate, specializing in working with struggling young adults and their families nationally and internationally. See her site at: www.lilley-consulting.com, contact her by phone at: (970) 218-9958, or email at: joanna@lilley-consulting.com.
- What measures and procedures are in place for the safety of participants?
- Talk me through your Risk Management training for all staff.
- What is the staff to participant ratio?
- Talk to me about supervision of participants, during the day and at night.
- What evidence do you have that your program is safe?
- How do you specifically address safety?
- What happens if my young adult becomes sick? How far is the closest hospital? What processes are in place for a follow-up appointment (if necessary)?
- How will I receive communication regarding the safety of my young adult while they're at your program?
- If I Google your program right now, will anything pop up in the search history regarding compromised safety situations? If yes, what changes have you made to mitigate that risk?
- Has your program ever had a death? If yes, what have you changed programmatically to ensure that won't happen again?