Therapeutic education industry booms.

Ten years ago, few people in the United States knew what a therapeutic education school was. That changed in April of 1999, when two classmates at Columbine High School went on a rampage, killing twelve schoolmates and wounding 20 others before turning their guns on themselves.

The Columbine massacre was a national wake-up call, alerting parents to a growing culture of teen violence, recreational drug use, apathy, and an unhealthy preoccupation with money and material goods. Alarmed parents began to question whether the self destructive, defiant or oppositional behaviors exhibited by a child might be more than "just a phase." These fears, along with other factors like the increasing zero-tolerance school policies for bad behavior, budget cuts in community youth services, and greater clinical awareness of learning, emotional and psychological disorders in children, became the fuel that fanned explosive growth in the therapeutic education industry.

Broadly defined, the therapeutic education industry can include anything from community-based living programs to emotional growth boarding schools to residential treatment academies, both in the public and private sectors. Although a number of these types of programs have been around for several decades, the industry remains very fragmented. Industry experts can only approximate the actual size and annual growth rate of the field. But if the estimates are anywhere near actual, they are astonishing. For example, a 2002 projection cited by The Woodbury Report, a newsletter for educational consultants and parents of struggling teens, estimated the rate of growth in the industry to be between 25-30% annually. And nationwide, specialized schools registered with the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP), a trade group established to set standards and practices, have grown in number from a handful in 1999 to about 115 today, a figure which actually reflects only a small percent of the hundreds of schools operating today. Finally, over the last decade, the field has been catapulted from a multi-million dollar business to a $2 billion a year industry, according to figures cited by Forbes magazine in October of 2002.

A tremendous amount of the new growth today is in the private pay sector, meaning paid for directly by parents and other family members, rather than being paid by a third party. Learning problems and out of control behaviors are just as likely to plague children of middle and upper income families as they are any other social strata. The nation's largest such program--Aspen Education Group, headquartered in Los Angeles County--has seen a ten-fold growth in revenue since 1994, increasing from $10 million to more than $100 million dollars, with private pay representing about 70% of that revenue. Aspen Education's private pay division served the needs of 2,300 young people in 2003, addressing behavioral, emotional issues, as well as a variety of learning disabilities. Along with other large programs across the nation, Aspen Education offers a multitude of therapeutic school models, including residential boarding schools, special education day schools, and outdoor therapy and wilderness academies. These programs work by removing the child from the academic, social or family environment that can be reinforcing the failures or negative behaviors. By replacing the old, familiar environment with a new, controlled and tightly structured program of consistent regimens, rewards and consequences, these schools provide a new foundation for building trust, confidence and self-worth.

But with so many programs available across the United States, choosing the right one can be a daunting task for frustrated, demoralized or frightened parents seeking the right solution for their child.

Finding Expert Advice and Solutions

Parents seeking possible placement for a youth should start by gathering information from community resources they already know and trust: a family therapist, counselor, physician or teacher. They might also obtain referrals from other parents in similar situations. In addition, they can explore their options on the Internet, learning about various schools through NATSAP (natsap.com). But for the most objective and in-depth assessment and recommendation, parents should consider hiring an educational consultant. Educational consultants are skilled professionals who provide assistance to help students and families choose the school, college or special needs environment that is tailor-made for their situation. Many specialize in crisis intervention and have extensive experience advising families with children who have special needs.

Educational Consultant Douglas Bodin, CEP, of Bodin Associates in San Francisco, the largest educational consulting group in the United states, says that an accredited educational consultant can provide a "comprehensive assessment of the child, identify problem areas and needs, make recommendations for the best educational and therapeutic options, set goals, and, most importantly, provide family coaching and strategies on how to get optimal results from a program." The recommendations of consultants draw on their broad and personal knowledge of the many types of schools and program options available.

Bodin and other educational consultants say these programs can change lives, giving families "new hope" and helping students regain their dignity, self-respect, and direction in life.

Parents can find reputable educational consultants through local referrals from teachers, psychologists or physicians, or through the Independent Educational Consultants Association (www.iecaonline.com).

A Myriad of Program Choices

Among private therapeutic programs, parents can choose from a range of models, including academic boarding schools, wilderness programs, transitional living or a combination of several models. Selecting a program that is right for a child will depend on a number of factors. First and foremost, does the program have a track record of success in treating the specific problems challenging the child? Some residential programs, such as the Academy of the Sierras in Reedley, CA, near Fresno, specialize in behavioral and academic programs designed specifically for scholastic and social improvement, while other therapeutic schools are designed to meet the needs of children with other types of learning problems, such as dyslexia and the behavioral problems that may accompany such disorders.

Parents will also want to consider the living site. Children with behavioral issues or a combination of learning and behavioral issues may benefit more from a non-traditional living environment, such as a wilderness or campsite environment, as opposed to a traditional dorm arrangement. The use of an outdoor setting can enhance opportunities for learning and experiential therapies that help build self-reliance, teamwork, communications skills and problem-solving.

When choosing a program, other important considerations to discuss with an educational consultant or other advisor include the following:

* Reputation and safety record of the program

* Program philosophy, structure and therapy model, such as behavioral, experiential, etc.

* Student discipline philosophy

* Minimum and maximum length of stay

* Staff experience and special training

* Staff to student ratio

* The program's credentialing and state licensure

* Program services, such as evaluation and assessment, counseling and therapy, parent participation, and therapeutic activities

* Academic credits

* Cost of the program

The therapeutic education industry offers a tremendous range of solutions for parents who are facing tough choices about a child's future. By confronting the issues head on and employing new therapeutic educational choices, families stand a much better chance of turning around a troubled child and helping him or her build a bright, life-affirming future.

Elliot Sainer is president and CEO of Aspen Education Group in Cerritos. Aspen Education provides educational opportunities that improve quality of life for troubled children, teens and young adults and their families. To learn more, visit www.aspeneducation.com.

Bodin Associates has offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. For more information call 800-874-2124 or visit www.bodinassociates.com.