Residential Placements

When Your Child Needs More Support, We Help You Navigate Every Step.

An increasing number of students need therapeutic residential programs because their emotional, mental health, or behavioral issues cannot be handled in a regular school setting. This can feel overwhelming for families—but you don’t have to face it alone. At Susan Luger Associates, we help parents through every step of finding, securing, and funding the correct therapeutic placement.

Families typically reach out to us during their most stressful moments. Every conversation with SLA is confidential, supportive, and judgment-free.

📞 Call for Guidance About Your Child’s Needs

 What Is a Therapeutic Residential School?

Therapeutic residential schools provide 24-hour clinical and educational support for students who need a higher level of care. These programs combine:

·        Specialized academic instruction

·        Individual and group therapy

·        Structured behavior support

·        Round-the-clock supervision

·        On-site clinicians, counselors, and support staff

These placements are not simply “schools”—they are integrated treatment environments designed for stabilization, healing, and long-term growth.

Signs a Therapeutic Residential Program May Be Needed

You might think about a residential school if your child is experiencing:

·        Significant anxiety, depression, or emotional dysregulation

·        Trauma-related symptoms

·        School refusal or inability to attend

·        Escalating behaviors at home or school

·        Social withdrawal or isolation

·        Difficulties tied to substance use

·        Safety concerns or repeated crisis interventions

·        Learning challenges that are complicated by emotional or behavioral needs

Why Does Early Guidance Matter?
Early support—both clinically and procedurally—can significantly impact securing the right placement and preventing avoidable delays. Families often reach out to us when everything seems like it’s “falling apart,” but you don’t need to wait for a crisis to get help. Even an early conversation can provide clarity and direction.

If you’re unsure whether this applies to your child, we can help you understand your options.

📞 Speak With an Advocate

How SLA Supports Families Through the Residential Placement Process

We offer a structured, supportive approach—designed to reduce stress and increase clarity.

1. Understanding Your Child’s Needs

We review evaluations, reports, therapist letters, school history, and crisis documentation to determine whether a therapeutic residential school is appropriate and clinically supported.

2. Preparing for and Attending CSE Meetings

We help you advocate for the correct classification, services, and level of support at the DOE. Residential placements often require strategic presentation of clinical evidence—we manage that strategy.

3. Helping You Explore and Identify Potential Programs

We help parents understand the landscape of therapeutic and clinical programs nationwide so they can make informed decisions that fit their child’s needs. We do not endorse or advertise any specific program, but we guide families through the process with clarity and experience.

4. Securing Funding or Reimbursement

If the DOE does not offer an appropriate placement, you may be entitled to:

·        Reimbursement for tuition

·        Direct (“prospective”) DOE funding

·        Emergency/pendency support in some circumstances

We guide you through every step of the placement and legal process.

5. Post-Placement Support

Our work does not end once your child enters a program.
We support ongoing reviews, progress monitoring, and transition planning.

The Most Common Types of Residential Placements

📌 Clinical Residential Treatment Centers (RTCs)

For students needing 24-hour mental-health treatment, stabilization, and intensive therapy.

📌 Therapeutic Boarding Schools

For students who require structure, emotional support, and academic continuity.

📌 Dual-Diagnosis Programs

For students with mental-health needs complicated by substance use.

📌 Transitional Programs (“Step-Down” Settings)

For students preparing to reintegrate into a day program or home environment.

📌 Wilderness Therapy Programs (separate full section below)

Short-term, intensive, outdoor-based therapeutic programs are often used as a crisis-stabilization or assessment step.

Why Families Choose SLA

·        Over 30 years supporting complex special-education cases

·        Deep experience with mental-health-driven and crisis-driven placements

·        Understanding of emotional disabilities, trauma, substance use, and adolescence

·        A calm, strategic approach during moments of crisis

·        Full representation from evaluation → placement → legal action → reimbursement

Frequently Asked Questions

1.     How do I know if a residential school is right for my child?
If your child’s emotional or behavioral needs are preventing them from attending school safely or consistently, it may be time to explore therapeutic options. We can help you evaluate whether a residential placement is appropriate.

2.     Do I need to wait for the DOE or CSE before exploring residential options?
No. Families often speak with us long before a CSE meeting is scheduled. Early guidance can prevent delays and help ensure proper documentation.

3.     Can I enroll my child before the DOE approves funding?
Many families do, especially in crises. We can explain how reimbursement or prospective funding may still be available.

4.     What if my child refuses to attend school at all?
School refusal is often tied to anxiety, depression, trauma, or overload. It is a strong indicator that higher-level support may be needed.

5.     Does the DOE fund wilderness therapy?
While wilderness programs are private and not traditionally considered educational placements, SLA has successfully secured DOE funding connected to wilderness when the program is part of a clearly documented therapeutic and educational plan. These cases depend on strong clinical evidence and a well-structured legal strategy. We can help you understand how wilderness fits into a broader approach to securing support and funding.

📞 Call Now to Speak With an Advocate

Wilderness Therapy Programs

Wilderness Therapy: Short-Term Support When a Child Is in Crisis

Wilderness programs—sometimes called outdoor behavioral programs—are short-term, nature-based therapeutic interventions designed to stabilize students, address crisis-level behaviors, and provide extensive assessment before transitioning to a longer-term setting.

Parents often reach out when they feel they have no options. We help clarify when wilderness may be appropriate and how it fits into a broader treatment and education plan.

What Wilderness Programs Are (and What They Are Not)

Wilderness programs typically offer:

·        Structured outdoor experiences

·        Daily clinical sessions

·        Group therapy and skill building

·        A controlled environment away from triggers

·        A strong focus on safety, resilience, and emotional regulation

They are not long-term academic placements.
Most students transition from wilderness into a therapeutic boarding school, RTC, or step-down program.

When Wilderness Is Appropriate

A short-term wilderness program may be considered when a student is experiencing:

• Crisis-level anxiety, depression, or shutdown

• Escalating behaviors or substance-use experimentation

• Difficulty functioning at home or in school

• Social withdrawal and lack of engagement

• Poor response to outpatient or home-based interventions

We help parents evaluate whether wilderness is the right next step—and what must come afterward.

How SLA Supports Wilderness Program Cases

While wilderness programs are private and not always eligible for direct DOE funding, they can play a crucial role in a student’s overall treatment plan.

SLA assists families by:

• Reviewing clinical recommendations supporting wilderness

• Advising on how wilderness fits into an educational/legal strategy

• Preparing for the next placement (RTC or therapeutic boarding)

• Advocating for DOE funding for the long-term therapeutic placement that follows wilderness

• Ensuring the crisis intervention is documented properly for future reimbursement claims

We help you use this step wisely and strategically.

What Happens After Wilderness

Most students transition to:

• Therapeutic boarding schools

• Residential treatment centers

• Structured transitional programs

We help secure the appropriate setting that continues the work begun in the wilderness program.

📞 Call Today to Discuss Wilderness and Next Steps

Residential Reimbursement & Legal Options

Can the DOE Pay for a Residential Program?

In many cases—yes. If the DOE cannot meet your child’s emotional, behavioral, or educational needs, you may be entitled to:

·        Reimbursement for tuition

·        Prospective/direct funding

·        Certain emergency supports

Every case is unique, and evidence is key.

What Evidence Helps

We help assemble:

·        Psychiatric evaluations – Neuropsychological evaluations

·        Therapist recommendation letters

·        Hospital or crisis documentation

·        School refusal or attendance data

·        Incidents of safety concerns

·        Academic regression

Parents don’t need to figure out what to gather. We help with all of it.

When It's Time to Call SLA

You should reach out when:

·        The school is not meeting your child’s needs

·        Therapists are recommending more support

·        Your child is refusing school

·        You’re unsure whether a residential program is appropriate

·        You’re overwhelmed by the entire process

📞 Speak With an Advocate About Funding Options