What differences exist between a therapeutic boarding school and a residential treatment center?

Residential treatment centers and therapeutic boarding schools have become alternatives treatment for students with severe emotional and behavioral difficulties. The terms of residential center and therapeutic school are often used interchangeably when discussing out-of-distric placements for students with severe emotional and behavioral difficulties. While there are many similarities between the two programs, there are some subtle differences that classify them as two separate treatment options.

Residential treatment centers are programs in which students are removed from their home environments and provided specialized assistance, requiring clinical-level support in order to facilitate growth in the areas of emotional and behavioral development. Residential environments are generally structured, highly supervised, and therapeutic in nature. The focus of a residential treatment center is on the treatment program. When children are unable to function at school and at home, sometimes a residential treatment center is needed.

Therapeutic boarding programs are somewhat similar in that they provide structured environments that focus on social, emotional, and behavioral growth and well as the development of positive sense of self, improvement in decision-making skills, problem solving, and interpersonal skills. Unlike residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding schools provide a strong educational program to assist students with a history of poor academic performance, a lack of motivation, and who experience self-esteem issues. Therapeutic schools differ most from residential centers in that the emphasis is more academically driven, the intensity of student difficulties is less severe, and, what is most important, access has typically been limited to students from upper middle-class families who can afford the out-of-pocket costs for tuition. In other words, these programs tend to provide a good education along with therapeutic services, but they tend to be expensive and usually not covered by insurance.