Choosing the right residential, or extended care, facility for a child can be difficult for families. Here are some important questions to ask when interviewing / researching a particular facility:
- What is your philosophy of treatment?
- Currently, or generally, what types of issues do you deal with the most at your facility?
- Based on your understanding of my child's needs
- Do you have a program that will benefit my child?
- What are your initial thoughts about a treatment plan?
- Have you worked with similar cases? What were the outcome in these situations?
- How would my child fit in with other residents?
- Do you have any concerns about my child's participation in your program?
- What would be a realistic successful outcome for my child?
- What is the average patient age?
- Are patients ever separated by gender? (sleeping, recreation, meals, groups)
- What type of plan for communication is there between the treatment team and parents? How does this communication plan work (e.g., phone, email, visits)? What type of access do we as parents / caregivers have to the attending physician?
- What type of expectations would the facility have for family participation during my child's stay? Is there a recommend visitation program?
- How is length of stay determined?
- How are on-site visits usually handled? Do you recommend that our child attend the initial on-site visit?
The Arc of Greater Cleveland has a helpful list of questions to ask a potential provider.