To say that the past decade hasn’t been easy for residential treatment providers would be an understatement. State budget crises, declining placements, changing demands and regulations imposed at the state and federal levels, and increased national scrutiny have taken a toll.
The Alliance for Children and Families and American Association of Children’s Residential Centers (AACRC), which is managed under a partnership agreement with the Alliance, continue to advocate for residential treatment along the full continuum of care.
“Even as the Alliance, AACRC, and our hundreds of members that provide residential services embrace the important role of residential treatment, there are those who continue to question it,” says Peter Goldberg, Alliance president and CEO. “But, their arguments don’t take into account how the system of residential treatment services has evolved over time, or how it continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of children and their families.”
Secret Harbor, which found itself in the midst of the debate surrounding the role of traditional residential services, is a member of both the Alliance and AACRC.
“Being involved in both organizations has given us the opportunity to be on top of critical issues of our industry on a national level,” says Brian Carroll, president and CEO of Secret Harbor. “More importantly, it has allowed us to be involved in the dialogue.”
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Carroll acknowledges that opinions about residential treatment, even within the Alliance and AACRC memberships, run the gamut. He says at one point he was far on the opposite end from where he is today, then believing that new ideas about residential treatment were overrated and attacked the core of the industry.
When, out of both opportunity and necessity, Secret Harbor’s board determined it was time for the organization to move toward a more community-based, family-driven model of care, Carroll says the Alliance and AACRC played a critical role. They provided forums for dialogue and exposure to best practice models from across the country.
“Now, I think it’s a great thing that the move toward community-based and less-institutional care is happening,” Carroll says. “These changes can happen to you, or they can happen with you. We should be happy about it, but at the same time we shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bath water. There’s always going to be a place for traditional residential treatment, just not as much of it.”
Learn more about the Alliance’s commitment to residential treatment along the full continuum of care by reading a speech delivered by Peter Goldberg, Alliance president and CEO, at AACRC’s 2009 annual conference.
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