Medical-model residential treatment for at-risk female teens
Helping residents make meaningful strides as they work toward overall wellbeing
Young people with complex medical diagnoses and mental or behavioral conditions need an integrated care setting that can address their full range of needs. Combining the services of a residential treatment center with around-the-clock medical care, the True North Program is designed to keep adolescent females safe as they work toward their goals. Through trauma-informed therapy, behavioral counseling, and relapse prevention, we empower our residents to continue making progress for years to come — because we’re compassionately mending minds.
Step-down, inpatient care for female teens in San Antonio
Nexus Neurorecovery Center
Our medical-model residential treatment center offers structured programming designed for adolescents with behavioral and mental health diagnoses. We’re also intentionally different, as our team can address simultaneous medical needs. Residents may admit from Nexus Children’s Hospital, home, or other referral sources.
it’s time to find your true north
Our program coordinators will help you find the right setting based on individual needs.
Supporting medical, mental, and behavioral health needs in a medical-model residential treatment center setting
The True North Program’s interdisciplinary team develops personalized treatment plans to address medical, behavioral, and mental health needs. Nexus’ uniquely integrated approach bridges the mental and physical healthcare divide, improving outcomes for the female teens we serve.
Program features:
- Around-the-clock medical care
- Integrates family medicine, psychiatry, and psychotherapy
- Ongoing medication management
- Structured, safe environment for residents at risk of harm to self or others
- Trauma-informed therapy and behavioral counseling
- EMDR-trained therapists
- Concurrent, TEA-accredited school enrollment
- Residents enrolled within three days of admission
- Guided, individually paced curriculum
- 1:1 guidance from onsite teachers
- Evaluations for school and community re-entry
Admission criteria:
- Ages 12 up to 18
- Requires intensive out-of-home therapeutic intervention
- Symptoms are interfering with ability to function in significant life domains and/or activities
- Requires 24-hour supervision due to emotional and/or behavioral challenges that have caused safety concerns
- Exhibits significant maladaptive behaviors
- Has been unsuccessful in less restrictive environments
- Responds to clinical services and skill development within a structured setting
- Has the cognitive functioning to benefit from the clinical services
- Has stable or chronic medical needs (youth will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis)
Meet a True North Program champion
“I have seen Maggie face her fears, try new things, learn effective coping skills, and become a source of encouragement to her peers. She has grown in her ability to advocate for herself and her desire to stay healthy.”
— Nexus social worker
Common diagnoses for mental and behavioral health patients with medical needs
The True North program offers a safe, structured care environment for medically complex adolescents at risk of harming themselves or others. We often provide treatment for behavioral, mood, and psychiatric challenges combined with complex medical needs.
- Acute infection
- Anxiety disorders
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Behavior dysregulation
- Bipolar disorder
- Borderline personality disorder
- Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD)
- History of homicidal ideation
- Major depression disorder
- Physical deconditioning
- Schizophrenia
- Somatization disorders
- Seizure disorders
- Trauma and PTSD
- Uncontrolled diabetes
How to choose the right inpatient setting for your teen’s medical, mental, and behavioral needs
Finding the right residential treatment center that can address all of you or your loved one’s needs can feel daunting. The following tips will help you narrow down your options and select the best fit.
- Understand the diagnosis. It’s essential to enter the search for a psychiatry program with a solid understanding of you or your child’s diagnosis, including all co-occurring conditions. Does the individual need primary care in addition to psychiatric or behavioral treatment? With a clear understanding of needs, you’ll be fully equipped to ask the right questions before you commit to a program.
- Ask a lot of questions. As you speak to clinicians and facility representatives, ask as many questions as possible. What types of care are they equipped to offer? What credentials do their clinicians hold? What are the most common diagnoses treated by the facility? In addition to general inquiries about the program, it can be helpful to question individual staff members. What do they love about their work? What inspired them to pursue their profession? The answers to such questions will suggest how invested staff members are in their patients’ wellbeing, and thus the overall effectiveness of the program.
- Check reviews. Even if you feel you’ve found the perfect program after conducting research and meeting with clinicians, it’s always a good idea to check a facility’s online reputation. Are the program’s ratings generally positive? Do current and former patients report feeling supported and safe? Bear in mind that many factors can affect patient satisfaction, but a high percentage of positive reviews is a good sign.
When it’s time to talk to your at-risk youth about residential treatment, remember to choose a calm, unhurried moment, be straightforward and honest about why residential treatment is necessary, and actively listen to their fears and concerns.
True North Residential Treatment services
