Decline in Residential Mental Health Treatment for Youth

This report examines the decline in youth residential mental health treatment services in the United States. It outlines the critical role that residential programs play in the mental health care continuum, being less intensive than hospitalization but more so than outpatient services. The report documents a significant decrease in the number of residential treatment programs, beds, and youths served over recent years, attributing these declines to ideological opposition rather than evidence of failure. It presents data indicating a 60.9% decline in the number of residential treatment centers and a 77.9% decrease in the number of youths served since 2010. The report also discusses the implications of these trends, including rising rates of adverse outcomes in youth mental health, and makes several recommendations aimed at stabilizing and expanding access to residential treatment. These recommendations include policy changes and improvements to the behavioral health workforce and funding mechanisms.