How to Choose a Young Adult Transitional Program

Placement in a transition program should honor the work the young adult has done in primary treatment or wilderness and build on that experience to strengthen the young adult's commitment to change. When considering young adult program options, here are some key factors to consider:

• Does the program provide enough initial structure to support the student’s transition from a structured primary or wilderness program back into the “real world?” Keep in mind that young adults seeking transitional placement usually have not demonstrated the skills to remain sober with minimal structure.
  
  
• Can the program teach recovery and life coping skills soon enough for the student to begin to integrate these into the daily challenges that freedom presents?
  
  
• Will the program give the student an opportunity to have more freedom once the student demonstrates sound decision-making skills.
  
  
• Does the program help coach the parents in setting appropriate boundaries and expectations with the student? Consider the implications of a transitional program that prematurely replicates the students’ prior environment where poor decisions were made such as allowing cell phone usage, unlimited internet usage, a personal car?
  
  
• Can the program support the student gradually developing the confidence to succeed academically and demonstrating the ability to advocate for him/herself as an adult learner? This would assume the program has adequate academic staffing to address the needs of a variety of learning issues and levels of academic diversity.