List of therapeutic boarding schools

A therapeutic boarding school is a residential school offering therapy or behavior modification for students with emotional or behavioral issues.[1] They can include residential treatment centers and wilderness programs. Their programs are privately run, and claim to rehabilitate and teach students with autism or other learning disabilities, mental illness, or struggles with substance abuse. The industry is controversial and largely unregulated, and has faced decades of allegations of false advertising and abuse, including child abuse, sexual abuse, and wrongful deaths of resident students.[2][3][4]

They cost of programs can exceed $10,000 a month for treatment, with residents prevented from leaving for months or years. As a result they are sometimes described as being part of the "troubled teen industry". It is particularly popular in the United States, with an estimated revenue of $20 billion a year in 2023.[5] The National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs listed 140 schools and programs as of 2005,[1] and 85 as of 2026.[6] More than a third of those programs are in Utah.

North America

Organizations that run or support school networks

Active schools

School City State Type
Academy at Swift River Hampshire MA
Alpine Academy Holladay UT
ANASAZI Foundation Mesa AZ
ARCH Academy of Cumberland Heights Asheville NC
Ascend Healthcare Encino CA
At The Crossroads Saint George UT
Black Mountain Academy Black Mountain NC
Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness Clayton GA wilderness
BlueFire Wilderness Therapy Gooding ID wilderness
BNI Treatment Centers Agoura Hills CA
Brightstone Transitions Gainesville GA
BrightQuest Treatment Centers Nashville TN
Building Bridges Thompson Falls MT
Cascade Programs Midway UT
Chamberlain International School Middleboro MA
Cherokee Creek Boys School Westminster SC
Chrysalis Therapeutic Boarding School Eureka MT
Clearview Girls Academy Heron MT
Confluence Behavioral Health Thetford Center VT
CooperRiis Mill Spring NC
Cornerstones of Maine Biddeford ME
Devereux Glenholme School Washington CT
Discovery Ranch Mapleton UT
Discovery Ranch South Cedar City UT
Echo Springs Transitional Study Center Sandpoint ID
Elevations RTC Syracuse UT 🌩️
Evangelhouse Christian Academy Saint Martinville LA
Family First Adolescent Services Palm Beach FL
Galen Hope Coral Gables FL
Gateway Academy Draper UT
Grove School Madison CT
Havenwood Academy, Inc. Cedar City UT
Heartspring School Wichita KS
Heritage Schools, Inc. Provo UT
Huntsman Mental Health Institute Salt Lake City UT
Imperial Healing Estate Provo UT
In Balance Academy Tucson AZ
Intermountain Helena MT
John Dewey Academy Great Barrington MA 🌩️, reboot
Kaizen Academy Payson UT
Kiva Adventure Ranch Toquerville UT
Kolob Canyon RTC New Harmony UT
La Europa Academy Murray UT
Legacy Treatment Center &
Juniper Canyon		 Loa UT wilderness
Lifeskills South Florida Deerfield Beach FL
LifeTutors Asheville NC
Lindner Center of HOPE Mason OH
Logan River Academy Logan UT
Lumen Living Gainesville GA
Maple Lake Academy Payson UT
Meridell Achievement Center Liberty Hill TX
Moonridge Academy Cedar City UT
Mountain Lake Academy Lake Placid NY
NBI Ranch Weston FL
New Haven Residential Treatment Center Spanish Fork UT
New Leaf Academy Bend OR
Northwest College Support Coeur d'Alene ID
OASIS Ascent Provo UT
Optimum Performance Institute Woodland Hills CA
Optimum Performance Institute Houston Needville TX
O-School Chicago IL
Oxbow Academy Mount Pleasant UT
Pacific Quest Hilo HI
PATH At Stone Summit Danby VT
Project Patch Garden Valley ID
RedCliff Ascent Enterprise UT wilderness
Red Mountain Sedona Sedona AZ
Red Oak Recovery Asheville NC
Resilience Recovery Resources West Palm Beach FL
River View Christian Academy Lee County TX 🌩️
Rogers Behavioral Health Oconomowoc WI
Second Nature Wilderness

Family Therapy

 Duchesne UT wilderness
Sedona Sky Academy Rimrock AZ
Sierra Sage Treatment Center Yerington NV
Sorenson's Ranch School Koosharem UT 🌩️
Still Creek Ranch Bryan TX
Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center Oxford MS
Summit Achievement Stow ME
Summit School (Nyack) Nyack NY
Sunrise RTC Washington UT
Telos Orem UT
The King's Daughters' School Columbia TN
Triumph Academy Brigham City UT
True North Evolution Waitsfield VT
Turn-About Ranch Escalante UT wilderness 🌩️
Uinta Academy RTC Wellsville UT
Valley View School North Brookfield MA
ViewPoint Center Syracuse UT
Vive Adolescent Care Saint George UT
Wediko School Windsor NH
Wellspring & The Arch Bridge School Bethlehem CT
WestBridge, Inc. Manchester NH
Whetstone Academy Mountain Rest SC
Youth Care Draper UT

As of 2026.[6]

Recently defunct schools

School City State Type
Allynwood Academy Hancock NY 🌩️, closed
Diamond Ranch Academy Hurricane UT
Elan School Poland ME 🌩️, abandoned
Glen Mills Schools Glen Mills PA 🌩️, closed
Hidden Lake Academy and Ridge Creek Dahlonega GA wilderness+ 🌩️, closed
Monarch School Heron MT 🌩️, closed
Mount Bachelor Academy Prineville OR 🌩️, closed
Oak Creek Ranch School Cornville AZ
Oakley School Oakley UT
Shepherd's Hill Academy Martin GA wilderness
Spring Ridge Academy Mayer AZ 🌩️, closed

Canada

  • Pine River Institute, Ontario. 
  • Venture Academy, Alberta and Ontario
  • Applewood Academy, Ontario (no new students as of 2025)

Source: Experience Boarding[7]

Mexico

  • Positive Impact, Bahia de Kino. Closed in 2005.
  • Casa by the Sea. Closed in 2004 due to abuse.

See also

In media:

References

  1. 1 2 Story, Louise (August 17, 2005), "A Business Built on the Troubles of Teenagers", The New York Times
  2. ↑ dcard (2021-10-14). "Desperation without Dignity: Conditions of Children Placed in For Profit Residential Facilities". NDRN. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
  3. ↑ Office, U. S. Government Accountability (2009-05-24). "Residential Programs: Selected Cases of Death, Abuse, and Deceptive Marketing | U.S. GAO". www.gao.gov. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
  4. ↑ "Five Facts About the Troubled Teen Industry". www.americanbar.org. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
  5. ↑ "Five Facts About the Troubled Teen Industry". www.americanbar.org. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
  6. 1 2 "NATSAP Members Directory". August 15, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Experience Boarding". 2026.
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