How to Pack for Residential Treatment
Most families that have a teenager admitted to residential mental health treatment have spent weeks or even months navigating all the assessments, conversations, and difficult decisions to get there. Packing might seem like it’s the last thing on your mind – but what a teen brings with them can have a major impact on their comfort and ability to settle in.
Most families are unsure of what to pack or what a treatment center allows them to bring. The rules can vary by program, so this article will help you better understand what to pack for your teen’s entry into Mission Prep before their admission date, including:
- The items to pack (and what to leave behind)
- What most residential treatment facilities usually prohibit and why
- How to prepare and talk to your child as they get ready to make the transition
- Practical tips for making your packing process less overwhelming
What to Pack for Teen Residential Care
Packing for your teen’s upcoming stay at Mission Prep is a chance to make sure your child feels comfortable and has what they need for success. Our program will provide you with a packing list before the admission date – always be sure to use that as your starting point.
Here is a general framework to help you think things through ahead of time. You can always give us a call if you have any questions or concerns as well.
Clothing
It’s wise to plan for your teen to have at least two weeks’ worth of outfits. They’ll want to have comfortable and casual clothing – think everyday basics that they typically wear.
Most Mission Prep locations have laundry access, so there’s no need to overpack clothes. Generally, we recommend anywhere from seven to 10 tops and bottoms, 10 to 14 pairs of socks, and three to four sets of sleepwear. As well as one pair of supportive shoes and another of comfortable shoes.
Personal Hygiene Products
Your child will need their everyday essentials to be comfortable, so be sure to send them with enough toiletries and personal hygiene products. Try to bring travel or mid-sized quantities, since storage space in residential rooms can be limited.
We typically require that all personal products also be alcohol-free and not contained in an aerosol-based bottle.
Shampoo and conditioner, soap, deodorant, a toothbrush and toothpaste, hair accessories, and feminine hygiene products are all recommended and help you cover the bases. It might also be a good idea to include some sunscreen for our outdoor-based activities.
Personal Items
A few familiar items can make a big difference in how quickly your teen adjusts to their new environment. Talk with them about potentially bringing favorite photographs, comfort objects and stuffed animals, books, journals, or a small blanket to give them a sense of familiarity while they’re away from home.
Medications
If your child is taking prescription meds, be sure to bring the original pharmacy-labeled bottles. Our staff manages all mediations onsite, so they’ll be handed off to admissions staff upon arrival.
Bring enough to last at least one month, with ideally more as a buffer.
School Supplies
We integrate academic support into our treatment programs, so your child will need some basic supplies. Keep it simple – pens, pencils, notebooks, and a folder ought to do it.
What Not to Bring to Mission Prep
Like most residential treatment facilities, Mission Prep maintains guidelines around what comes through our doors to keep everyone in the program safe. Some restrictions might seem obvious, but others can catch some families off guard.
For example, electronics are usually not permitted during the earliest stages of treatment. Removing digital distractions (and the social pressures that come with them) can give your teen the mental space they need to actively engage and participate in the recovery process. Our staff can speak with you about whether limited, supervised access might be available later in their stay.
Additionally, anything with a cord, drawstring, or strap longer than a few inches may be restricted, including hoodies with drawstrings, some backpacks, and charging cables. Before you pack, please remove the strings from any hoodies you plan to bring and leave bags with long straps at home.
Sharp objects, such as razors, scissors, nail files, tweezers, and so on, should all be left at home. Plus, any over-the-counter medications – including vitamins and supplements – need to be cleared by our clinical team before arrival.
Finally, we recommend avoiding anything with major monetary value, such as expensive jewelry. Belongings can go missing even in the most well-run programs, and keeping them safe at home helps to keep the focus on the treatment and healing process.
Practical Tips for Packing
It’s definitely advisable to start earlier than you think you need to. Pulling everything together a night or two before admission day can make an already-emotional time far more stressful than it needs to be.
Keep a full inventory of your packing list and make sure to run over our admissions guidelines before finalizing everything. If anything is unclear, don’t hesitate to give us a call to clear things up. Our admissions team takes these calls regularly and is always ready to answer any questions you might have.
On admission day, double-check you’ve got everything your child needs, and leave yourself enough time on the roads to arrive at the agreed-upon time.
Preparing Your Teen for Attending Residential Treatment
Many teenagers have mixed feelings about attending residential mental health treatment: relief that something could be changing, fear about the unknown and temporarily leaving home, anger, grief, resignation, and more.1 All of these emotions are normal, and none of them means the decision you and your family have made is wrong.
We recommend starting the ongoing conversation about their feelings early, not waiting until the night before admission to discuss what residential treatment might be like. Give your child time to express themselves, to ask questions, and to come back to the conversation multiple times. Reassure them that their home will always be waiting for them.
It can really help to be honest with them and avoid catastrophizing, too. They don’t need to hear a watered-down version of what to expect – but they don’t need to worry about worst-case scenarios, either. Talk with them about roughly how long things will take and how you’ll stay in contact and be involved in their care every step of the way.
What to Say When Your Child is Scared
Fear is extremely common before admission, and it can show up in several ways. Fear of the unknown, of being away from their friends and school, of what the other teenagers will be like, and so on.2
Everyone likes to have their feelings acknowledged, so try to talk with them about their fears directly and without minimizing them, reassuring your child that you’re always here for them. These simple truths can be incredibly grounding as your child builds their courage to address their mental health concerns at our supportive facility.
Help Your Teenager Feel Ownership in the Treatment Process
One of the hardest parts of this transition is that teens often feel like the decision to attend treatment happened to them without their input.3 So, whenever possible, bring them into the preparation process. So let them choose what personal items to bring and show them they still have agency and choice, even in a moment that likely feels frightening and out of their control.
If your child is resisting, don’t try to resolve it for them or get into a tug-of-war. Acknowledge their feelings and remind them that you’re supporting them because you love them and want things to get better.
Finding Success at Mission Prep
From the moment you reach out to us, our dedicated team will walk you through all the details and requirements to set up a successful admission and treatment process for your child. If costs or coverage feel like obstacles, Mission Prep accepts most major insurance providers and offers free benefits verifications so you know exactly where things stand before you commit.
Reach out today to speak with an admissions specialist and find out how we can help your child and your family start the recovery process.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Pack for Residential Treatment
If you’re in the process of preparing for admission, packing might seem like just another task on a mounting list of stressors. To help remove any pressure, we’ve provided the following answers to questions we commonly receive on the process.
What Happens if We Forget Something?
Mistakes happen, and forgetting something your child needs for treatment isn’t a crisis. Mission Prep’s admission team can work with you on how to send or obtain any necessary items after admission. Plus, in some cases, families can bring these items during their scheduled visits as well. Your teen’s care team will let you know what this process looks like for their specific program and treatment location.
Does Mission Prep Provide Anything?
We cover meals, bedding, and all the basic daily necessities as part of our residential treatment programming, so you won’t need to pack any sheets, towels, or pillows. Most of our clients usually do best with their own clothing and personal care products. And our admissions team will give you a clear-cut picture of what’s provided and what we suggest bringing for their comfort.
Are There Specific Clothing Requirements?
Some of our locations might have additional dress code considerations, depending on the activities offered. For example, outdoor programming at Bonsall or Rancho Palos Verdes might require specific footwear or articles of clothing.
Always be sure to speak with our team directly and follow the provided guidelines to set your child up for success in our residential treatment program.
References
- Paulus, F. W., Ohmann, S., Möhler, E., Plener, P., & Popow, C. (2021). Emotional Dysregulation in Children and Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders. A Narrative Review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12(1), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.628252
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (2022, September 19). Youth Residential Treatment – What to Know and What to Ask. Adaa.org. https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/youth-residential-treatment-what-know-and-what
- Narendorf, S. C., Fedoravicius, N., McMillen, J. C., McNelly, D., & Robinson, D. R. (2012). Stepping Down and Stepping In: Youth’s Perspectives on Making the Transition from Residential Treatment to Treatment Foster Care. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(1), 43–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.08.031
