Best Practices for Residential Interventions for Youth and Their Families

This guide is intended as a resource guide for judges and legal partners with involvement in the children’s dependency court system. Judges are responsible for critical legal decisions concerning the permanency, safety and well being of children and adolescents. These decisions can at times revolve around whether a child or adolescent should remain in their home or be placed in a residential program to address behaviors currently preventing them from living safely at home and in the community. To help guide judges and legal partners in making decisions about the appropriate use of a residential program this guide provides an overview of when a residential intervention is indicated and what to look for in determining a safe, quality and effective program.