So you've heard of the wilderness camps and you reckon your troubled teen is a prime candidate. Fine but which camp best suits your needs? It's not an easy choice because there are plenty of camps and not all run the same type of program. You want the best for your child. One way to make your decision making easier is to go to a central body which lists hundreds of possibilities.

The National Association for Addiction Treatment Providers is a group which works to help parents find the right venue for their troubled family member. Each person has a different problem and the appropriate treatment is essential. By going online to a group such as NAATP you can search for and find possible places for your teen. The site is at naatp.org.

By asking questions and knowing the difficulties faced by your child, you give yourself the best chance of finding the appropriate wilderness camp. Searching online under wilderness camps for teens will provide you with many web sites.

Camps are keen to discuss their services with concerned parents. You can do this by email or by a toll free phone service. The key to success is by you knowing your child's condition and by you having a list of relevant questions when you contact each wilderness camp. Questions such as:

• What is the type of therapy you offer?
• What are the outdoor activities you provide?
• What is your success rate with teens who have X condition?
• What are your charges?
• Can you refer me to parents who have sent their child to your camp?

What Are You Looking For?

It helps if you know what a good wilderness camp provides. Once you do know you are better able to ask relevant questions. The best camps will offer most if not all of the following aspects.

• A full medical examination
• Individual therapy sessions with a licensed therapist
• Group therapy sessions with a licensed therapist
• A balanced and nutritional meal program
• Proper safety rules and standards and adequate sleep
• Education about substance abuse
• An away from base trek lasting up to 14 days
• Student focused planning of goals with appropriate measurement
• An average stay of about 40 days
• A program which guarantees the teens succeed in a variety of tasks
• The camp's program will be licensed by the State in which it is located
• Detailed costing plan and alternative fee paying arrangements
• Physical tasks which cater for all levels of physique
• Comprehensive report at the close of the camp

The best wilderness camp is one which has high standards and an excellent reputation and which is the best choice for your teen. It needs to be reasonably close to home, affordable and runs programs which will change your teen not just during the camp but forever once they return home.

Here are additional resources you might be interested in:

How to Choose the Best Wilderness Camp

What Are the Best Wilderness Camps?