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. 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.

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. The National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs listed 140 schools and programs as of 2005, and 85 as of 2026. More than a third of those programs are in Utah.

North America United States Organizations that run or support school networks CEDU Aspen Education Group Family Help & Wellness New Horizons Youth Ministries National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools

Active schools

SchoolCityStateTypeAcademy at Swift RiverHampshireMAAlpine AcademyErda/TooeleUTANASAZI FoundationMesaAZARCH Academy of Cumberland HeightsAshevilleNCAscend HealthcareEncinoCAAt The CrossroadsSaint GeorgeUTBlack Mountain AcademyBlack MountainNCBlue Ridge Therapeutic WildernessClaytonGAwildernessBlueFire Wilderness TherapyGoodingIDwildernessBNI Treatment CentersAgoura HillsCABrightstone TransitionsGainesvilleGABrightQuest Treatment CentersNashvilleTNBuilding BridgesThompson FallsMTCascade ProgramsMidwayUTChamberlain International SchoolMiddleboroMACherokee Creek Boys SchoolWestminsterSCChrysalis Therapeutic Boarding SchoolEurekaMTClearview Girls AcademyHeronMTConfluence Behavioral HealthThetford CenterVTCooperRiisMill SpringNCCornerstones of MaineBiddefordMEDevereux Glenholme SchoolWashingtonCTDiscovery RanchMapletonUTDiscovery Ranch SouthCedar CityUTEcho Springs Transitional Study CenterSandpointIDElevations RTCSyracuseUT🌩️Evangelhouse Christian AcademySaint MartinvilleLAFamily First Adolescent ServicesPalm Beach FLGalen HopeCoral GablesFLGateway AcademyDraperUTGrove SchoolMadisonCTHavenwood Academy, Inc.Cedar CityUTHeartspring SchoolWichitaKSHeritage Schools, Inc.ProvoUTHuntsman Mental Health InstituteSalt Lake CityUTImperial Healing EstateProvoUTIn Balance AcademyTucsonAZIntermountainHelenaMTJohn Dewey AcademyGreat BarringtonMA🌩️, rebootKaizen AcademyPaysonUTKiva Adventure RanchToquervilleUTKolob Canyon RTCNew HarmonyUTLa Europa AcademyMurrayUTLegacy Treatment Center & Juniper CanyonLoaUTwildernessLifeskills South FloridaDeerfield BeachFLLifeTutorsAshevilleNCLindner Center of HOPEMasonOHLogan River AcademyLoganUTLumen LivingGainesvilleGAMaple Lake AcademyPaysonUTMeridell Achievement CenterLiberty HillTXMoonridge AcademyCedar CityUTMountain Lake AcademyLake PlacidNYNBI RanchWestonFLNew Haven Residential Treatment CenterSpanish ForkUTNew Leaf AcademyBendORNorthwest College SupportCoeur d'AleneIDOASIS AscentProvoUTOptimum Performance InstituteWoodland HillsCAOptimum Performance Institute HoustonNeedvilleTXO-SchoolChicagoILOxbow AcademyMount PleasantUTPacific QuestHiloHIPATH At Stone SummitDanbyVTProject PatchGarden ValleyIDRedCliff AscentEnterpriseUTwildernessRed Mountain SedonaSedonaAZRed Oak RecoveryAshevilleNCResilience Recovery ResourcesWest Palm BeachFLRiver View Christian AcademyLee CountyTX🌩️Rogers Behavioral HealthOconomowocWISecond Nature Wilderness Family TherapyDuchesneUTwildernessSedona Sky AcademyRimrockAZSierra Sage Treatment CenterYeringtonNVSorenson's Ranch SchoolKoosharemUT🌩️Still Creek RanchBryanTXStonewater Adolescent Recovery CenterOxfordMSSummit AchievementStowMESummit School (Nyack)NyackNYSunrise RTCWashingtonUTTelosOremUTThe King's Daughters' SchoolColumbiaTNTriumph AcademyBrigham CityUTTrue North EvolutionWaitsfieldVTTurn-About RanchEscalanteUTwilderness🌩️Uinta Academy RTCWellsvilleUTValley View SchoolNorth BrookfieldMAViewPoint CenterSyracuseUTVive Adolescent CareSaint GeorgeUTWediko SchoolWindsorNHWellspring & The Arch Bridge SchoolBethlehemCTWestBridge, Inc.ManchesterNHWhetstone AcademyMountain RestSCYouth CareDraperUT As of 2026.

Recently defunct schools

SchoolCityStateTypeAllynwood AcademyHancockNYClosedDiamond Ranch AcademyHurricaneUT 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 ClosedMount Bachelor AcademyPrinevilleORClosed Oak Creek Ranch School Cornville AZ Oakley School Oakley UT Shepherd's Hill Academy Martin GA wilderness Spring Ridge Academy Mayer AZ ClosedAsheville Academy (formally Solstice East)WeavervilleNCResidential Closed

Canada

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

Source: Experience Boarding

Mexico

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

List of therapeutic boarding schools

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