Residential Program and Therapeutic School – Intensive Program for Adolescents 13 – 17 Years of Age

We seek to help adolescents with their behavior problems

CRECE - Residential Program and Therapeutic School - Intensive Program for Adolescents 13 - 17 Years of Age


CRECE has a unique residential treatment program (RTC) at the Panamericano Hospital in Puerto Rico. We offer intensive treatment for adolescents, ages 13 to 17, who will reside in our facilities to help them overcome behavior problems that interfere with their functioning in general (home, school, community, etc.).

The RTC includes a Therapeutic School accredited by the Puerto Rico Department of Education and recognized locally and internationally for its excellence. Our program is designed to train teenagers to handle multiple difficulties related to:

  • Chronic Oppositional Behavior.
  • Self-mutilation, severe anxiety, chronic depression.
  • Use of controlled substances, alcohol.
  • Poor school achievement.
  • Severe interpersonal conflicts.
  • Family problems.
  • Aggression, violation of rules and regulations, among others.

Some Admission Criteria:

  1. Comply with DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Disruptive Disorders..
  2. Use of controlled substances and alcohol.
  3. Unstable and intense interpersonal relationships.
  4. Poor impulse control.
  5. Severe temperamental uncontrol.
  6. Constant challenge to the rules of adults and authority figures.
  7. Frequent absences to school.
  8. Damage to your person, others or property.
  9. Poor tolerance to frustrations.
  10. Failure to psychiatric and psychological treatments in the past.

Process to enter the Residential Program (RTC):

  1. Comply with the clinical criteria of chronic behavior problems that have not responded to previous treatments and have no exclusion criteria to the program. Some of our exclusion criteria are:
    • Chronological age under 13 years or older than 17 years.
    • Not having a home for therapeutic passes and leaving the program.
    • Vaccine history incomplete.
    • Patient actively suicidal or homicidal.
    • Unstable medical condition.
    • Not having tried or received less restrictive mental health services.
    • Intellectual Disability (mild, moderate or severe).
    • Students with educational requirements of content room and / or pre-vocational program required by Law 51 of Special Education.
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder.
    • Bedridden individuals.
    • Major criminal record (assassination attempt, others).
    • Emergency Admissions.
  2. Provide documents required prior to the child’s clinical screening, such as:
    • Birth Certificate and Social Security
    • Vaccine Record (Green Leaf) and Medical Plan Card
    • Credit Transcript and PEI
    • Psychological, Psychometric, Psycho-educational Evaluations
    • Psychiatrist Referral
    • Custody Resolution
    • Certificate of oral exam
  3. Clinical Screening by the multidisciplinary team prior to admission to the program. During this, several aspects will be considered in order to establish if the young person meets criteria to be admitted to our program or if, on the other hand, criteria and / or exclusion factors are identified.
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Warning Signs

  1. Isolate yourself from society and want to be alone.
  2. Having mood swings, such as euphoria one day and deep discomfort the next.
  3. Feeling trapped or hopeless because of some situation.
  4. Increase the consumption of drugs or alcoholic beverages.
  5. Change the normal routine, including eating and sleeping patterns.
  6. Demonstrate personality changes or feel extremely anxious or agitated, especially when you have some of the warning signs mentioned above.