Oppositional Defiant Disorder Treatment Center & Clinic in North Mississippi

Learn more about oppositional defiant disorder treatment at Millcreek of Pontotoc

Children and teens who suffer from oppositional defiant disorder can be difficult to parent as their behaviors can be hard to manage when symptoms of this disorder can cause a great deal of adversity. Most apparent when a young person is interacting with a person in a perceived or actual position of authority, the symptoms of this mental health condition include spiteful, defiant behaviors that involve arguing, temper tantrums, blaming others, and overt aggression. And while sufferers of oppositional defiant disorder, also known as ODD, seem to only struggle with behavioral problems, there are a number of mood disturbances that increase a young person’s risk of experiencing negative effects if ODD treatment is not sought to alleviate the destructive symptoms of this meddlesome disorder. Caregivers can be instrumental in advocating for their children when this disorder is a factor in their lives by seeking out appropriate care that can greatly improve the lives of young people battling ODD.

At Millcreek of Pontotoc, an ODD treatment clinic in North Mississippi, we recognize the unique, and often overwhelming, challenges that come with having a child or teen who is suffering from oppositional defiant disorder. Remaining sensitive to the needs of this population of children and teens, we offer specialized ODD treatment that is tailored to meet the individual needs of each child or teen who is entrusted into our care. Situated on 18 beautifully shaded acres of serene landscape, our 51-bed residential ODD treatment center provides caring and compassionate treatment for children and teens who are struggling with an array of mental, emotional, and/or behavioral concerns, including ODD. In this safe and secure setting, the behavioral and educational needs of these emotionally disturbed children and teens can be addressed as they develop the skills they need to learn how to manage their symptoms, overcome their negative thought patterns, and take the first step towards the happy, healthy, and bright future they deserve.

Helping your child or teen get treatment

Children and teens who meet diagnostic criteria for this condition frequently wish they had control over their behaviors and thought processes. Because the impulses to be defiant are so strong, young people grappling with this condition often have low self-esteem as they may have difficulty forming relationships with peers and avoiding trouble due to the symptoms of ODD. Parents and caregivers of these children can be helpful beyond the scope of just trying to manage destructive behaviors. The following are some things that can be done to assist a child with oppositional defiant disorder:

• Learn about ODD; doing this can help you develop more empathy for what your child is going through.
• Be patient and understand that your child or teen is not deliberately trying to seek out trouble.
• Research viable options for care that specifically treat young people with this condition.
• Seek and engage in ODD treatment that will address the behavioral and emotional aspects of this disorder.
• Be actively involved in your child’s or teen’s  treatment.
• Adhere to ODD treatment recommendations.
• Do not be afraid to seek assistance from your child’s or teen’s ODD treatment providers; they can offer helpful tips and insight for helping your child at home.

Following through on these suggestions can help your child overcome the symptoms of ODD and allow them to go on to live a happy, healthy life free from the symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder.

Why consider treatment for oppositional defiant disorder at Millcreek of Pontotoc in North Mississippi

Young people with oppositional defiant disorder are at risk for a number of consequences should the symptoms of this condition be ignored and allowed to persist. Oftentimes, children and adolescents with ODD get in trouble at school for acting out, being disrespectful towards teachers, or instigating fights among peers. When in the community, these individuals may engage in illegal activity and have interaction with law enforcement on an ongoing basis. Within the home environment, a youth with ODD may regularly defy caregivers and cause a great deal of undue stress or conflict. Because symptoms of this condition have the capacity to impact a child’s life in a number of settings, treatment for ODD has been created and is available to help children and adolescents overcome symptoms and learn new methods for controlling impulses.

Residential ODD treatment is one such option for care that can best treat the symptoms of ODD. In addition to helping children and teens learn ways to manage impulses, residential treatment is intensive in nature and can assist children and adolescents in understanding the impact of ODD symptoms on their lives. Experienced mental health professionals are on hand 24 hours a day in residential ODD treatment and have the ability to intervene and offer support throughout the therapeutic process. Additionally, residential treatment affords young people the opportunity to have access to psychiatrists who can determine if there is a need for medication(s) to alleviate the symptoms of this disorder. Parents and caregivers can also receive support, valuable education, and tips for managing their child’s symptoms as residential care involves a child’s family for the duration of treatment. By seeking this kind of treatment, children and adolescents can return home with increased self-awareness and the ability to manage behaviors, ultimately avoiding further strife caused by ODD.

Millcreek of Pontotoc’s treatment philosophy and benefits

At Millcreek of Pontotoc, located in North Mississippi, we are dedicated to helping children and teens lead healthier, more productive lives. By using a multidisciplinary treatment team approach to care, we are able to afford our patients comprehensive treatment plans that integrate their specific developmental, emotional, behavioral, and educational needs into their individualized plans of action for receiving thorough care. All children and adolescents in our care benefit from having their own treatment teams, which are comprised of psychiatrists, clinical therapists, nurses, teachers, and other healthcare professionals who formulate their treatment plans in conjunction with parents or guardians. When your child or adolescent comes to Millcreek of Pontotoc for treatment, you can rest assured that he or she will be provided with the most optimal level of care possible in order to ensure that he or she leaves treatment feeling successful, enriched, and fully prepared for the future.

Types of oppositional defiant disorder treatment offered at Millcreek of Pontotoc in North Mississippi

At Millcreek of Pontotoc, an ODD treatment clinic in Mississippi, we understand that making the decision to place your child into residential treatment can be difficult. We also understand that the process of doing so can seem intimidating, which is why we strive to make the admissions procedure as smooth, easy, and streamlined as possible. In an effort to be as accommodating as we can be, our highly trained and qualified staff is able to conduct psychosocial assessments over the phone, or in person, so as to allow for the admissions process to be a quick one. Once admitted for care, every child and adolescent will undergo a thorough evaluation process that includes physical, educational, psychological, and psychiatric assessments, of which the results will be added to the information provided by the initial psychosocial assessment. This thorough evaluation process allows the staff at Millcreek to gain a full understanding of each child’s unique developmental, emotional, and educational needs. Taking into account all of the information received throughout the course of these evaluations, an individualized treatment plan is then devised for each child or adolescent. The various aspects of the therapeutic interventions that your child will be afforded as part of his or her treatment plan may include the following:

Medication management: In some instances, the implementation of psychotropic medications may be beneficial in helping to alleviate some of the distressing symptoms of ODD. Such needs will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Each child will meet with a psychiatrist at least once each week in order to ensure the therapeutic effectiveness of any medications that are prescribed, as well as to make any changes that may be necessary.

Individual therapy: Individual therapy sessions are held for 60 minutes at least once each week and are designed to be a time for children to meet one-on-one with their therapists in order to discuss any concerns they have, to track treatment goals, and to work on personal skills-building. Additional sessions can always be added depending on a child’s needs or when specifically requested.

Group therapy: Children and adolescents in our residential treatment program participate in 60 minute group therapy sessions five times each week. The majority of the groups are based on a cognitive behavioral therapeutic approach and include discussions on topics such as goal-setting, social skills, peer pressure, aggression, following rules, and bullying. All group topics are tailored to address specific issues that pertain to the children participating in each particular group, so the topics will vary.

Family therapy: At Millcreek of Pontotoc, we believe that family involvement is paramount in eliciting successful treatment outcomes. Patients and their families participate in 60 minute family therapy sessions at least twice each month. However, additional family sessions can be added at any time depending on a patient’s needs or when requested.

Clinical staffings: Each child or adolescent in our care is provided with two staffings during their first month at Millcreek, and in one staffing per month for each subsequent month that he or she is in our care. These staffings provide patients and their parents or guardians with specified times to meet with their treatment team in order to discuss the child’s progress in all areas of treatment, including therapeutically and academically.

Experiential therapy: In order to provide a well-rounded approach to treatment, children and adolescents are offered additional therapeutic options as part of their treatment plans. These options include art therapy, play therapy, and daily recreational therapy.

Education: While participating in treatment at Millcreek of Pontotoc, all patients will attend our fully accredited, onsite therapeutic day school. Classes are held from 8:00am-11:00am every day, at which time children break for an hour of group therapy and then have lunch. After lunch, children return to class from 12:30pm-2:00pm. Teachers who are certified to teach children with special needs teach all classes, and classes are held in small classrooms with low student-to-teacher ratios in order to ensure that all academic needs are fully addressed.

Continuing care and levels of treatment for oppositional defiant disorder

At Millcreek of Pontotoc, an ODD treatment center in North Mississippi, discharge planning starts at the time of admission. Throughout the course of treatment, each patient’s progress is closely monitored in order to make sure that all treatment goals are successfully reached and that appropriate recommendations for aftercare can be made. All referrals for aftercare services are made based solely on each patient’s present level of functioning at the time of discharge, as well as based on his or her skills set and the challenges that he or she may still be facing. Our staff will work with each patient and his or her family in order to set up any aftercare appointments or services that will help the patient remain successful. Additionally, when it is appropriate, our staff can work with adolescents in getting them set up with part-time jobs following their discharge.

For those families who are still in need of intensive services, but whose children no longer require residential treatment, we often refer them to MYPAC in order to facilitate wraparound services. MYPAC stands for Mississippi Youth Program Around the Clock and is an intensive wraparound service that provides patients and their families with home therapy services.

Some patients will benefit from transitioning from our residential treatment setting to our therapeutic day school treatment program as part of their step-down process as they re-integrate back into their home lives. Patients taking part in this programming option will receive weekly group and individual therapy sessions, along with monthly family therapy sessions and multidisciplinary treatment team meetings with their psychiatrist.

Whatever your child’s ongoing needs may be, you should feel assured that the staff here at our treatment clinic at Millcreek of Pontotoc will do everything in our power to help them continue on the path to success.