As rates of teen depression rise across the country, the Pacific Northwest is no exception. Washington and Idaho are among the 10 states with the worst rates of youth depression, and Oregon has the highest prevalence of youth depression in the nation.
Yet teen mental health statistics show that young people in this region aren’t getting the care they need. Due to the increasing shortage of adolescent residential treatment centers in the Pacific Northwest states, 85,000 teens with depression aren’t receiving any mental health services at all.
Adolescent Residential Treatment Centers Washington State
Newport Academy’s adolescent residential treatment center in Washington is helping to address the gap in mental healthcare in the region, by providing teens with integrated, evidence-based care proven to create sustainable healing. Currently, Newport Academy’s teen residential program is the only adolescent residential treatment center within a 100-mile radius of Seattle.
Our Newport Academy Washington State residential locations in Kirkland and Port Townsend treat teens who are experiencing anxiety, depression, substance abuse, or other mental health concerns. Each teen receives a tailored treatment plan that includes a variety of clinical and experiential modalities, as well as time in the classroom and with specialized tutors to ensure they continue to progress in their educational and career goals.
Family involvement is key to Newport’s clinical model of care. Through incorporating a robust family therapy counseling component using the groundbreaking Attachment-Based Family Therapy model, Newport Academy helps teens and families repair ruptures in the parent-child relationship and reestablish healthy communication and connection. Our trauma-sensitive environments and the depth and breadth of our experiential offerings are also central to our clinical model of care and our successful outcomes.
“Our experiential programming truly sets us apart. The wide-open nature surrounding us provides a radical playground, and the young people thrive in this environment. Our therapy rooms and common areas offer clients the feeling of being safe and held in a sublime quiet.”
–Mel Rose, MSW, PsyD, Executive Director, Newport Port Townsend
Teen Mental Health Statistics from the Pacific Northwest
Mental Health America (MHA)’s 2021 report found that 16 percent of youth ages 12–17 in Washington State, 17 percent of youth in Idaho, and 18 percent of Oregon teens suffered from major depression during the past year.
Yet the vast majority of teens with depression in this region are not able to access consistent, high-quality treatment. In Washington, only a quarter of youth with severe depression receive consistent outpatient or youth inpatient mental health services in Washington State; in Oregon and Idaho, only about a third receive consistent care, according to the MHA report. The lack of adolescent residential treatment centers in Washington, as well as a shortage of mental health residential treatment centers in Oregon, too often leaves teens and families unable to access help for depression, anxiety, trauma and PTSD, or co-occurring issues such as substance abuse.
Teen mental health statistics show that this lack of care has led to a spike in the number of adolescents making mental health visits to emergency rooms and family doctors for suspected suicide attempts.
Youth Substance Use Disorder Rates in Washington and Oregon
MHA’s 2021 statistics on teen substance abuse show that Washington and Oregon are again among the 10 states with the worst rankings. In both states, 5 percent of teens suffer from substance use disorder, which translates to 27,000 Washington youth and 13,000 teens in Oregon.
The most recent editions of the Washington State Healthy Youth Survey and Oregon Healthy Teens Survey show the following teen mental health statistics regarding substance abuse among high school students:
20%
11th and 12th graders used marijuana in the month before the survey
1 in 5
teens drank alcohol in the 30 days prior to the survey
10%
of Washington teens engaged in binge drinking in the two weeks prior to the survey
5 to 7%
of 11th and 12th graders abuse prescription drugs, such as Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin, Codeine, Adderall, and Ritalin
2,500
Washington State 12th graders have tried heroin at least once in their lifetime
16%
of high school seniors in Washington reported driving within three hours of marijuana use—another life-threatening aspect of teen substance abuse
Outpatient Care in the Seattle Area
In addition to our adolescent residential treatment centers in Washington, Newport Academy provides outpatient programming in the area that seeks to reverse the rising Seattle depression rate among adolescents.
The Newport outpatient program is designed for teens who are transitioning back home after residential treatment, or who do not qualify for residential treatment but need ongoing support and structure to regain lost ground in terms of mental health, executive functioning, and academics. The expanded treatment team and multifaceted approach provided by outpatient programming guides teens and families to turn things around and start thriving rather than just coping.
Levels of outpatient care at our Newport Academy Washington State location include a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and Outpatient Services. The main difference between the three levels is the amount of time a client spends in treatment:
- At the PHP level, adolescents attend all-day programming, five days a week.
- The IOP level is usually five afternoons a week, following the client’s attendance at their home school.
- Outpatient services typically include fewer than five afternoons a week, depending on the client’s and family’s needs and goals.
Like our adolescent residential treatment centers in Washington, Newport’s outpatient program in the Seattle area prioritizes family involvement and provides parent support groups.
Experiential Activities at Newport Academy Washington State Locations
Newport’s integrative approach blends scientifically validated clinical modalities, strengths-based academics and life skills instruction, and experiential modalities with trained and credentialed therapists. Experiential activities at Newport Academy Washington State locations may include improv theater, outdoor team challenges, community service, music therapy, and horticulture therapy. Both our Port Townsend location and our programs in the Seattle area take advantage of the state’s striking natural landscapes and numerous state parks as settings for Adventure Therapy and hiking excursions.
At our Port Townsend adolescent residential treatment center in Washington, our facility includes a Trek/Adventure Center, fully equipped to outfit clients for wilderness treks, kayaking in the San Juan Islands, sailing in Mystery Bay, and day hikes and snowshoe outings in Olympic National Park. In addition, therapeutic sessions at this location might take place out on the basketball court, walking one of the many trails on campus, or at the wilderness beach, surrounded by otters, harbor seals, bald eagles, and blue herons.
Get Started on the Path to Healing
Contact us today to learn more about our residential and outpatient Newport Academy Washington State locations. Our Admissions and Clinical Outreach experts are dedicated to helping families in the Pacific Northwest access the highest-quality care for their loved ones.
Whether you’re looking for local teen counseling or a residential program in a secure and serene environment in a beautiful natural setting, we can help you find the right treatment program for your teen and your family.