In Response to the District of Columbia’s Behavioral Health Association’s Sensible Budget Choices: Aligning DYRS Dollars to Youth Treatment Needs

Residential treatment centers (RTCs) and psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) play an important role in the continuum of services at the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). Serving DYRS committed youth with specific mental health, behavioral, or substance abuse needs, RTCs and PRTFs provide specialized treatment programs in a secure, structured environment.

RTC/PRTF POPULATION STATISTICS AND TRENDS

During FY2011, there were a total of 378 DYRS youth placed in RTCs/ PRTFs. Although this number has risen since FY2007, this upward trend primarily reflects the significant growth that has occurred in the overall DYRS committed population during that time. In FY2007, the overall DYRS committed population was 541 youth; by FY2011, this number had increased to 1,269. 1 This overall growth of the committed population helps explain the increase in the number of youth placed in RTCs and PRTFs.