Trails Carolina Outcome Study: Program Graduates Report Significant Improvements in Mental Health and Overall Wellbeing

LAKE TOXAWAY, N.C., Jan. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the course of the past five years, Trails Carolina, a leading wilderness therapy program for teens ages 10-17, has been gathering data to better understand the effectiveness of their program. Done in coordination with the Center for Research, Assessment, and Treatment Efficacy (CReATE) in Asheville, NC, and the University of Arkansas, this study helped Trails Carolina collect an impressive amount of outcome data about student mental health symptoms and behaviors at four key points: their arrival at Trails Carolina, at graduation, three months after graduation, and twelve months after graduation.

"Trails Carolina students come to us with a variety of mental health and behavioral challenges, and in need of support," says Julia Andrick, Admissions Director at Trails Carolina. "We wanted to find a way to measure and track our program outcome in order to better understand the lasting impact our program has on the students and families we help."

The Trails Carolina outcome study data did just that. One year after graduation, parents reported a 93% decrease in rule-breaking behaviors in their child. The study also measured improvements in mental health with 93% of students showing a decrease in depression symptoms, 86% showing improvements in anxiety symptoms, and 98% showing fewer signs of aggression.

"We were really happy with the results of the study," says Jeremy Whitworth, Program Director at Trails Carolina. "Our clinical and programming teams work hard every day to provide the best level of care for our students. It is great to see concrete data that reflects that."

This research is ongoing and uses evidence-based assessment tools such as the Treatment Outcome Package (TOP), a highly regarded survey used for measuring responses to therapeutic interventions, as well as the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessments. The Trails Carolina outcome study delivers invaluable feedback from families. It also allows the Trails Carolina team to make informed decisions on clinical programming to best meet the needs of their students.

To learn more about Trails Carolina, visit their website at https://trailscarolina.com/ or give them a call at (828) 469-0965. Their team of experts is available to answer any questions you may have.

SOURCE Family Help and Wellness

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