Telos FAQs
What are “tune-ups?”
What does a tune-up entail?
How long does it take, and does it require tune up?
Anxiety, depression, sleep problems, low energy, ADHD, brain fog, autism spectrum disorder, PTSD, OCD, and migraine headaches. There are currently studies taking place around the world to investigate the effectiveness of PrTMS at treating many of these. Currently, the FDA recommends rTMS and TBS for OCD, migraines, and treatment resistant depression.
Technology access is individualized and based on clinical readiness, maturity, and treatment goals. Many students eventually work toward healthy use of phones, computers, social media, and other technology as part of preparing for real life. Telos believes technology can be an important tool when used responsibly, but personal tech should never interfere with emotional growth, relationships, or treatment progress.
In many cases, yes. Students attending an accredited college, university, or trade school while enrolled at Telos U may be able to use 529 education savings funds toward qualified educational expenses, including an allowable portion of room and board costs. The eligible amount is generally determined by the school’s published cost-of-attendance guidelines for housing and meal expenses. Families should consult their financial advisor or tax professional regarding their specific 529 plan and eligibility.
Yes. Students continue their education while in treatment and participate in activities, recreation, fitness, and community experiences designed to support healthy development. Recovery is not just about removing harmful behaviors—it is about helping students build a meaningful, balanced, and connected life.
Families are a central part of the healing process. Parents participate in family therapy, communication work, progress updates, and therapeutic guidance throughout treatment. Carter House works to strengthen trust, improve communication, and help families create healthier long-term patterns together.
Yes. While most finish at Carter House, some students begin at Carter House because they need more focused support around substance use, but later transition into another Telos program as they stabilize and progress. This allows students to continue treatment within the broader Telos continuum while stepping into an environment that better matches their current needs and goals.
The Seven Challenges is an evidence-based counseling model specifically designed for adolescents and young adults dealing with substance use. Rather than relying primarily on confrontation or shame, it helps students honestly examine their choices, motivations, and the impact substances have had on their lives. The approach encourages personal ownership, deeper insight, and lasting internal motivation for change.
Carter House focuses on much more than stopping substance use. Many students also struggle with anxiety, depression, trauma, impulsivity, family conflict, or low self-worth. Treatment addresses the underlying emotional and relational issues driving the behavior while helping students build structure, accountability, and healthier ways of living.
Yes. Telos U serves both young men and young women. While living arrangements and supervision are carefully structured to maintain safety and healthy boundaries, students benefit from learning how to navigate appropriate social interaction, communication, and relationships in a real-world environment.
Telos U is designed specifically for young adults who need treatment and support while also preparing for real adult life. Students live in a more normalized environment where they gradually engage in college, employment, volunteering, independent living, relationships, and community involvement while still receiving clinical care, mentoring, and life skills support.
Yes. Telos U is intentionally designed to balance independence with safety, support, and accountability. Staff remain closely involved in students’ lives through mentoring, apartment support, therapy, life coaching, and clinical oversight while students gradually practice the responsibilities of adult life in a supportive therapeutic environment. At the same time, it is important to recognize that Telos U students are legal adults. A meaningful part of treatment involves learning to make healthy decisions outside of direct supervision, including participating in approved off-campus activities, community involvement, employment, school, and independent privileges. While Telos provides significant structure, guidance, and support, we cannot control every decision students make when they are exercising adult independence. The goal of Telos U is not simply to supervise young adults, but to help them build the judgment, responsibility, and real-world skills necessary for lasting success beyond treatment.
Family involvement remains an important part of the process, even though students are young adults. Therapists work closely with families to improve communication, strengthen relationships, and help parents navigate the transition into healthier adult-to-adult dynamics with their child.
Yes. Many students at Telos U attend college, trade school, volunteer, or work while in the program. Students participate in these opportunities with varying levels of support and structure depending on their needs, helping them practice independence while remaining connected to treatment and mentoring.
Yes. Students attend accredited academics while also receiving support in executive functioning, social skills, emotional regulation, and daily living skills. Students are paired with Life Skills Coaches who help them develop practical competencies needed for long-term success at home, in school, and eventually in adulthood.
When students become highly dysregulated or unsafe, Geneva may use a structured intervention called Stabilization. Stabilization provides increased support, supervision, accountability, and emotional regulation assistance until the student is ready to safely return to the community. The goal is always safety, learning, and recovery.
Family involvement is a major part of the treatment process at Geneva. Parents participate in therapy, receive regular updates and communication, and work closely with the treatment team throughout their child’s stay. The goal is not only to help the student grow, but to strengthen the entire family system.
Students progress through Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced phases as they demonstrate stronger emotional regulation, accountability, decision-making, and life skills. As competence increases, structure gradually decreases, allowing students to practice healthy independence in a safe and supportive environment.
Geneva is designed for adolescent boys struggling with significant behavioral, emotional, relational, or impulsivity-related challenges. Many students have difficulty functioning safely or successfully in traditional home, school, or therapeutic environments and benefit from a higher level of structure, supervision, and accountability.
Geneva combines high structure with deep relationships. The program is designed for adolescent boys who need clear expectations, consistent accountability, and intensive support, while still receiving compassionate, individualized care. Geneva emphasizes skill development, emotional regulation, healthy relationships, and long-term behavioral change rather than simple behavior management alone.
Yes. Safety is foundational to everything we do. Telos is licensed, accredited, and staffed by trained clinicians and mentors around the clock. For a full overview of our safety practices visit Our Safety Page.
Discharge planning is built into the treatment process from early on. Your son’s therapist works with your family to create a clear aftercare plan — whether that’s returning home, transitioning to a step-down program, or another level of care. The goal is a smooth, supported landing.
Yes. If you are working with an educational or therapeutic consultant, they can work directly with our admissions team. If you need a referral to a trusted consultant who specializes in residential treatment, contact our admissions team and we can help connect you.
North Campus is designed to feel like home, not an institution. Rooms are large and spacious with a big common area including TV, couches, and a fireplace in each apartment. Custom cubbies and footlockers give each student their own space. See the full campus tour >
Students at North Campus attend Telos High from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM and do not hold jobs during that time. Students who transition to a step-down program may be approved for employment by their primary therapist.
Yes, personal technology can be part of the treatment process at Telos U. The goal is not to eliminate technology permanently, but to help students learn how to use it responsibly and in ways that support—not distract from—their emotional health, relationships, academics, work, and treatment goals. Technology access is individualized and adjusted based on each student’s current functioning and needs.
No. Telos combines academics, therapy, mentoring, and activities as part of the overall program.
Yes. Executive functioning skills such as organization, planning, and follow-through are built into the academic program and may also be reinforced in therapy.
Yes. Telos High offers SAT/ACT preparation and staff assist students with college research and applications.
Yes. Parents are able to monitor academic progress and grades through PowerSchool.
Telos High is a Utah-certified high school serving grades 9–12.
Yes! Telos is licensed to provide outpatient, intensive outpatient, and partial hospitalization services. With different campuses devoted to different levels of care, we can provide services across a continuum of needs.
Telos has tracked treatment outcomes for more than 20 years using standardized assessments collected at admission, discharge, and follow-up. You can learn more about our long-term outcomes research and view our data on our Research & Outcomes
Students who are aging-out of other programs or are ready for a young adult program might be a candidate for Telos U. Young women and men needing support while they explore launching into adulthood can begin at Telos U at age 17.5. Admissions can help direct you even if they are younger and need to attend the Academy.
The North Campus is designed to be more dorm style with a large common area including TV, couches, and a fireplace in each apartment. Rooms are large and spacious, with 2 bunkbeds (a total of 4 per room). Custom cubbies and footlockers help students have their own space and storage. (See campus tour images ).
Each student typically participates in weekly individual and family therapy sessions in addition to several skills-based group therapy sessions throughout the week. Recreation and experiential activities are also integrated into the therapeutic process, helping students practice emotional regulation, social connection, resilience, and healthy leisure skills in real-world settings. Additional clinical services further support each student’s individualized treatment plan and overall growth.
Many Telos students come to us with a history of school refusal or significant academic frustration. Rather than simply forcing compliance, we work to understand the underlying reasons behind the avoidance—whether anxiety, depression, learning challenges, low confidence, social struggles, or past negative experiences with school. The structure and culture of the Telos academic program are intentionally designed to help students rebuild confidence and experience success again. With individualized support, strong relationships with teachers, and a low-pressure environment focused on progress rather than perfection, students begin to discover that they are capable of learning, succeeding, and producing quality work. For many students, this becomes a turning point that changes how they view both school and themselves.
Yes. It is however important to remember that therapy comes first and then school. Students who excel may learn at a faster pace and we can support them if the therapist agrees it won’t cause therapeutic setbacks with the extra pressure.
Telos High works with nearly every student to catch up on lost credits. Since Telos High is a low-pressure teaching environment, students don’t get frustrated as quickly and work begins to flow. As a year-round school, summers are used to catch up on grades and missing classes. Since the school is a fully accredited 1A school, administrators work with other programs and schools attended to capture stray credits that might have been earned but not reported.
The length of stay depends on the student’s needs and motivation. Typical timeframe is 3-12 months. Families on the shorter end of this range tend to be relying 100% on insurance help. Families on the longer end are able to cover continued treatment once insurance help ends.
Adolescent students typically communicate with parents during weekly family therapy sessions as well as through an additional private phone call each week. Young adult students and students living in transitional settings generally have significantly greater access to phone communication as part of practicing healthy independence and adult responsibility. Families are always welcome to schedule additional calls or visits when clinically appropriate. We encourage parents to coordinate communication and visitation needs through their primary therapist to ensure the experience remains supportive of each student’s treatment goals and progress.
All Telos residential treatment programs hold Family Days periodically throughout the year as an important part of the therapeutic process. These multi-day experiences include multi-family groups, parent support groups, face-to-face family therapy, educational trainings, academic consultations, experiential activities, and opportunities for families to connect alongside the Telos team. Family Days are designed to strengthen relationships, improve communication, and help families better understand the growth their student is working toward in treatment. They also include good food, meaningful connection, and enjoyable activities that allow families to spend positive time together in a supportive environment.
Unfortunately the answer to this question is not as cut and dry as most would like. It really depends on multiple factors (the complexity of the issues, the motivation of the student, aftercare arrangements, etc.). The average length of stay at Telos is 3-12 months. Families on the shorter end of this range tend to be relying 100% on insurance help. Families on the longer end are able to cover continued treatment once insurance help ends.
