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A residential treatment center (RTC), sometimes called a rehab, is a live-in health care facility providing therapy for substance use disorders, mental illness, or other behavioral problems. Residential treatment may be considered the "last-ditch" approach to treating abnormal psychology or psychopathology.
A residential treatment program encompasses any residential program which treats a behavioural issue, including milder psychopathology such as eating disorders (e.g. weight loss camp) or indiscipline (e.g. fitness boot camps as lifestyle interventions). Sometimes residential facilities provide enhanced access to treatment resources, without those seeking treatment considered residents of a treatment program, such as the sanatoriums of Eastern Europe. Controversial uses of residential programs for behavioural and cultural modification include conversion therapy and mandatory American and Canadian residential schools for indigenous populations. A common feature of residential programs is controlled social access to people outside the program, and limited access for outside parties to witness daily conditions within the program. Within psychiatry, it is understood that it can be almost impossible to change entrenched behaviour without impacting habitual relationships, at least in the short term, but the relatively closed nature of many residential programs also makes it possible to conceal abusive practice.
Upon discharge, the patient may be enrolled in an intensive outpatient program for follow-up outside the residential setting.