

Therapeutic Day Treatment

Medical social workers provide various services to the patient to help the patient in his or her recovery.


Therapeutic day treatment or TDT is a Virginia Medicaid-funded program that combines psychotherapeutic, medication education and mental health treatment interventions to children and adolescents in the effort to promote behavioral progress within both an individual and group atmosphere.


TDT Behavioral Specialists seek to promote positive social skill interactions among children and adolescents while assessing, redirecting, and intervening in behavioral challenges. A large part of the program encompasses social skill training, while harnessing in on the individual challenges a child faces with specific interactions with others. Utilizing evidence based treatment modalities, person-centered approaches, group therapy sessions, psycho-educational techniques, and cognitive behavioral techniques; the behavioral specialist focuses on helping the child to fulfill treatment goals. Upon successful completion of the program, the child will have built a more stabilized sense of socializing with others and appropriately managing behavioral challenges.


Establish and maintain appropriate social skill development
Improve anger management
Develop and utilize coping skills in difficult situations
Improve ability to respect authority figures
Decrease disruptive behaviors
Decrease aggressive behaviors
Redirect low self-esteem in the effort to improve self-image
Understand importance and consumption of psychotropic medications if warranted

Can be Used to Treat

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
Disruptive Dysregulation Mood Disorder
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Reactive Attachment Disorders
Conduct Disorder

Lifestyle support

Light housekeeping
Meal preparation and nutrition
Laundry and change of bed linens
Grocery shopping and errands
Transportation to social & recreational activities
Assistance with light exercise

Who is Eligible

Children, youth, and adolescents under the age of 21 who demonstrate difficulties in managing behaviors within a structured environment, i.e. school, recreation center, daycare. These individuals have difficulties in establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships to the extent that they are at risk for out of home placement or hospitalization; exhibit such challenging behavior that repeated interventions by mental health, social services, educational system, or judicial system have become involved; and exhibit cognitive challenges where they do not recognize personal danger or the risks their behaviors put them. For example, a child who has received repeated out of school suspensions for inappropriate behaviors.

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