5 Reasons Why Summer Can Be the Best Time to Access Care
Why Summer Matters for Mental Health
The school year can be a barrier to self-care, due to homework, projects, and recreational activities, like sports and clubs. After the last day of school, these responsibilities take a step back—and summer opens a window.
Many youth deal with anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, disordered eating, or substance use, but don’t get support until academic concerns surface. Summer is a good time to start treatment for mental health and substance use issues. In fact, summer’s flexibility is a window for early intervention, skill-building, and prevention that avoids crises in the fall.
Insight Northwest Recovery (INR) and affiliated providers offer structured care for ages 12+, including PHP, IOP, and outpatient programs. Our treatment programs help teens and young adults reclaim their well-being and build resilience.
1 - No Academic Disruption = Full Focus on Mental Health
Imagine all the pressures teens face these days while in school. While academic success is a goal for many teens, it can often feel like a great burden. From homework and exams, to part-time jobs and recreational activities, being a teen today can be overwhelming. Navigating these responsibilities can be more difficult when struggling with mental health decline or substance use—or both. In fact, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found “more than 50% of students with mental health conditions drop out of school without treatment.”
Summer is the perfect time to start treatment because the daily stressors of the academic year are on hiatus. Over the summer, teens don’t need to juggle treatment with school schedules. Homework, projects, studying for exams—these responsibilities take a backseat. There are no missed classes, exams, or social stressors tied to school. Since students are on break, summer treatment allows for intensive treatment without academic consequences, making it ideal for starting new medications, stabilizing symptoms, and processing trauma without cognitive overload.
We all need a break every once in a while to recollect ourselves and recharge. That’s why teens get a summer break—it’s a time to relax and recharge, so they’re ready to tackle the next academic year. And for teens and young adults struggling with mental health decline and substance use, summer can be a time to heal, whether by starting a new medicine, working on managing symptoms, or regular sessions with a therapist as part of a treatment program.
Is summer a good time to start treatment? Yes.
Here’s a recap why:
No school absences
Easier transition into care routines
Greater session availability
2 - Prevents Risky Summer Behaviors
Teens and young adults have less structure over the summer. It’s purposeful; everyone deserves a break. But the lack of routine found during the school year can potentially exacerbate any mental health struggles or substance use issues. In truth, substance use, self-harm, and disordered eating tend to spike during the summer when structure disappears.
During the school year, with class schedules and after school activities, students have less free time, and often adhere to more strict schedules. This helps them stay on track. But during the summer, there’s little routine—and less supervision. Parents or guardians may work during the day, giving teens or young adults more freedom to do what they want.
The beginning of summer, the first month free from academic responsibility, is often when teens may engage in riskier behaviors. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Teens are more likely to try drugs and alcohol for the first time in June or July than any other month.”
Unsupervised time can lead to:
Experimentation with drugs/alcohol
Disruption of sleep and eating patterns
Risky sexual behavior
Increased social media exposure and isolation
Teens are in a transformative and curious time, and may be drawn to riskier behaviors, especially when they have fewer responsibilities and more freedom. Any underlying mental health concerns that are left unaddressed or untreated can fuel engagement in such behaviors, as well—which is why starting your teen in a summer treatment program can help prevent any further decline and keep them on a safer path. Treatment programs help your teen stay on track.
3 - Shorter Waitlists & Immediate Openings
The truth is, families often don’t consider the summer to be a strategic time to help their teen find care. Many families may believe the summer is a time for their teens to enjoy freedom or go on a vacation. Or, many may be unaware that their teen is facing difficulties because signs of teen anxiety and depression may be overlooked in the summer. Since academic decline or struggle is a major sign that their teen may not be OK, most families delay care until teachers raise red flags in September, October, or November.
Over the summer, many families don’t seek care for their teen. As such, in the summer, there is reduced demand, meaning shorter waitlists and faster access to care.
During the summer:
It’s easier to book evaluations and consultations
Waitlists are shorter, INR has more immediate openings, and teens have a more flexible schedule to meet with a treatment team to start their journey.
More availability in PHP/IOP groups
Intensive day treatment, like a partial hospitalization programs (PHP), or intensive outpatient (IOP) groups have more space over the summer, and your teen has more time to dedicate to working with our multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals to to recover in a clean, safe, welcoming and structured environment.
Potential for customized scheduling
During the school year, it can be difficult to find time to focus on your teen’s mental health. This is typically compounded by the fact that it may be difficult to pull your teen out of school, even if they’re struggling. During the summer, there’s more freedom to establish a personalized treatment schedule that works with and for your teen.
Start now and avoid the fall rush when access becomes more limited.
4 - Start Strong in the Fall: Set Up for Success
The point of summer break is to give your teen time to recharge for the new school year, so they can continue to succeed in the fall. Summer treatment programs set up your teen for success in the fall, without your teen missing school or falling any further behind in their academics.
Treatment in summer means young people re-enter school with:
Stronger emotional regulation
Your teen or young adult can tackle the school year’s stressors with a greater ability to regulate their feelings and emotions, making it easier to navigate their responsibilities.
Better executive functioning
The school year with its homework, projects, and exams can be difficult to manage. Summer treatment helps teens build resilience and advocate for themselves by keeping up their schedules and achieving academic success.
Increased self-awareness and peer confidence
Summer treatment empowers your teen or young adult, which can make them understand their feelings, emotions, and needs, and re-enter school in the fall feeling confident in who they are.
Tools to manage stress, academic pressure, or triggers
The school year is undoubtedly stressful. However, summer treatment programs equip your teen or young adult with the necessary tools to take on stress, pressures, or triggers with great confidence.
The key takeaway is, summer treatment reduces the chance of school avoidance, breakdowns, or disciplinary issues later—on the contrary, it only better positions your teen or young adult to be resilient again in the fall. Kids are proactively equipped, not reactively treated, and provided with a smooth transition to the fall with continuity of care.
5 - How INR Supports Oregon Families This Summer
Take the time this summer to help your child and your family heal. Insight Northwest Recovery is where to find teen treatment over the summer in Oregon. We offer summer programs for teen mental health that include therapy for depression and anxiety, without missing school.
At Insight Northwest Recovery, we offer summer treatment programs, including:
PHP and IOP for teens and young adults
Treatment for anxiety, OCD, depression, trauma, addiction, and more
Co-occurring disorder care for those also struggling with substance use or disordered eating
We serve different age groups from 12+ and have specific adult programs available.
Flexible summer start dates and scheduling are available to those who are struggling with their mental health and substance use.
Don’t Wait—Summer Is the Time to Begin
Mental health support doesn’t have to wait until school starts. As you can see, summer provides time, space, and support to begin healing now—before a crisis hits.
Whether your child is 12 or 28, INR offers personalized, compassionate care that works around your summer life—not against it. Customizable and flexible scheduling is available to help your child live their life to the fullest.
Schedule a free consultation today to learn more about Insight Northwest Recovery’s summer treatment options.
Start today. Your fall self will thank you.