Regional Institute For Children & Adolescents

Posted: July 28, 2026

Posted: July 28, 2026

Posted: July 28, 2026

Posted: July 28, 2026

Posted: July 28, 2026

Posted: July 28, 2026

Posted: July 28, 2026

Posted: July 28, 2026

Rica (Rockville) has improved within the 6 years I've been here, however, the first 3 years of me being in this school had me contemplating taking my own life. Staff weren’t really good with boundaries at all, or knowing when restraining students was genuinely necessary. Pushes students into mainstreaming, education is not the top priority. It’s a combined middle & high school, has less than 100 students attending, so it’s a very small environment, which is helpful for people who get overwhelmed in large groups. However it also isn’t helpful for if you want to get over social anxiety issues. Residential is a bit of a mess, and is also more longer term, I have seen students stay in residential for 2 or more years. Teachers are usually pretty nice, however the best ones that were here either quit or are retired. There are free lunches and breakfasts, no matter what your income is, however it isn’t always the healthiest. You are provided therapists and psychiatrists, and as far as I know, you are required to have one from the school only, and aren’t allowed to have outside therapists or psychiatrists. There are supports that are given to people in need of them and there are “quiet rooms” students can go to, and as of more recently is actually optional rather than forced upon you, so that is an improvement. It can also be a more diverse or queer friendly environment, and staff will usually call you by your preferred name and pronouns. however some students will call you slurs. Fights will often break out, but it’s fine because they don’t actually know how to fight properly anyways. They are always recorded and shared around the school for entertainment. One thing that is very disturbing is that staff usually turn a blind eye to people vaping/smoking in classrooms or the halls. Staff usually will not call police if students suddenly leave the school grounds. Suicide comments are often ignored by staff, aswell as other kinds of comments. This place isn’t as bad as what I’ve heard of Rica Baltimore, though.

Posted: June 14, 2017

Posted: June 14, 2017

Posted: June 14, 2017

Minority students face the greatest difficulty here with some, not all, poorly trained staff who think they are doing well; the only thing they are doing well is leading the kids from the school-to-prison pipeline.

Posted: June 14, 2017

Posted: June 14, 2017

Posted: June 14, 2017

Posted: June 14, 2017

Posted: October 11, 2016

Special needs school, all teachers are special education staff, trained to work with students with emotional disabilities

Posted: October 11, 2016

They provide homework, but it is not too daunting, just enough to demonstrate understanding of the material.

Posted: October 11, 2016

This is a highly specialized school operated by Montgomery County Public schools. The school works with students who experience emotional disabilities. The teaching staff is highly qualified. There is a low student to teacher ratio.

The students have access to an integrated therapeutic environment through the Maryland Department of Mental Hygiene, located in the same building. All medication management and psychological counseling are conducted within the campus school-day setting. The school system provides special transportation for all day program students attending the program. Students have daily access to their counselors and therapists. The entire staff is trained to work with students who experience emotional disabilities including, but not limited to anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, Disruptive Mood Disorder, autism, and ADHD. The program does not serve students who have conduct disorders, drug addiction or eating disorders. The facility is not a locked facility. The program is for students who struggle daily with behaviors that interfere with their ability to succeed in an educational environment.

The main goal of the program is to give therapeutic support in an academic environment. The school always works towards the goal of transitioning students back into a less restrictive program in their county's school system. The program serves all Maryland students, though typically draws from Montgomery County, MD. There is a high turn over of students as the placement is dictated by IEPs which happen throughout the year.

The school serves grades 4-12. The elementary and middle school students are taught on a separate hall from the high school. Everyone takes their meals in the cafeteria which is state run, and has much better food than the mcps schools do, since the food is prepared on-site.

Middle and high school students rotate for classes, just like at a regular public school. They have electives such as language, art, music, PE.

Everyone seems highly skilled and supportive. They return my calls immediately, and value my input as a parent. Our child seems to be responding positively to the environment. He is slowly feeling more comfortable about school and showing some definite improvement and successes since he started there.

Posted: December 20, 2011

My son had a positive experience at RICA. We were dealing with behavior problems and he lived on campus. The staff is caring. The doctors were great. There support and guidance helped avert a family crisis.

Posted: December 18, 2007