ActUp, you seem to be reinforcing the idea that the school portion of the program is bullshit and the therapy portion is also bullshit. So why is your son still there, instead of at home with the people who know and understand him best?
If there is no suitable therapist he can see locally as an outpatient, is there no way you can send him to NYC or some other nearby big city for treatment?
I understand the school is paying for this nonsense as an IEP, so it doesn't affect your family finances one way or another. I don't mean that disrespectfully, but if it were coming out of your pocket, would you have a different attitude? I know that in our son's case, we were stressing about the fact that we were potentially spending his college money -- or "get a life money" -- on a questionable "therapeutic" program that was untested, unproven, un-everything. It was just quackery with slick marketing. He's a smart kid and he deserved better than the bullshit that passes for 'education' in a TBS. For that matter, he deserved better than the bullshit that passes for education in the public schools. He deserved better than to starve in the wilderness that we stupidly thrust him into.
We decided not to take the 'next step,' to TBS -- we brought him home and sought local therapy (for the umpteenth time, after many failed attempts) and decided to let him sink or swim on his own. Not quite true -- we sort of bailed him out of a few jams that could've been serious shit for him, but we looked the other way and said "this is the last time dude." But he mostly got it -- that he was almost an adult (and is now and has been for quite awhile) and that he needed to take responsibility for his own life.
He has been to some very expensive therapy since his program experience, but only on his own terms -- he goes if he wants, doesn't if he doesn't. We've told him hey if you don't like this person, don't go -- find someone else, or no one at all if that's what you think is best. Take psychiatric meds or not -- it's your choice. If you think they help, great. If not, that's great too. We have told him we will offer him some financial support and TONS of emotional support in whatever he wants to do -- get a job, go to college, whatever -- and the biggest struggle has been whether he wants to do anything at all.
He has often thought that life is not worth living and that there's not point to all of this b.s. That -- depression and some half-assed suicide attempts -- has been the biggest challenge. Figuring out that some things -- even if it's sex, drugs and rock & roll -- are better than death. Surprise, surprise, he is starting to figure out that there's more to life than death, and even more than sex, drugs & rock & roll -- that there's something more that's worth doing with oneself, even if sex, drugs & rock & roll seems pretty cool in and of itself. He is starting to realize that just maybe he can do something to influence his friends, society and the world at large, for the better -- and that 'for the better' is better than 'for the worse.'
I'm sure my wife would cringe, but I tell him things like "it helps to get laid once in awhile," and he sheepishly says things like "duh, don't you think I know that?"
He's not out of the woods, but he is well on his way. Your kid can be too. I'm not saying "laissez faire," anything goes. More like, back off and see what inspires him, see what he really likes in this world. See if you can't just sit back and let him figure all that out for himself, with your support -- but without your intervention.