Residential Programs Update

These critical care programs works with adolescent males ages 12–18 who have mental health and behavioral needs that require enhanced staffing and clinical services beyond the scope of regular residential programming. Youth receive weekly individual therapy with a focus on improved self-esteem, impulse control and self-regulation from a trauma-informed lens, are offered family therapy and regular visitation with caregivers to re-establish healthy relationships that will support youth’s success as they return to their communities, engage with a staff Psychiatrist for medication management of various mood and behavioral symptoms, and participate in daily group activities aimed at fostering a sense of community, team-building, and leadership. Youth receive daily support and in the-moment skills coaching from program Youth Development Professionals, as well.

The Special Supervision and Treatment Program is based on a developmental model that has a family and youth focus. The ages of this program range between 11-15 years old. The treatment milieu provides the youth with a safe, predictable, highly structured, adult controlled, teaching-learning environment.   This population will receive specialized treatment to address their sexually harmful behaviors.  Various components of this specialized treatment include identification of risks, individual and group therapies, family therapy, including safety planning in the home. Concepts of safe boundaries, healthy sexuality, empathy skills, and understanding the sexual abuse cycle are the foundation of this program, with program Youth Development Professionals helping to reinforce pro-social skills through daily milieu teaching opportunities. Youth are offered supplemental support to their emotional and behavioral needs through monthly consultation with a staff Psychiatrist for medication management purposes, as well.

A 9 bed critical care program serves young women between ages 12 to 18 years old.  Youth receive weekly individual therapy, participate in weekly group therapies and additional female-specific groups throughout the year, as available, and receive in-the-moment skills coaching from program Youth Development Professionals.  Contact with caregivers, family therapy, and engagement with community resources are also considered essential to the change process.  Interventions such as yoga, volunteering, community-based activities, and a trauma-informed approach supports the strong emphasis on milieu therapy, focusing on attachment, relationship building, and improved self-esteem. Weekly support from a staff Psychiatrist allows these young women to receive supplemental support to their overall treatment through medication management of symptoms related to their trauma experiences and general behavioral and emotional needs.

These programs provide specialized treatment of younger boys’ ages 11-15 with significant emotional trauma and behavioral challenges that are unable to be managed safely at a lower level of care and are requiring frequent moves at a foster care level. The programs offer embellished staffing and supervision combined with enriched clinical and psychiatric services. Each program has a nine bed capacity, with Cottage 11 having 7 singles and one double bedroom, and Cottage 7 having 9 single bedrooms. Each program can assist children with Permanency Planning Goals of adoption who have struggled for various reasons in a family setting.  Services offered to these youth include individual and group therapy including play therapy, anger control and social skills training, recreation therapy, including experiential–community access, and a strong emphasis on milieu therapy focusing on attachment and relationship building.