Community Treatment Solutions What are the Challenges? What is Working? Programs

Group homes – specialty and rtc Community based homes for youth who exhibit intense, complex behaviors, which may be the result of trauma, abuse and psychiatric disorders. challenges What is working Strengths based assist youth to focus on treatment and what they do right. Self-esteem and self-worth increase. Intense training and supervision hold staff accountable to follow the model. Sanctuary Model and Nurtured Heart. Most youth discharge home. Staff schedules make it hard to attend staff/house meetings. Depending on home location, youth can readily AWOL (go missing) Referrals are not always available as the beds open. Beds need to be at 100% occupancy-d/c and in-take needs to occur the same day.

Co-occurring RTC – Aspen community based group home – serves females 13-17 who present with co-occurring mental health and substance use . What is working Challenges Co-occurring program allows for comprehensive treatment. Groups focus on resolving the trauma while addressing the substance use and the underlying reasons. In-takes difficult to conduct timely mostly due to family issues. Co-dependency and enabling of the family has to be taken into account. Staff turnover in the last few months makes consistency in programming challenging.

STARS (Special teens achieving real success) community based alternative for developmentally delayed youth also experiencing mental health disorders What is working challenges Smaller setting of a treatment home Treatment parents specially trained and supported by staff Cohesive staff and parents who have been working together for some time. Length of stay 9 months – 3 years Referral process – youth in with general treatment home level on Youth Link Discharge destinations.

Intensive clinical services (ICS) family-based approach for DCP&P involved youth who live either in their own home or a CTS therapeutic home What is working challenges Home setting with specially trained therapeutic parents helps youth to thrive and safely work through treatment. Staff and parents work closely together to treat all aspects of the youth. Referrals are up and down Youth needing a higher level of care but not available or assessed yet.

Functional family therapy (FFT) in-home family therapy for delinquent and at-risk youth. What is working Challenges Short-term treatment helps families “buy-in” Focused treatment with clear goals Treatment reduces recidivism Following the model – families don’t always fit the model Answering to FFT and contract. Families not being home for appointments.

BASE (Better access to a safe environment) treatment that restores dignity decreases risk and increases the well being of youth exploited by human trafficking What is working challenges Strong team approach “come back” packs – encourage youth to keep in touch and return after leaving the house. Training of treatment parents to understand the population. Many dissociate and see their lifestyle as a “business” with “customers” so difficult to connect to youth. Short term – EDRU beds Youth go missing often Referrals sporadic as many aren’t identified appropriately in the system. High medical needs.

TRAIL (Transitional assisted independent living) supports youth aging out of the child protective system by helping them transition to independence. What is working challenges Being in a home-like setting helps youth gain additional support Youth discharge to their own apartment or family/friend Referrals Home setting is sometimes a turn off for youth who want to be in their own place immediately Community time

Visitation services (TSV-Therapeutic Supervised Visitation services and gfs-goldston family services) What is working challenges New tools provided to families Mentoring and support Parents coping and parenting skills improve Reunification Therapeutic visits vs regular visits Parent issues with homelessness and drug use Visits not always occurring in natural environment