PRAIRIE LAKES YOUTH PROGRAMS
BOYS GROUP HOME & GIRLS GROUP HOME
STATEMENT OF INTENDED USE
Program Service Philosophy
Target Population to be Served
Extent and Limitations of the Program
Restrictive Procedures
Description of Services to be Offered
License Holders Expertise and Qualifications
Population and Per Diem
Geographic Area to be Served
Referral Procedure
Admission
Program Plan for Clients
Resources
Program Plan Evaluation
Discharge Requirements
Control and Discipline Policies
Program Outcomes
Updated 4/25/2012
Statement of Intended Use
Program Service Philosophy
The Prairie Lakes Youth Programs –Boys Group Home and Girls Group Home (PLYP Group Homes) are greatly concerned about the needs of all children in society and their need for proper care. We believe children need a continuum of care offered to them. We provide a service not available through traditional foster care or institutional care. We have a unique opportunity to provide services to children in need of different aspects of treatment from both resources. We provide adult guidance and professional services to children placed out of the home and yet keep the child in community living. Our facility is community based and our program is community oriented. We have tremendous flexibility in providing care to children with varying needs. The PLYP Group Homes work cooperatively with the child, their family, the placing agency and other professionals working with them and family to develop an individual program plan, discharge plan and aftercare plan based on the placement critical goals.
Target Population to Be Served
The PLYP Group Homes are licensed by the State of Minnesota Department of Corrections to operate one home for boys and one home for girls. We accept children ages 12-19. We serve emotionally troubled children, children with behavioral problems and their families. Referrals can include children in need of protective services, adjudicated delinquents and voluntary placements.
The PLYP Group Homes will serve as an intervention for children who are struggling to function successfully in their home, school and community. The PLYP Group Homes will serve as a preventative measure for applicants who have never been formally involved in the criminal justice system but who are demonstrating behavior likely to result in involvement with the system. For those legally adjudicated, the PLYP Group Homes will provide intervention for those applicants exhibiting sincere effort to correct their lifestyle. The PLYP Group Homes would further serve to facilitate re-entry into the applicant's own home and community as a transitional living unit following institutional stay. The PLYP Group Homes will provide respite care to struggling foster children and their families and assist them in reunification. As a provider for the Minnesota Consolidated Treatment Funding we will provide room and board for clients attending chemical dependency treatment. These clients will participate in all PLYP Group Home programming as well as out patient chemical dependency treatment.
We will accept applicants who are giving solid evidence--to be substantiated by the referring person and/or agency-- that the applicants can be motivated to make efforts to achieve the goals which are determined necessary for subsequent placement out of the home to all applicants without regard for race, creed, national origin, religion, sexual preference or financial status.
The PLYP Group Homes provides services to children of diverse cultural backgrounds. We have served Caucasian, African American, Somali, Native American, Asian and Latino and Hispanic Youth. Equal treatment and access to services will be provided to all applicants without regard for race, creed, national origin, religion, sexual preference or financial status.
Extent and Limitations of the Program
We will not accept severe acting-out referrals that require constant one on one supervision as well as intense and constant professional care. This includes those who are seriously assaultive, aggressive or currently suicidal. In the event that a client complains or is suspected of having suicidal or self-injurious ideations, an outside agency or qualified individual may be contacted for assessment and recommendations. The fee for this service will be the responsibility of the referring agency.
We may provide one-on-one supervision with a client who has been functioning successfully in our program and is experiencing a temporary crisis.
The PLYP Group Homes will not accept clients whose medically fragile condition would prevent them from successfully participating in the PLYP Group Homes Programming.
We will consider sex offenders on a case by case basis. Appropriateness for placement in our programs will be determined by the age and gender of the victim, whether the offender has received treatment, the likelihood of his/her re-offending and our current client population.
Equal treatment and access to services will be provided to all applicants without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, religion, physical handicap, sexual preference, public assistance status or marital status.
Restrictive procedures
The PLYP Group Homes do not use restrictive procedures. Through our admission procedures we screen clients who are in need of these types of services. Our staff are trained in de-escalation techniques. In the event that a client or clients are damaging group home property or becoming behaviorally out of control we will contact the Willmar Police Department.
Description of Services to Be Offered
The PLYP Group Homes are designed to provide a nurturing environment for adolescents. We empower adolescents to identify and evaluate behaviors and issues causing problems in their lives, educate and teach them skills; provide an environment where issues can be worked through assertively within the program or by utilizing existing community resources. We promote and assist communication and problem solving with families.
Services to be provided within the program
Ø Home Like Environment
Ø Twenty Four Hour Supervision, Guidance And Care
Ø TruThought Cognitive Skills Program
Ø Individual Program Planning
Ø Case Coordination Of All Services Provided Within The Program And Within The Community
Ø Chemical Dependency Treatment and AfterCare Provided By Community Addiction Recovery Enterprises (C.A.R.E.) - Rule 25 Funding Applies (CCDTF)
Ø Daily Behavioral Group
Ø Individual Counseling
Ø Family Meetings
Ø Regular Staffings And Written Reports To Communicate Progress
Ø Willmar Public Schools and Prairie Lakes Schools
Ø Independent Living Skills Assessment And Development
Ø Recreational Activities
Ø Community Service Hours For Restitution Provided
Ø Spirituality Services Provided By Youth For Christ
Ø AfterCare Planning And Services
Services to be provided by community resources:
Ø Willmar Public Schools provide main stream and E.B.D. classrooms. Alternative classrooms are at the Area Learning Center and PLYP School. Career assessment and summer school are also provided by the Willmar Public Schools and Prairie Lakes School.
Ø Psychiatric and Psychological Services are provided by agencies in the Willmar Area as well as client’s home community.
Ø Medical Services are provided by local businesses or in the client’s home community.
Ø Independent Living Skills Assessment and Development are provided by the SEARCH Program.
Ø Chemical Dependency Treatment and aftercare are provided by Community Addiction Recovery Enterprise (C.A.R.E.).
Ø AA, NA, Al-Anon, and Alateen services are provided by the local chapter.
Ø Therapeutic Consultation to our staff is provided by Alan Johnson, LICSW, LMFT as well as clients individual Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Therapists.
Ø Medication Administration and Policy and Procedure consultation is provided by Kandiyohi County Public Health.
Ø Spirituality services are provided by local churches and Youth for Christ.
Ø Mentorship program is available through our local YMCA.
Ø Kandiyohi County Community Services Program, The Willmar Area Food Shelf, Humane Society and the United Way are some ways we provide the opportunity for youth to complete community service hours.
The program will involve the community to ensure culturally appropriate care.
The PLYP Group Homes will consult with the child, their family, referring persons and other involved persons to:
ü Determine and access trainers, interpreters and/or mentors to meet the individual client cultural needs.
ü Provide opportunities to associate with culturally and racially similar adults, peers and role models.
ü To provide opportunities to participate in positive experiences related to the residents cultural or racial group.
License Holders Expertise and Qualifications to Provide the Services Noted In the Program Description
The PLYP Group Homes, formerly known as Kandiyohi County Group Homes, have been well established and maintained since 1975.Employees must be mature individuals with education and/ or work/life experience pertinent to the position they hold. Employees must be 21 years of age. Ongoing continuing education required by licensing, by the individual needs of clients and the individual needs of the staff is provided. The Group Homes utilize the professional TheraScribe Program to develop individual treatment plans according to individual client issues and diagnosis. The Group Homes contract with professional consultants to assist staff in program planning and daily care and treatment issues.
Population and Per Diem
We intend to operate with eleven females at the PLYP Girls Group Home. Our per diem rate effective January 1, 2012 is $190.00 for non-members and $165.00 for members.
The breakdown for consolidated funding at the girls group home is $122.07 for room and board costs, which will be charged to the state. Group Home programming charges of $67.93 for non-members and $42.93 for members will be charged to the county making placement.
We intend to operate with twelve males at PLYP Boys Group Home. Our per diem rate effective January 1, 2012 is $190.00 for non-members and $165.00 for members.
The breakdown for consolidated funding at the boys group homes is $122.07 for room and board costs, which will be charged to the state. Group Home programming charges of $67.93 for non-members and $42.93 for members will be charged to the county making placement.
Geographic Area to be served
The geographic area served by the PLYP Group Homes include the counties of Anoka, Beltrami, Becker, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Cass, Chippewa, Clay, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Douglas, Faribault, Goodhue, Grant, Isanti, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Pope, Prairie Island Indian Community, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Watonwan, Wilken, Wright, and Yellow Medicine of Minnesota and Cass County, North Dakota.
Referral Procedure
Admission to the Group Homes may be initiated by contacting the Girls Home Program Director or Treatment Coordinator at 320-235-6637 or the Boys Home Program Director or Treatment Coordinator at 320-235-6895. Your direction on placement critical goals will be requested.
The following information is required at the time of referral:
1. General information regarding reasons for referral, acting out behaviors and presenting problems.
2. Social history, abuse history, criminal history and chemical use history.
3. Client’s potential for self abuse and history of aggressive behaviors. Client’s potential for self-abuse and history of aggressive behaviors.
4. Discharge Plan.
5. Placement Critical Goals.
6. Most recent IEP Plan, if available.
7. Current psych evaluation or Rule 79.
The following information is required at the time of admission:
1. Family doctor and primary care clinic (Name, Clinic, Address, Phone).
2. Family dentist (Name, Clinic, Address, Phone).
3. A medical and dental examination must be obtained either prior to admission or within the resident's first month of placement if they have not had one within the previous 12 months. If resident has had these exams within the previous 12 months a signed verification from the doctor and dentist will need to be provided to the Group Home for the residents file. If the resident is accepted and placement continues beyond the 12 month period in which physical and dental examinations were received, another physical and dental examination will be scheduled. If these services are set up by the Group Home, financial responsibilities rest with resident’s legal guardian.
4. Mom and/or Dad’s SSN and date of birth.
5. Insurance information.
6. Date of last two MMR's, Hepatitis Series (3), Polio Series (4), DPT Series (5), last Tetanus Vaccine.
7. Allergies and medical need information.
8. Current medication(s), reason for medication(s), prescribing doctors' name, address and phone.
9. Copy of Social Security Card and certified copy of Birth Certificate
10. School information including name, address, phone and contact person of last school attended. A copy of any 504 Plan or I.E.P, current class schedule and transcript (official or unofficial) will significantly speed up the child’s entry into an appropriate school program and classes.
11. Psychological Evaluation (if Applicable), Rule 79 Evaluation and background information from previous interventions.
12. Contractual agreement made with referring agency for financial responsibility.
13. Copy of County Case Plan.
14. Copy of Court Order or Voluntary Placement Agreement.
* A pre-placement staffing may be requested by the Group Home to further determine appropriateness of the child’s placement in the group home. A pre-placement staffing can be requested, for any reason, by a client or their representative as well.
Admission
An admission staffing is held when a child is placed at the Group Home. The purpose for this staffing is to promote communication between all parties on goals and expectations for the child’s placement, to set goals, placement plans, discuss length of stay and discharge plans.
At the admission staffing the client will be asked to share the areas of difficulty leading up to their placement at the Group Home. The referring agent, parent(s) and other interested parties will be asked to share their concerns and placement critical goals regarding the child and his/her family. These areas are then written as target goal areas to be addressed during the client’s placement at the Group Home.
Releases will need to be signed by the child and his/her legal guardian. Releases will be requested which will allow the Group Home to talk with parents, correction agents, social workers, guardian ad litems, therapists, schools, doctors, dentists and other professionals working with the child. Releases will also be requested for medical and dental care, recreational activities and drug screening.
Program Plan for Clients
Prior to the Thirty (30) Day Staffing, each client is assigned a primary counselor who will function as their primary worker throughout their Group Home stay as well as through their aftercare services. This primary counselor will work closely with the client and his/her family/foster family, providing individual and family counseling and support, supervising home visits and facilitating the aftercare plan.
An individualized program plan will be developed for each client beginning upon admission.
Issues typically addressed at the Group Home include:
*Social Skill Development *Divorce
*Peer and Authority Relationships *Values
*Family Relationships *Sexuality
*Assertiveness Skills *Sexual Abuse
*Problem Solving Skills *Communications Skills
*Developing Short Term Goals and Objectives
*Decision Making Skills *Hygiene
*Anger Management Skills * Teen Stress
*Chemical Dependency Awareness and Education
*Self Esteem *Co-Dependency
*Discovering Healthy Hobbies and Interests
* Developing a Sober Lifestyle * Long Range Planning
*Independent Living Skills *Cognitive Thinking Skills
*Blended Families
The client will work on the goals set up upon admission through the following:
DAILY GROUPS GIRLS HOME
All clients participate in Behavioral/Self-Awareness Group daily, which is conducted by the group home counselors. The modality of the group is geared toward positive peer culture and behavioral modification. Each client works on a behavioral check list which is designed for her specific needs. Clients are asked to reevaluate these weekly and give their recommendations to staff. The group home staff "team" reevaluates these weekly. The Group Home also offers Gender Specific, Sexual Abuse, Chemical Dependency Awareness and Prevention, Social Skills Development and Cultural and Current Events groups.
DAILY GROUPS BOYS HOME
All clients participate in Behavioral/Self-Awareness Group daily, which is conducted by the group home counselors. The modality of the group is geared toward positive peer culture and behavioral modification. Each client works on a behavioral check list which is designed for his specific needs. Clients are asked to reevaluate these weekly and give their recommendations to staff. The group home staff "team" reevaluates these weekly. Group home staff facilitates groups on a variety of topics as client needs arise. These include but are not limited to: Coping Skills, Independent Living Skills, Anger Management, Chemical Use Education, Hobby Skills, Career Exploration, and Team Building.
DAILY GOAL WORK
Clients will spend time each day studying and journaling on a specific goal or skill area.
ONE-TO-ONE COUNSELING SESSIONS
One-to-one counseling is provided by all group home counselors. This will be done both formally as well as informally. Formal sessions are planned work on specific goal areas. Informal sessions take place daily on all areas of skill building. These sessions will be supervised by the Program Director, and consulting therapist. The Program Director will also be involved in one-to-one counseling upon request by the group home staff. If further counseling outside of the Group Home program is needed, it will be closely coordinated by the primary counselor, and program director.
SCHOOL
A sound educational program will be worked out with the Public Schools or PLYP School in relation to each client's needs. The Willmar Public School District offers main stream programming and E.B.D. Classrooms. Alternative programming is offered at the Area Learning Center, night school and GED programming. Woodland Centers provides day treatment services. Summer school is offered to all group home clients. Students can earn up to 2 credits through this program.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Group home clients are encouraged to be involved in the community. Opportunities include but are not limited to practicing the religion of their choice, involvement in school activities, community education and recreation and AA, NA, Al-Anon and Alateen. Recreational group activities are planned by the group home staff to meet the client's interests and needs as well as to promote new interests.
FAMILY MEETINGS
Family meetings are a most important part of our program. Each family will be asked to be involved in developing a family plan. Each family will develop a Home Care Contract which will outline rules, responsibilities and behavioral expectations in their home. Family meetings are facilitated by the primary counselor and are for the purpose of building communication, problem solving, and developing age appropriate rules, responsibilities and consequences.
HOME VISITS
Visits to home or potential foster homes are encouraged as they are important to the client and their progress in the program. Home visits are an extension of the child’s program as they are the most opportune time to try out new skills and gauge progress that is being made by both the child and his/her family. Assignments will be sent home in the form of a Home Visit Report to be completed by both the child and his/her parents. Parents and child are encouraged to call the Group Home at any time during the visit for direction, support and encouragement. Clients will be asked to journal how their weekend is going and share their journaling with staff upon return. Parents will be asked to stop in or call the primary counselor after the visit to discuss how the visit went, what progress they have seen, what concerns they have and any suggestions they may have for achieving the desired behaviors.
Upon admission an individual visitation plan will be set up by the child, family and referring agency. The referring agent has the final say on the visitation plan. Families are encouraged to visit at the group home on Sunday afternoons from 2-4 P.M. This is a time we have set aside when no activities or programming will be set up to interfere with your visit. If parents can not make it at this time other arrangements can be made. The staff will work with parents around activities and programming times for that particular week.
Visits can start out as short as a visit at the Group Home or out in the community of Willmar. They can be one overnight or a whole weekend at home depending on the comfort level of the child and his/her family. These visits are an opportunity for growth and learning.
AFTERCARE
AfterCare plans are designed for individual client’s needs and are coordinated with the referring agents and families prior to discharge. AfterCare is provided for three months following client’s successful discharge. We have an open door policy post discharge and are available for phone calls, letters and we invite our clients to stop in and visit. AfterCare plans can include the following services from the primary counselor who has worked the closest with the client and his/her family throughout placement: phone calls, visits to the client’s homes, family meetings in the client’s home (these can be scheduled prior to discharge or left open to be available as needs arise), and coordinating follow-through of AfterCare plans for services provided by the home community such as community support persons, churches, schools, counselors, etc.
Resources
Area resources are used to meet the needs of each individual client's program as well as Group Home Licensing Requirement. These resources include:
1) Alan Johnson, Licensed Social Worker and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, provides therapeutic direction as a consultant to all full-time Group Home staff. Alan Johnson also provides therapy to adolescents and their families through Rice Institute for Counseling and Education.
2) Woodland Centers (Mental Health Center) provides counseling, medication monitoring and psychiatric care.
3) S.E.A.R.C.H. (Seeking Experiences with Attitudes, Relationships, Community & Home) Helping young people prepare for being on their own.
4) A Public School System equipped to provide educational programs for nearly any situation. Summer school is provided by PLYP.
5) Medical care at ACMC, ACMC Surgery Center, Rice Memorial Hospital and Family Practice Medical Center.
6) Dental care through several local dental offices and Rice Regional Dental or Willmar State Operated Dental Services.
7) C.A.R.E.(Community Addiction Recovery Enterprise) provides out-patient chemical dependency treatment.
8) Medication Administration and Policy and Procedure consultation is provided by Kandiyohi County Public Health.
9) Spirituality services are provided by local churches and Youth for Christ.
10) AA, NA and Al-Anon or Alateen chapter.
11) Planned Parenthood/Crisis Pregnancy.
12) Vocational Assessment Center/Behavioral Assessment Center.
13) Legal Aid Services.
14) City recreational and continuing education programs.
15) City parks, skating rinks, area lakes, Sibley State Park, YMCA, The Barn Theater and Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center.
We closely coordinate all of our program services with those provided by outside persons or agencies by direct personal contact and /or intra-agency staffings.
Program Plan Evaluation
Clients are evaluated daily in the following areas:
Group Participation
Individual Goal Work
Peer Relationships
Authority Relationships
Household Responsibilities
Hygiene
School and Studies
Outside Jobs and Activities
They are scored in each area. This system is set up so that clients putting effort into their program can easily earn this average. Clients not putting forth effort will not be granted further privileges. Clients start fresh each day and can still earn privileges for the week if they’ve had a couple bad days. Each client knows how they are performing daily through their group involvement and written checklist points.
Primary counselors, community counselor, program director and consulting therapist meet weekly to evaluate progress or lack of progress and adjust programming for individual client needs. This overall weekly status is discussed with the clients on Tuesday afternoons.
Staffings including client, parents, referring agents, guardian ad litems, outside therapists, program director and primary counselor are held to evaluate and discuss the client's goals, progress or lack of progress on these goals as well as the status of the family meetings, jobs, community services, medical, school and any other outside activity information. Discussion involves opportunities for all to give input on the client’s program plan. These staffings will be scheduled after the clients first 30 days in the program and at least every 8 to 10 weeks throughout his/her program. A discharge staffing will also be provided to discuss completion of program, recommendations and AfterCare plans.
Written staffing reports outlining the client's progress and/or lack of progress regarding the current goal plan, status of family meetings, jobs, community services, medical, school, outside activity information and goals the client and family members will address the next eight weeks are also provided after each staffing has occurred.
Discharge Requirements
Discharge decisions are already in progress at the time of admission. During our admission procedure, each client is made aware of what is expected of them while they are at the Group Home, what specific areas they need to address in order to be considered for discharge and approximately how long they can expect to be residents of the Group Home. Each client is made clearly aware of the following areas that go into affecting discharge decisions:
1. Goal progress or how the client has worked and gained in those areas that initially necessitated placement.
2. Group progress or how the client participates in the group process. Does he/she accept constructive feedback from his/her peers and staff? Does he/she give constructive feedback to others? Does he/she assert themself and withstand negative peer pressure?
3. Follow the rules and taking care of his/her responsibilities at the group home and on home visits. Does he/she take responsibility for his/her behaviors and except consequences when he/she does not?
4. Home visit progress: how the client's home visits have gone, and have previous problems been worked out.
5. School Involvement: Is the child working to his/her ability behaviorally and academically in school?
6. Recommendation of all concerned parties: Are the social worker, parent(s), probation officer, guardian ad litem, therapist, client and group home recommending discharge?
Control and Discipline Policies
See Code of Conduct in Teen and Parent Handbook and Discipline Policies and Procedures
Program Outcomes
The PLYP Group Homes have identified the following program goals to promote the clients development as a physically and mentally healthy person.
Children will:
· feel cared for.
· have opportunities for play and recreation.
· be served healthy well balanced meals and snacks.
· feel confident in the knowledge and skills of the staff.
· feel that the staff understands their needs.
· feel that staff see their strengths.
· have help with their school work and educational needs.
· see progress in meeting their goals.
· receive needed medical care.
· receive needed dental care.
· receive needed mental health services.
· have adequate bedroom and sleeping arrangements.
· feel safe with their peers.
· feel that staff respect their rights.
· feel safe with staff.
· be satisfied with the outcomes and results of the services provided them.
· see that staff have made efforts to involve their family in treatment planning and services.
· believe that staff understand their culture and ethnic needs.
· will be comfortable with the rules for family visits and contact.
· will feel they had help from staff in preparing for discharge.
Parents/foster parents, referring persons and other involved parties will:
· Be comfortable with the daily care and support of the child.
· Be comfortable with the recreational opportunities given the child.
· Be comfortable with the programs food service.
· Be comfortable with the child’s bedroom and sleeping arrangements.
· Be comfortable with the knowledge and skills of the staff.
· Be comfortable with the staff’s ability to identify the child’s needs.
· Be comfortable with staff’s ability to identify the child’s strengths.
· Be comfortable with staff’s support of the child’s educational needs.
· Be satisfied with progress the child made in achieving his/her goals.
· Be satisfied with the staff’s efforts to meet the child’s mental health needs.
· Be satisfied with the staff’s efforts to meet the child’s medical needs.
· Be satisfied with the staff’s efforts to meet the child’s dental needs.
· Be comfortable that the child felt safe while in the program.
· Be comfortable that staff respected the child’s rights.
· Be satisfied with the outcomes or results of the services.
· Be comfortable with the staff’s ability to relate to or understand the child’s racial and ethnic needs.
· Be satisfied with the match between the child’s needs and the services received.
· Be comfortable with the family visits and contact.
· Be satisfied with the staff’s efforts to prepare the child and family for discharge.